"Mike" wrote in message
...

"John Anderton" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 8 Feb 2005 06:23:08 -0000, "Ratty"
wrote:


You have the best now, the modern equivalent is the Albion which
consists
of
two parallel concrete rings which goes to soakaway.

1. What I would do I would re-do the spreader, empty the tank, and it
will
be as good as new. The reason the spreader has failed is because the
tank
has not been emptied regularly. Empting depends how thick is the crust
in
the primary tank 18" is max.

2. The alternative is a reed bed system. SepticTank to reed bed tank 1,
to
next reed bed, then to discharge to pond with fish or ditch or river.
The
Environ Agency (EA) love reed beds.

In my system I have permit to discharge to ditch or river, my system is
for
10 people. I have Albion going into 2 small reed bed tanks then to pond
overflow to open ditch. I scoop out the crust every 2 years as I need
the
grey water to feed the reeds. The fish in the pond love it, the water
was
checked, for the first year by EA, and they don't come any more. I built
it
all 7 years ago and its perfect. Permit is for life of system.


One thing to bear in mind though is that the rules changed about three
or four years ago and the EA are now substantially tougher about
things so what was fine seven years ago may not be acceptable today
:-(


That explains it. We looked at putting a reed bed in and got a
straightforward "NO!"

Was that from the EA, or building regulations.

I got permission from the EA first, they visited my site we discussed what I
proposed to install, they gave approval. I them went to put plans into
planning and I was told that they did not like reed beds.
I paid my money and asked them for a refusal as I have EA permission and I
would go to appeal.
The planning officer said he did not like my method of dealing as the way I
did this he could not make a decision. I would now start again with the EA
and not planning.

I use http://www.cresswater.co.uk/about.html a Dr Rick Hudson as consultant
and I get what I want.

If you want advice consult him and you will get what you want.