Discharge to Ground
It is common practice, particularly in non-sewered rural areas, to discharge treated sewage to ground via a drainage field/soakaway. Beneficial bacteria present in the drainage field provide natural purification of the discharge and ensure that the underlying groundwater supplies are protected from pollution.
If you are the operator of small sewage treatment plant that discharges to ground then you must either comply with the ‘General Binding Rules’ or apply for an Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency.
To benefit from the General Binding Rules an operator of an existing treatment plant, (dating from before 1st January 2015), must comply with the following criteria:-
- The discharge must be 2 cubic metres/2000 litres or less per day. This equates to about 13 people.
- The sewage must be domestic only
- The sewage must not cause pollution
- The sewage must first receive treatment from a septic tank or package plant and be disposed of to a drainage field that met British Standards at the time of installation. The systems must be installed and operated in accordance with manufacturers guidelines.
- The discharge must NOT be within 50 metres of any well, spring or borehole.
- Maintenance must be undertaken by somebody who is competent
- Waste sludge must be disposed of by an authorised waste carrier
For new discharges started after 1st April 2015 there are additional rules that apply and these include:-
- New discharges must not be within 30 metres of a sewer
- You must ensure that all necessary building control approvals are in place
- New discharges must not in, or within 50 metres of, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site, or biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and must not be in an Ancient Woodland.
Further information on the rules can be found on the .Gov.Uk website at:-
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/general-binding-rules-small-sewage-discharge-to-the-ground
If you cannot meet the rules or are in any doubt we would advise that you contact the Environment Agency on 0370 850 6506 to discuss the matter. Advice on applying for an Environmental Permit can also be obtained from the free Environment Agency Pre-application service at:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permit-pre-application-advice-form
