There's a huge Copper Beech tree ,
twice the height of the house,
but the old clay sewer pipe has roots in it.

So how to dig or bore a trench or tunnel for a new plastic pipe which will last another thousand years without chopping the roots and killing the tree?

It has to be 4 to 6 feet deep to be downhill from existing sewer pipes, and to get into the field.

One of the neighbors wrote yesterday:
"Priority 1 is to stop the rain water flow into septic tank
Priority 2, ensure sewage conduit to tank is not blocked (take down beech tree or find another conduit)"

Today I emailed the council to get a Tree Preservation Order.

There's a new septic law coming in next January:

https://www.struttandparker.com/know...nk-regulations
says:
"Under the GBRs, anyone with a septic tank discharging into a watercourse must replace it or upgrade it by 1 January 2020, or sooner if the property is sold before this date, or if the Environment Agency (EA) finds that it is causing pollution."

George