Private Drains and Septic Tanks

FourHorsemen

Hello fellow MSE people. We are hoping to move to the West Country next Spring, and looking on the EA websites it is clear very few rural places are on mains drains. There seem to be a number of options, I've Googled around, and found three main types:
1. Septic Tank
2. Cess Pit
or 3. Treatment plant
So does anyone on the forum have experience, good or bad.

Many thanks

Aquamaster

FourHorsemen wrote: »

Hello fellow MSE people. We are hoping to move to the West Country next Spring, and looking on the EA websites it is clear very few rural places are on mains drains. There seem to be a number of options, I've Googled around, and found three main types:
1. Septic Tank
2. Cess Pit
or 3. Treatment plant
So does anyone on the forum have experience, good or bad.

Many thanks

The simplest and most reliable is the septic tank. After the septic tank need filter structure. If a septic tank with a K-Module, You can get biogas.

Davesnave

Septic tanks are fine if people are disciplined and don't overload them with bleaches and other chemicals that affect the bacteria they rely on. For this reason, it's best not to share one with another property.

It's also best if the drainage field is on one's own land and if there's room to renew it, if necessary.

Cess pits are inconvenient and outdated, so I'd negotiate on price to factor-in for replacement with one of those.

theonlywayisup

We are on a septic tank.

The tank costs about £100 every other year to empty, gives us no smell and is nearly 15 years old.

We are also in the West Country, for us, there is no mains gas, no mains water either!

suki1964

We have a septic tank.

We get one free de sludge a year

The only times we have problems is when we have heavy continuous rain for a week or so, then the soak away slows down so it's just a question of slowing down the waste For a few days till it all evens out ( don't use the washing machine, keep flushing to the bare minimum)

Also you learn very fast not to flush non biodegradable products down the loo as unblocking a blocked tank is not the most pleasant job in the world, and expensive for someone else come and do it

We also don't have main gas and electricity comes via overheads- very flaky with all these storms

iris

We also have a septic tank. It hasn't been emptied for several years, it really isn't necessary if used properly. We check the drain run and also lift the septic tank cover regularly for signs of possible problems. We have a set of drain rods should there be a problem.


We are careful and use the saying 'if it's brown flush it down. If it's yellow let it mellow'. We only flush toilet paper and don't use much bleach etc.


As we have a septic tank our water bills are very low and we only pay for what water we use.

Aquamaster

Davesnave wrote: »

Septic tanks are fine if people are disciplined and don't overload them with bleaches and other chemicals that affect the bacteria they rely on. For this reason, it's best not to share one with another property.

It's also best if the drainage field is on one's own land and if there's room to renew it, if necessary.

Cess pits are inconvenient and outdated, so I'd negotiate on price to factor-in for replacement with one of those.

The septic tank cleans up to 3 days of settling. Bacteria is not clear. Bacteria help to clean septic tank in alkaline mode and then from the septic tank there is no smell. But when the septic tank in an acidic mode (there is a smell), the drains of the house still cleaned well.

Aquamaster

theonlywayisup wrote: »

We are on a septic tank.

The tank costs about £100 every other year to empty, gives us no smell and is nearly 15 years old.

We are also in the West Country, for us, there is no mains gas, no mains water either!

About gas You do not understand. I said that from the septic tank to the K-Module it is possible to obtain Biogas using the Bioreactor. In Russia the contents To the Module to be buried in the earth, because we have a lot of gas. If gas is not enough, you can get free biogas.