Mains and off-mains drainage

Mains drainage
The majority of houses in the UK are linked to the public sewerage system; you pull the plug, flush the toilet, pay the monthly bill and have little more to worry about. This is mains drainage.

Off-mains drainage
In rural areas many homes and villages are self-contained, ie, the wastewater flows to a cesspool, septic tank or treatment plant. This has no connection to the public sewerage system and is known as off-mains.

"Choosing the right sewage treatment and disposal method for your site is essential to ensure value for money, effective long-term performance, protection of public health and the environment, and compliance with relevant legislation"
Source: Environment Agency

Installation advice

It is recommended that wastewater treatment plants shouldn’t be sited any nearer than 25m from an inhabitated building although some local authorities may allow installation considerably closer. For single house installations 15m is generally considered as a reasonable distance though agreement should always be sought from your local authority before installation.

The plant should not be installed close to a driveway or road or indeed anywhere else where there is a risk of it being subjected to additional superimposed loadings.

Access should be maintained for the desludging tanker, these can normally achieve a reach of approximately 20m.

The installation must be carried out by suitably qualified personnel and special care is required when installing in adverse conditions such rocky substrata or where the water table runs high, for example.

Pollution of the environment is a criminal offence and compliance with one or more Guidance Note is not a defence to such offences. It is recommended that you check the references to other sources of guidance to ensure they are still current.
Source: Environment Agency

Environment Agency NetRegs provides free environmental guidance for businesses in the UK and can help you to understand what you need to do to comply with environmental law and protection of the environment.

Contact HG Tanks today

For expert knowledge and advice on choosing the correct sewage treatment plant, contact HG Tanks today.

HG Tanks lorry in yard

Sewage treatment plant

Balmoral HydroClear

Raising the benchmark for sewage treatment plant across the EU.

Happily, for everyone, domestic wastewater treatment has come a long way since the days of cess pits and septic tanks.

Rigorous effluent quality legislation has driven the design of more effective systems resulting in today’s modern package treatment plant.

The latest of these drivers takes the shape of European-wide product testing standardisation. Raising the benchmark for domestic sewage treatment plants, BS EN 12566-3 brings harmony across the EU.

Contemporary design engineering and analysis software and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities combine to create this unique product which dominates the domestic market with a class-leading pollutant removal level of 97%.

Market-leading performance, easier installation and competitive through-life costs, enhanced transportability and storage, product reliability and robustness are all qualities that were factored into the HydroClear design brief. Factors that were critical in achieving full CE accreditation.

Key benefits

HydroClear 6pop installation Outstanding pollutant removal level of 97%
24 month service period reduces operating costs
6-50 pop options
Cost effective installation
Virtually silent operation
Odour minimisation
Carries full CE accreditation to BS EN12566-3

Balmoral CAP

Balmoral CAP 6pop The Balmoral CAP is a biological aeration type treatment plant designed to produce a moderate quality of final effluent in addition to overcoming several of the common problems associated with small packaged domestic wastewater treatment units.

Common problems which can occur are:
“Fixed film” types, which have a “media” matrix, can suffer from media blockage because of excessive bacteria growth. Replacement/ maintenance of the media material may be required at regular intervals.

Mechanical/electrical components within the tanks are difficult to maintain and can be a safety risk.

The liquor is not spread evenly over the available bacteria preventing an adequate oxygen supply.

The Balmoral CAP overcomes these problems because:
There is no “fixed” media within the CAP to become blocked - it operates on the “activated sludge” principal whereby the bacteria floats in suspension in the reactor vessel and forms an “active soup” of “mixed liquor”.

All functions within the tank are operated by air power generated by a small compressor contained in the neck of the tank, allowing maintenance to be carried out safely and easily.

The bacteria receives a high quality air supply and is completely mixed and aerated by the high volume fine bubble diffuser.

Key benefits

Impact resistant body moulded in one-piece polyethylene
Wide base for stability and ease of handling and storage
Sturdy lifting eyes for easy handling and installation
Achieves Royal Commission standards for effluent quality under normal domestic conditions
Powered by a small, near silent air compressor
Corrosion resistant
The Balmoral CAP is tested and approved by the Irish Agrément Board (Cert. no. 02/0148)

Septic tank

A septic tank is designed to provide what is known as primary treatment to crude wastewater produced in a normal domestic environment. It retains solids and allows them to settle out, where they can be partially broken down by biological action so that only the remaining liquor is left to flow down the outlet drain. This liquor (normally called effluent) is then sufficiently treated to soak into the ground in an underground soakaway system.

Key benefits

Impact resistant body moulded in one-piece polyethylene
Wide base and lifting eyes
Adjustable invert depth
Fully sized, two stage separation treatment chambers
Integral venting pipework
Wide range to suit population requirements
BBA Accredited (Cert. no. 94/3021)