Nearly there with the septic tank

[Sonyaclegg]

PP was granted last week for the septic tank with the condition that we employ an archeologist to be present when we dig. So, we now have an archeologist on board who is speaking to the chap that will authorise the scheme of works to be carried out. ( he is ith Manchester Uni who look at all our Councils applications) I had an email today from the archeologist advising his scheme will receive approval on Friday. I fed all this information back to the Council who reminded me that I still have to send the scheme to them with the payment in order to put a spade in the ground. This is despite the scheme being seen and approved by the chap they will send it to who has indicated it's fine and he will approve. That leads me to the conclusion that its all about the fees.

All I want for Christmas is a septic tank ......

 

[DJH]

Seems all they want for Christmas is your money.

There's war over here in Ireland about septic tanks, or should that be septic holes in the ground, as successive governments have ignored the EU legislation about water quality and the EU courts have ruled that if nothing is done about it then they will be fined millions and something like €25 k a day thereafter. So now everyone with a septic hole has to register it with the local council with a view to having them inspected and then the owner being forced to rectify any problems at their own expense.

Up until September 28th this year it was €5 to register and hardly anyone did and now it's €50.... I've paid mine.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

I registered the permit today. At the moments it's free as we are exempt. The same thing is to happen here. Those with existing systems are invited to register but its not mandatory at the moment.

The only other thing I need to apply for is listed building consent to cover part of the huge fireplace in the kitchen. Then no more planning apps or consents...spoke too soon....until the hoppers and downpipes!

 

[DJH]

That sounds as though you've had some success with those then, the heads and pipes that is.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

I think the only way forward with the spouts is to make an opening and use that to take the water from the roof, rendering the rest of the spout as decorative only. It's sounds crude to say make a how in the base of the spout nearest the wall but that's the best I can do! The end of the spout would have to be blocked up. There is really no other way. I'm hoping the CO agrees with the idea as yo get the water from the spout into a hopper will anything will look very odd!

 

[Flyfisher]

I registered the permit today. At the moments it's free as we are exempt. The same thing is to happen here. Those with existing systems are invited to register but its not mandatory at the moment.

I seem to remember something here a while ago about the option to register septic tanks, though I haven't done so.

I'm not fundamentally opposed to the EU but I do wonder why we have to slavishly obey a non-sovereign body that is so detached from reality that it wants a 7% increase in its annual budget during a time of economic austerity and has recently failed to persuade its auditors to sign off the annual accounts for the 18th year in succession. Any company behaving in such a manner would result in the directors going to jail!

So I'm all for mass, peaceful, civil disobedience when it comes to such things. We've had septic tanks for hundreds of years and I don't detect things such as cholera being a big problem in the UK. Indeed, the only time we've had raw sewage problems here is when a buried, pressurised sewerage pipe burst under our lawn!

Bah! I'm now going to have a lie down.

 

[MdB]

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/118753.aspx

The requirement to register small domestic sewage discharges from septic tanks and small sewage treatment plants, has changed in England.

The requirement to register was a result of regulations made in 2010 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh Government, as part of the implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Registration was considered to provide the lightest touch approach to meet legal obligations.

However, we are now undertaking a joint review with Government on the requirement to register small domestic sewage discharges in England, details of which will be announced in the next few weeks.

While the review is underway, we will not require the registration of small domestic sewage discharges, including septic tanks, in England - although householders can still register if they wish. If you would still like to register a small domestic sewage discharge please visit this page:

I've taken a copy of this page so I can wave it anybody who comes after our new system. The "will be announced in the next few weeks" has been there for months.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

I'm with you Fly.

MdB, as yours is an existing system, you are right that you don't have to register but as we are coming in after the changes, it is mandatory. If you need a bespoke licence, as in the ability to discharge more then 2 cubic metres per day into ground, there is a fee. I didn't look it up but the tank lads told me it was £125!

 

[LadyArowana]

As far as I'm concerned the EU is one of those ideas that is excellent .......... as an idea, but, like communism, goes off track as soon as actual people get involved. People seem to be largely motivated by self interest, and when you build a bureaucracy where there is much scope for noses in the trough it will be abused. Common sense seems in very short supply as layer upon layer of administration seeks to justify it's own existence.

I recently read a report on certain EU regulations concerning the keeping of chickens, and the supposed "threats" that arise from a few backyard flocks, in particular from people feeding them left over food. It struck me as a barely disguised bit of scare mongering probably driven by lobbying from commercial poultry farmers. The same sort of operations that are happy to keep their birds in minuscule cubicles and dose them with goodness knows what in order that they can be classed as "healthy". Humans have been involved in an arms race with pathogens ever since we evolved into humans and lets face it, it's not going well for us. Some basic and sensible precautions make a huge difference, attempting to eradicate 99% of all known germs just results in the remaining 1% being the basis of their population.

The original article is here, if you are ferverently anti Daily Mail please do not click. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235487/Health-risk-poultry-farms-garden-flocks.html

 

[MdB]

I'm with you Fly.

MdB, as yours is an existing system, you are right that you don't have to register but as we are coming in after the changes, it is mandatory. If you need a bespoke licence, as in the ability to discharge more then 2 cubic metres per day into ground, there is a fee. I didn't look it up but the tank lads told me it was £125!

We have a new tank fitted a month ago.

The registration came in 2010 but was cancelled due to lack of money hence the statement on the Environment Agency website. My belief and the belief of the guy who produced our system is that currently there is no requirement to register and we haven't. If you can point me at something that says otherwise then please let me know.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Sorry. I should said if I needed a bespoke licence. My understanding is that there is no requirement to register at the moment for existing systems installed prior to 2010 change date

 

[JoceAndChris]

Fantastic news about the tank!

 

[MdB]

Sorry. I should said if I needed a bespoke licence. My understanding is that there is no requirement to register at the moment for existing systems installed prior to 2010 change date

Nor any requirement at the moment to register new systems. The 2010 change has effectively been reversed at least for the moment. Unless you can show me something that says otherwise.

 

[Sonyaclegg]

Thanks Joce.

MdB, I was on the EA website yesterday for info on the tank. I was looking at the regs re our tank coupled with a letter we received from the EA via the planning office regarding the requirements. I'll have another look and post later.