Mike wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
t...

Mike wrote:

Instead gutters should run into a ditch;

They should run into a soakaway not a watercourse


Only for a new installation. Many old buildings have a ditch to collect
roof rainwater and lead it to the nearest stream.



Actually the ideal thing is to run it to anywhere it can get back into
the groundwater system uncontaminated.

Soakaways or ditches - makes little odds. Both are acceptable.



Given the upcoming drought I would have thought people should be encouraged
to get the water into the streams.


Funnily enough, not necessarily.

Water in streams and rivers runs into the sea: Replenishment of
subterranean aquifers requires it soak into the soil.

Round here we pump the chalk: Its about 4-10ft under the clay soil.

Best use of rainwater would be to plant scrub and trees to slow it all
down and allow it to seep into the chalk below: Having it run off in a
rush stops it going deep. The fields here are all drained with land
drains to get that water out of the soil before it can.

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message

I built my house 11 years ago and have never had the septic tank emptied.

That's a very sweeping statement, it depends entirely on _what_ and how
_much_ is going into the tank, it's not the tank that will eventually
block
but the soakaway system.
Which could cost LOTS to renew, even if future legislation allows it.


What soakaway?

You are allowed here to discharge into any 'public watercourses'
privided e.g. klargester is used. Our clay is so impermeable te cionceot
of a soakaway is laughable.

Ours just dumps into a dry ditch.

Then you are not referring to a 11+ year old septic tank, but a modern
treatment plant.
Form Klargester own advice re, septic tanks.
"Do you rarely, if ever, empty your septic tank."
If this is the case, then your tank may be damaged and/or leaking untreated
effluent into the ground and therefore polluting the surrounding property
and environment."


--
Mark§

On 28 Mar 2005 16:26:17 -0800,
(RobertTT) wrote:

Does anyone know if someone has a septic tank, are there any ongoing
maintenance issues associated with them?

Or is it usually just a matter of having it cleaned out every so often
by a specialist company?

If so, on average how often would a septic tank be emptied; and how
much does this cost?

Any info is much appreciated...Thanks!!

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......

Your water bills go down, no sewage charges.

Rick

In article , news@pen-y-
geulan.com says...
On 28 Mar 2005 16:26:17 -0800,
(RobertTT) wrote:

Does anyone know if someone has a septic tank, are there any ongoing
maintenance issues associated with them?

Or is it usually just a matter of having it cleaned out every so often
by a specialist company?

If so, on average how often would a septic tank be emptied; and how
much does this cost?

Any info is much appreciated...Thanks!!

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......


Are you sure ?

It wouldn't be unknown for it to be sprayed across farmland




--
Paul Mc Cann

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 19:20:28 +0100, Paul Mc Cann
wrote:

In article , news@pen-y-
geulan.com says...
On 28 Mar 2005 16:26:17 -0800,
(RobertTT) wrote:

Does anyone know if someone has a septic tank, are there any ongoing
maintenance issues associated with them?

Or is it usually just a matter of having it cleaned out every so often
by a specialist company?

If so, on average how often would a septic tank be emptied; and how
much does this cost?

Any info is much appreciated...Thanks!!

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......


Are you sure ?

It wouldn't be unknown for it to be sprayed across farmland




You ask the guy, you trust him, its like that my way. And what farmer
whats "mummies napies" across his land ?

What they spay is either animal muck from their sheds, or the sludges
from the sewage works, that has had the stuff that should not be in
the toilet removed, and most of the latter is "injected" a couple of
foot under the soil.

Rick

"Mark" wrote in message
...

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message

I built my house 11 years ago and have never had the septic tank emptied.

That's a very sweeping statement, it depends entirely on _what_ and how
_much_ is going into the tank, it's not the tank that will eventually
block
but the soakaway system.
Which could cost LOTS to renew, even if future legislation allows it.


What soakaway?

You are allowed here to discharge into any 'public watercourses'
privided e.g. klargester is used. Our clay is so impermeable te cionceot
of a soakaway is laughable.

Ours just dumps into a dry ditch.

Then you are not referring to a 11+ year old septic tank, but a modern
treatment plant.
Form Klargester own advice re, septic tanks.
"Do you rarely, if ever, empty your septic tank."
If this is the case, then your tank may be damaged and/or leaking
untreated
effluent into the ground and therefore polluting the surrounding property
and environment."



A typical ad-mans blurb (note the use of the weasel word "may")
What else could you expect from a company that is trying to sell you a
wonderful new bit of gubbins?

"Paul Mc Cann" wrote in message
.. .
In article , news@pen-y-
geulan.com says...
On 28 Mar 2005 16:26:17 -0800,
(RobertTT) wrote:

Does anyone know if someone has a septic tank, are there any ongoing
maintenance issues associated with them?

Or is it usually just a matter of having it cleaned out every so often
by a specialist company?

If so, on average how often would a septic tank be emptied; and how
much does this cost?

Any info is much appreciated...Thanks!!

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......


Are you sure ?

It wouldn't be unknown for it to be sprayed across farmland

And continue the Nitrogen cycle of nature

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Mike wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
t...
Instead gutters should run into a ditch;

They should run into a soakaway not a watercourse


Only for a new installation. Many old buildings have a ditch to
collect
roof rainwater and lead it to the nearest stream.

Actually the ideal thing is to run it to anywhere it can get back into
the groundwater system uncontaminated.

Soakaways or ditches - makes little odds. Both are acceptable.

Given the upcoming drought I would have thought people should be
encouraged
to get the water into the streams.

Funnily enough, not necessarily.

Water in streams and rivers runs into the sea: Replenishment of
subterranean aquifers requires it soak into the soil.

I think as many streams run into reservoirs as rivers, and even those that
feed rivers probably see the water reused ten times as it flows downstream.
The problem with any subterranean system is the water out can lag water in
by 5-100 years. Our spring is certainly about ten years behind.

"Paul Mc Cann" wrote in message
.. .
In article , news@pen-y-

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......

Are you sure ?

It wouldn't be unknown for it to be sprayed across farmland

Where do you think a lot of the stuff from your 'professional' sewage works
ends up ?

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 18:44:01 GMT, Rick wrote:

And what farmer whats "mummies napies" across his land ?

If "mummies nappies" are ending up in the septic tank then Mummy needs
to educated into what should or should not be going down the toilet...

Apart from proper toilet tissue if it hasn't been through your
digestive tract it does not go down the toilet.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 19:20:28 +0100, Paul Mc Cann
wrote:

In article , news@pen-y-
geulan.com says...
On 28 Mar 2005 16:26:17 -0800,
(RobertTT) wrote:

Does anyone know if someone has a septic tank, are there any ongoing
maintenance issues associated with them?

Or is it usually just a matter of having it cleaned out every so often
by a specialist company?

If so, on average how often would a septic tank be emptied; and how
much does this cost?

Any info is much appreciated...Thanks!!

50 quid a year emptying charge. One of the local farmers uses his
tractor, and takes it to the sewage works ......


Are you sure ?

It wouldn't be unknown for it to be sprayed across farmland


I just spread mine across my field - stops townies walking their dogs for a couple of day - or not

Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:41:56 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


"solids" is a bit of misnomer it's sludge and as a septic tank is
anerobic very smelly sludge.

Klargester ain't anaerobic.


IMHO a Klagester is not a septic tank, it's a small treatment plant.
Completely different and as you imply aerobic in action, not a lot of
choice with air constantly being bubbled through it...

Yerrs, but the bloke who asked seemd to be about to install a tank, and
thats all you will be allowed to install these days, mostly.

I think it still is clased as a septic tank as well.

I mean sewage treatment plants are just huge smelly septic tanks.

John wrote:

"Mark" wrote in message
...

The Natural Philosopher wrote in message


I built my house 11 years ago and have never had the septic tank emptied.

That's a very sweeping statement, it depends entirely on _what_ and how
_much_ is going into the tank, it's not the tank that will eventually

block

but the soakaway system.
Which could cost LOTS to renew, even if future legislation allows it.


What soakaway?

You are allowed here to discharge into any 'public watercourses'
privided e.g. klargester is used. Our clay is so impermeable te cionceot
of a soakaway is laughable.

Ours just dumps into a dry ditch.

Then you are not referring to a 11+ year old septic tank, but a modern
treatment plant.
Form Klargester own advice re, septic tanks.
"Do you rarely, if ever, empty your septic tank."
If this is the case, then your tank may be damaged and/or leaking
untreated
effluent into the ground and therefore polluting the surrounding property
and environment."




A typical ad-mans blurb (note the use of the weasel word "may")
What else could you expect from a company that is trying to sell you a
wonderful new bit of gubbins?


And a backup service plan to go with it...;-)

I pop the lid now and again to check its all doing what it should...

No png, not much solid. Its working.

Mike wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...

Mike wrote:


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
.net...

Instead gutters should run into a ditch;

They should run into a soakaway not a watercourse


Only for a new installation. Many old buildings have a ditch to

collect

roof rainwater and lead it to the nearest stream.

Actually the ideal thing is to run it to anywhere it can get back into
the groundwater system uncontaminated.

Soakaways or ditches - makes little odds. Both are acceptable.


Given the upcoming drought I would have thought people should be

encouraged

to get the water into the streams.


Funnily enough, not necessarily.

Water in streams and rivers runs into the sea: Replenishment of
subterranean aquifers requires it soak into the soil.


I think as many streams run into reservoirs as rivers, and even those that
feed rivers probably see the water reused ten times as it flows downstream.
The problem with any subterranean system is the water out can lag water in
by 5-100 years. Our spring is certainly about ten years behind.



No reservoirs downsteream of us here - just into the Orwell sysrtem but
across the road its the great Ouse system...all aquifers.

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:48:03 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


I mean sewage treatment plants are just huge smelly septic tanks.

Hi,

These days the bigger ones use a filter belt press, such as:

http://www.parnaby.co.uk/filterBelt.htm

cheers,
Pete.

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 08:39:10 UTC, (mmzz) wrote:

: I guess it will need emptying in a few years. Its supposed to be the
: sort of 80 quid a year call out and pump thing, but I suspect I may
: simply get in with a spade and wheelbarrow and dig out most of it and
: stick it on the compost heap one day...
:
: is there any reason why this shouldnt be done?

There are three layers. The sludge at the bottom is shovellable-out.
The liquid above that is pumpable out. The crust above that is
mingingly disgusting.

Ian