FAQ's
What is a Cesspool?
A Cesspool or ‘cesspit’ holds all of the sewerage discharged into it, including any waste water. It has only one inlet pipe, and no outlet. There is no filtration process built into it and no water is ever discharged from the Cesspool into a soakaway or land drainage. Cesspools can be very uneconomical to run compared to Septic Tanks and Sewerage Treatment Plants, and are only normally installed in areas of poor land drainage.
What is a Septic Tank?
A Septic Tank is a holding tank that allows the solids in sewerage to settle by gravity whilst the partially treated liquid runs off to a soakaway or land drainage system. The term "septic" refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that develops in the tank and which decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the tank. Although still a popular solution, Septic Tanks are an inferior means of sewerage treatment in comparison to Sewerage Treatment Plants (see below).
What is a Sewerage Treatment Plant?
A Sewerage Treatment Plant puts oxygen into contact with bacteria to force natural aerobic digestion, converting the sewerage into an environmentally acceptable liquid that can be legally discharged into a water course or into land drainage. These plants are the preferred option of most local authorities and The Environmental Agency. All of the Sewerage Treatment Plants we install conform to UK & European Standards and are tested to BSEN12566-3.
What is a Rainwater Harvesting System?
A Rainwater Harvesting System does exactly what it says on the tin. These can be fitted within the grounds of any property to collect rainwater from the downpipes and collect it in a large underground storage tank. Any leaves and debris are filtered out of the rainwater, and then pumped back on demand. In the UK the roof area and guttering system on the average four bedroom house captures over 98m³ of rainwater. The rain harvested can meet up to 50% of your water use, by substituting rainwater for car washing, toilet flushing, washing machines, garden irrigation etc.
When is a Sewerage Pumping System needed?
A Sewerage Pumping System is needed when it is not possible to use gravity to discharge sewerage from a property to the mains sewer. It may be that the elevation of the property is lower than the mains sewer or that a pipe laid from the property to the mains sewer would not have the required 1 in 60 fall.
Will I need an electric supply to my plant or tank?
An electricity supply will normally be required to any Sewerage Treatment Plant, Sewerage Pumping System or Rainwater Harvesting System. We will always include the cost of this in our quote, unless instructed otherwise.
When is a soakaway required?
A soakaway or ‘land drainage’ will normally be required when a Septic Tank or Sewerage Treatment Plant is installed. The cost of any land drainage is heavily influenced by the porosity of the ground on site. In order to determine the type and the extent of the land drainage required it is first necessary to have a percolation test carried out – see below.
What is a percolation test?
A percolation test is carried out to gauge the porosity of the ground in order to be able to work out the size of land drainage required to be installed with any Septic Tank or Rainwater harvesting system. This is done by digging trial holes which are filled with water. The amount of time it takes the hole to empty will determine the extent of the land drainage needed.
