Currently trying to track down whoever built the soakaway on my
property (apparently only constructed about 10 years ago) and/or
simply find someone who could give me advice on my existing soakaway
(not sure if it's working properly you see). Just to help me minimise
my search I'm wondering what kind of company does this job. Looking at
www.yell.com a search for 'soakaway' comes up with:


-Drainage Consultants; Drains and Pipe Cleaning

-Sewage Consultants

-Water Conservation and Management

-Wellborers and Sinkers



Also, how do I ensure that I get someone who does a good job IF I need
a new soakaway ? Is there some kind of accreditation, governing body,
etc?

Ta.

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:58:38 GMT,
(jamma-plusser) wrote:

BTW, would also like whoever I get for the soakaway to take a look at
my existing septic tank, see if they think it's contributing towards
my ongoing 'blockage' issues (see other thread on septic tanks), etc.
Presumably whoever constructs soakaways should also know all about
septic tanks, installing them and the pipework, etc?

jamma-plusser wrote:
Currently trying to track down whoever built the soakaway on my
property (apparently only constructed about 10 years ago) and/or
simply find someone who could give me advice on my existing soakaway
(not sure if it's working properly you see). Just to help me minimise
my search I'm wondering what kind of company does this job. Looking at
www.yell.com a search for 'soakaway' comes up with:


-Drainage Consultants; Drains and Pipe Cleaning

-Sewage Consultants

-Water Conservation and Management

-Wellborers and Sinkers



Also, how do I ensure that I get someone who does a good job IF I need
a new soakaway ? Is there some kind of accreditation, governing body,
etc?

Ta.


The 'modern' name is a "groundwork contractor".

You could also look here for info:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain03.htm

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:27:08 +0100, Dave Osborne
wrote:


The 'modern' name is a "groundwork contractor".

You could also look here for info:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain03.htm

Many thanks. :-)

Depending on where you are in the country, I can recommend Anglia
Pollution Control http://www.apcoltd.co.uk/

You really want a company with experience of private drainage *in your
local conditions* - in the current climate many groundwork companies
may be keen, without the necessary experience.

And Part H of the Building Regulations has quite a bit of advice on
the construction of soakaways:

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/eng...000000382.html

Currently trying to track down whoever built the soakaway on my
property (apparently only constructed about 10 years ago) and/or
simply find someone who could give me advice on my existing soakaway
(not sure if it's working properly you see). Just to help me minimise
my search I'm wondering what kind of company does this job. Looking at
www.yell.com a search for 'soakaway' comes up with:


-Drainage Consultants; Drains and Pipe Cleaning

-Sewage Consultants

-Water Conservation and Management

-Wellborers and Sinkers



Also, how do I ensure that I get someone who does a good job IF I need
a new soakaway ? Is there some kind of accreditation, governing body,
etc?


You need permission from the Environment Agency and Building Control to
construct a septic tank soakaway. They will approve the plans and the latter
check contruction. Probably a firm that advertises under Sewage Consultants
would be the best. If you make friends with your local building control they
may be able to make an informal suggestion of who use. Whne you bought the
property the discharge consent should have been transferred to your name.
Was this done?

Peter Crosland

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:15:35 +0100, "Peter Crosland"
wrote:


You need permission from the Environment Agency and Building Control to
construct a septic tank soakaway. They will approve the plans and the latter
check contruction. Probably a firm that advertises under Sewage Consultants
would be the best. If you make friends with your local building control they
may be able to make an informal suggestion of who use. Whne you bought the
property the discharge consent should have been transferred to your name.
Was this done?

I would assume so, presumably I would need to check with my local
building control (whoever they are - council planning dept I guess?).

As I already have a soakaway (presumably under my name) would new
permissions need to be granted if a new one was to be constructed in
the same area or if the old one needed to be re-constructed?

It's not a planning control issue, it's building control you need to
deal with - completely different departments of your local council.

BC care about things being built right and safe - PC, what it looks
like, will neighbours object etc.

If you have a new soakaway/processor it will have to conform to
current building regs - I *think* the Environment Agency certificate
(which actually involves testing the purity of the outfall) is only
required if your system (as mine did) discharges into a watercourse.

However if you have a specialist contractor, they will do all the
paperwork for you - you just pay the (quite large) bill.

I had a wrecked herringbone (soakaway) at my last house, used APCL who
retrofitted a processor to my existing tank, built an outfall into a
river, arranged the testing and supplied an Environment Agency
certificate.

RubberBiker wrote:
It's not a planning control issue, it's building control you need to
deal with - completely different departments of your local council.

BC care about things being built right and safe - PC, what it looks
like, will neighbours object etc.

If you have a new soakaway/processor it will have to conform to
current building regs - I *think* the Environment Agency certificate
(which actually involves testing the purity of the outfall) is only
required if your system (as mine did) discharges into a watercourse.

However if you have a specialist contractor, they will do all the
paperwork for you - you just pay the (quite large) bill.

I had a wrecked herringbone (soakaway) at my last house, used APCL who
retrofitted a processor to my existing tank, built an outfall into a
river, arranged the testing and supplied an Environment Agency
certificate.
I found mine under "septic Tanks", perhaps I was lucky but they made a
good job of replacing my old concrete thing, installed the soak-away and
handled all the paper work. At, I thought, a reasonable price.

--
Please reply to group,emails to designated
address are never read.

It's not a planning control issue, it's building control you need to
deal with - completely different departments of your local council.

BC care about things being built right and safe - PC, what it looks
like, will neighbours object etc.

If you have a new soakaway/processor it will have to conform to
current building regs - I *think* the Environment Agency certificate
(which actually involves testing the purity of the outfall) is only
required if your system (as mine did) discharges into a watercourse.


Just for information any soakaway from a septic tank, or sewage treatment
plant, needs prior approval of the EA. The output has to have a sampling
point that the EA can use to check for compliance once it is operational.

Peter Crosland

You need permission from the Environment Agency and Building Control to
construct a septic tank soakaway. They will approve the plans and the
latter
check contruction. Probably a firm that advertises under Sewage
Consultants
would be the best. If you make friends with your local building control
they
may be able to make an informal suggestion of who use. Whne you bought the
property the discharge consent should have been transferred to your name.
Was this done?

I would assume so, presumably I would need to check with my local
building control (whoever they are - council planning dept I guess?).

As I already have a soakaway (presumably under my name) would new
permissions need to be granted if a new one was to be constructed in
the same area or if the old one needed to be re-constructed?

To clarify things (No pun intendced!) the EA are the people who give the
permission whilst BC, not the planners, oversee the construction. The EA
will be able to tell you who the consent, assuming there is one, is in the
name of. Unless you have had it transferred to you then your discharge is
illegal. AIUI you need permission even if you are replacing an existing
soakaway. Certainly I did when mine was done about five years ago. I
suggest you talk to the EA first as BC have no remit at this stage.

Peter Crosland

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:51:15 +0100, "Peter Crosland"
wrote:


To clarify things (No pun intendced!) the EA are the people who give the
permission whilst BC, not the planners, oversee the construction. The EA
will be able to tell you who the consent, assuming there is one, is in the
name of. Unless you have had it transferred to you then your discharge is
illegal. AIUI you need permission even if you are replacing an existing
soakaway. Certainly I did when mine was done about five years ago. I
suggest you talk to the EA first as BC have no remit at this stage.

I would assume that it was transferred to me when I bought the
property a few years ago. What would be the point in having to
transfer it separately? All that does is confuse everyone.

Me included. :-)

To clarify things (No pun intendced!) the EA are the people who give the
permission whilst BC, not the planners, oversee the construction. The EA
will be able to tell you who the consent, assuming there is one, is in the
name of. Unless you have had it transferred to you then your discharge is
illegal. AIUI you need permission even if you are replacing an existing
soakaway. Certainly I did when mine was done about five years ago. I
suggest you talk to the EA first as BC have no remit at this stage.

I would assume that it was transferred to me when I bought the
property a few years ago. What would be the point in having to
transfer it separately? All that does is confuse everyone.

Me included. :-)


Sorry to be blunt but.............. With property transactions assume
nothing, and trust nobody! The property owner has to take responsibility for
their obligations. The consent is issued, and administered, by the EA and is
in the name of the property owner. It is up to the property owner to notify
the EA that the property ownership has changed. If it was transferred then
the EA would have sent the consent to you. So it seems likely that either
the consent has not been transferred or no consent exists.

Peter Crosland