"Robin" wrote in message
...
Building regulations aim to build to new better standards. They have
never inisted on modifications to existing properties.

This regulation does that.


It's not part of the building regulations so I don't know why you are
banging on about them.

Look at it more like the restrictions on leaded petrol, lead paint,
dumping white asbestos in your local park, burning plastic waste or old
tyres in your garden incinerator, etc etc.

Not really a fair comparison. Leaded petrol can be solved in cars that need
it by using unleaded and either a fuel additive as a valve lubricant (IIRC)
or an adjustment to ignition timing. Lead paint, asbestos, burning
plastic/tyres - all those come into the category of "don't do it - do this
instead" (eg take to a proper tip).

But if there are going to be tighter restrictions on the outflow from septic
tanks, then that may be a very costly and disruptive conversion. It's not
just a case of modifying your behaviour a bit so as to be more responsible.
I'm sure retrospective changes will be a lot more expensive than modified
regulations and more elaborate septic tank for new build.

I'm wondering because at some stage in the next decade or so we will
probably be selling my parents' holiday cottage which has a dual chamber
septic tank that was installed probably in the late 60s or early 70s
(certainly by 1975 when we bought the cottage). As far as I know, all the
properties have septic tanks and these drain into a common "land drain" that
also takes grey water and rainwater and I think drains into a stream just
beyond the village. I don't think it goes into underground soakaway.