New build site not going to be connected to mains sewage

Owain_Moneysaver

The downside is that if the maintenance and eventual replacement isn't done, your house not-so-slowly fills up with other people's poo. 
And when it comes to replacement it may not be a two-hour job. You might be left on porta-loos for a few weeks while a replacement pump is sourced and fitted. 

Racky_Roo

Thanks very much everyone for your help - always so useful. The developers have confirmed it's a small pump to help with getting the waste to the mains sewers.

Davesnave

A development near us has a private septic tank system and its maintenance about the only thing all the residents agree on. After all, no one wants issues with issues!

AdrianC

Mickey666 said:

mosslife said:

RelievedSheff said:

As David said it is more likely a private pumping station that connects to the public sewers.

The EA are really against new private treatment plants.

You're confusing old fashioned septic tanks with water treatment plants ,the EA insists on the latter for new builds not on mains sewers. Private pumping stations are different.

Quite correct.  There are a few new builds (c.2000) not far from me - none are connected to mains sewers and they each have private treatment plants (look like large plastic domes about 4-feet diameter buried in their gardens) with the outflows going into a local river.  I don't know what their maintenance costs.

My house has two old-fashioned septic tanks, with their outflows going into separate drainage fields under our land.  I've no idea how old they are but they are no trouble at all.   I have them emptied every 2-3 years and the last time cost £70, so much cheaper to run than mains sewerage charges!

We've just replaced our old-fashioned septic tank with a sewage treatment plant.
https://marshindustries.co.uk/products/ensign-ultra-sewage-treatment-plants/
It was cheaper than replacing with another septic tank and re-doing the drainage field, and a LOT less invasive - and the replacement itself only saw us unable to use the loos and sinks for one working day.
All that's visible above ground is three access hatches (one tank, one inlet, one outlet) and a small plastic "rabbit hutch" containing the airpump - and that could have been internal.

Ongoing maintenance consists of the occasional empty, obvs, and an annual clean of the air filter for the pump. There's an outlet filter which needs sorting occasionally, but that was an option - our tank is about 25m from a stream, 200m upstream of a nature reserve.

EmmyLou30

The was one in the papers a couple years back about a family that didn't know the sewage pumping part would be in there property and ended up with a stink, loads more drain covers than they expected etc. Check the plans very carefully to check it's not too close to the plot you're looking at!

Mickygg

We had this on my last house. We had to pay a charge each month for maintaining the road and pump, about £400 each. The issues we had were when it blocked, but someone in the road was the main contact to ensure this was fixed. We had a residents association rather than management company. Check your property does not hold the tank. One of the houses had the tank in their front garden and when it blocked of course access was needed and the smell wasn’t particularly pleasant. 

The costs can ramp up as well, ours started too because despite repeating being told someone kept flushing wet wipes and even nappies causing regular blockages. 

That said apart from blockages there were no problems in 5 years that I recall. If there were the sinking fund would have covered it. 

Racky_Roo

I checked the planning permission and the pump is located in the car park, which I'm thinking is the best place for it. Quite far away from the plot i'm looking at 

Racky_Roo

Davesnave said:

A development near us has a private septic tank system and its maintenance about the only thing all the residents agree on. After all, no one wants issues with issues! 

Haha that's a good point

Madmel

We have a private sewerage plant that the previous owners put in.  Our property consists of our 4-bed house, a 3-bed cottage (occupied sometimes by my father on his own) and a 2-bed holiday cottage.  The system serves all 3 parts.  We have a maintenance contract with the company which installed it.  They service it every year and fix issues, then issue a compliance certificate which we need to keep in case the EA ever asks for them.  The service cost is between £200 - £250 per year plus sundries and any parts.  We have had pumps fail but they can normally be with us within 36 hours to sort them out.  The holding tank is pumped out twice each year too.  I was very nervous before I moved here, but it has been easy.

However, Mickygg makes a really good point.  We only ever flush "the 3 p's - poo, pee & paper". It is made very clear on our lettings contract that if guests put something into the toilet that blocks the drains, they will be charged.  We have lived here almost 14 years and not had a blockage yet...  Could all the other households on the new build estate be so careful?