Shared Septic tank which isn't shared

youth_leader

Could you avoid this disruption by having a Saniflo system installed and connect to the septic tank that way?  I know they aren't great but it is an option?

circlemaker

yes essentially the guy who did it was a (unt... No one appears to have known this guy did it, its not on the survey, the builder who also surveyed didn't know, my neighbours and the previous owner didn't know...It is possible the builders were told to connect and assumed it was all connecting to the septic tank. However this said I assume some kind of certification should have been obtained to sign it off, however if he didn't get a site surveyer in to sign off - nobondy would know....

propertyrental

Well the proposed new pipe is ansimple and not too expensive solution I'd have thought. Noneed todig up the kitchen or unblock the original drain to the septic tank. Continue using the existing diversion but instead of going to what you call a 'soak away' (definitely misnamed & I wonder what it is in reality) divert the waste down the new pipe back to the septic tank.

Quite how this has not come tolight with 15 years of waste going into the garden beggars belief. 

Unless, of course, there is a proper 'drainage field' (yes - the correct term!) under the garden.

Grumpy_chap

circlemaker said:

Here is my diagram so everyone knows the lay of the land

IF you proceed as per the intent above, can you connect the new pipe to the existing pipe where it has exited the place under the new extension but before it leaves your land?
The reason for that is:
1. You don't need to dig up any of the neighbour's garden.
2. You are not making a new connection to the septic tank / manhole.

The proposal seems to show that all the surface water also runs to the drain and would then go to the septic tank and, ultimately, the sewer in the road.  You really only want your waste water to go to the septic tank.

I also think this is still worth investigating further to understand what is at the end of the "drain away" pipe?  If it truly goes to just an open (buried) end, it is amazing it has coped with all your waste over 8 years and you would find a smelly bog at the end of the garden.  Is that the case?

bobster2

circlemaker said:

Here is my diagram so everyone knows the lay of the land

13 years of toilet waste (solids and paper) have been going into a surface water soakaway? Can this really be the case? Surely the solids would have backed up in the pipe by now?

The proposed solution above has surface water from the roof flowing into the septic tank. Bad idea - septic tank may end up overflowing after heavy rain.

circlemaker

It is actually 12 years since it was done. I am struggling a little to see how it has not been a problem before, however the drain guy said it was possible and that usually the soak away (yes not too sure what to call it as that may notbe correct) was usually a hole filled with rubble allowing all the solids to breakdown with all the water which feeds intot he hole and then they thought it dissapates. There is clay about 3-4ft down so again it feels like it might be a contributory factor. 

It may be possible to connect to the pipe before it leaves the property, that would be ideal, but it means digging up the patio - which was in the original quote for several thousand. The drain away pipe I feel does need to be dug up if ony to get a feel of what has been done, as there is not a smelly bog at the bottom of the garden. The drain company thought as the draining would have happened 2ft down its unlikely you would know about it.

I will ask about the rainwater overflowing the septic tank as that feels like a real concern. The advantage of the garden connecting with a new pipe is I can limit the cost by doing the manual labour, however I am not keen to increase the likelihood of a problem with the extra rainwater.  

propertyrental

You could probably divert the rain water to the existing 'soak away'. That's what soak aways are for - clean water.

Foul water should go to a 'drainage field' (strict regulations about these: depth, size, composition of soil etc), or a septc tank, or a treatment plant, or mains sewage.

Another option is a reed bed, but be warned: https://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/reed_bed_sewage_treatment.html

circlemaker

ha yes I think I'll give the reed bed a miss, not least because I don't the room for it, but the sound of someone almost dying from it after not maintaining it properly might also guide me away. The quote came in for £11.5 k to put a pump in and divert the waste water from the soak away/roof water back to the septic tank....Whereas I think diverting the waste water round the blockage and back to the septic tank should be a more economical use of the labour cost and do away with the noisey, electricity using pump.

circlemaker

So I have the building reculations certificate which makes no mention of diverting the sewage to a soak away - which obviously it wouldn't as they didn't tell anyone. I understand it to be illegal what they have done, is it just a case of tuff luck, now I have to pay to put it right? 

propertyrental

I strongly suspect so.

Or maybe take a case out against the council's building inspector for issuing a cert without proper inspection.........(ha ha)