Rented properties, shared septic tank

[Mike Parker]

Hello, I have two rented properties with a shared septic tank between them.  I've been informed that we need to replace this by 2020 under general binding rules.

 

Our options are limited to a treatment plant or pumping station.  My question is related to how best to get power to the new unit.

 

Whilst we continue to own both properties, it is not an issue, but when we sell one or both properties in future what is the best way to power this new system?  We've been told that a separate (shared) supply will be required with a separate meter.

 

Is this the best way forward and how much will this cost?  Where is the best place to position the separate meter as presumably, if positioned incorrectly, one house would have control over the others sewage by being able to turn it off.

 

Thanks in advance.

[James H]

I am sure that you can get a solar powered unit. I have heard talk of them being used here as some of the tanks are a long way from buildings.

[ProDave]

I assume your tank discharges to surface water, i.e. a stream or ditch?

 

If the question is "who pays" for the electricity for a shared system, then it is a wholey predictable amount of usage (for my own treatment plant 2KWh per day) so you would feed it from one property and the other would be obliged to pay half that cost to the other. Same as you would share desludging cost.

[billt]

I'm curious about why you think the system will need to be replaced. If it complies with the general binding rules now I can't see why it will not comply in 2020.

 

If the leach field is adequate there's nothing wrong with a septic tank / leach field treatment system.

[ProDave]

5 minutes ago, billt said:

I'm curious about why you think the system will need to be replaced. If it complies with the general binding rules now I can't see why it will not comply in 2020.

 

If the leach field is adequate there's nothing wrong with a septic tank / leach field treatment system.

That's why I asked the question about discharge to surface water. If it is surface discharge it will need replacing.

[Mike Parker]

Thanks for your answers so far.

 

Yes, it is a surface discharge.

 

ProDave, my concern there would be if there is a dispute between the neighbours in theory one of them could turn off the electricity supply to the treatment plant / pump.  They'd be cutting their own throats as well, but is there a way around this?

[ProDave]

If you have the distrust then who is going to organise and pay for desludging?

 

Where is the plant, in one of the gardens or elsewhere?

 

Any scope for 2 smaller plants, one for each house?

 

As it is a know constant load, can you approach the DNO for a separate supply on the model of a "landlord supply" that you often see in flats for the stairwell lighting. These are often unmetered presumably because it is a know predictable usage.  That still leaves the distrust issue as who would pay the bill.

[Roger440]

17 hours ago, Mike Parker said:

Thanks for your answers so far.

 

Yes, it is a surface discharge.

 

ProDave, my concern there would be if there is a dispute between the neighbours in theory one of them could turn off the electricity supply to the treatment plant / pump.  They'd be cutting their own throats as well, but is there a way around this?

 

In my case there is a covenant on both properties which makes the owners of both properties responsible for the system.

 

The plant is in my garden, and uses my power, but if i turned it off, what does that achieve. I then wont be able to live there. Im struggling to understand the issue? 

[Temp]

In the op you mention that a pumping station is an option so is there a public sewer to pump to? 

[Mike Parker]

6 hours ago, Roger440 said:

 

In my case there is a covenant on both properties which makes the owners of both properties responsible for the system.

 

The plant is in my garden, and uses my power, but if i turned it off, what does that achieve. I then wont be able to live there. Im struggling to understand the issue? 

 

Roger, thanks for your reply.  You are exactly the type of response I was looking for.

 

The issue would be if the powering house becomes, for example, a second home or the owners, i.e. you, go away on holiday and (for whatever reason) switch off the electricity at the fuse box.

 

The people next door have no access to your property and have a big problem.

 

This is the scenario that I am trying to get my head around.  Is this scenario taken care of somehow in the deeds?  Thank you.

[richi]

Or what if you go on holiday for two weeks, but the next day suffer a nuisance trip of the breaker (which is inside your property)?

Edited March 5, 2018 by richi

[Mr Punter]

Avoid the landlord supply scenario where possible as expensive.

 

One system each is best.

[ProDave]

10 hours ago, Mike Parker said:

The issue would be if the powering house becomes, for example, a second home or the owners, i.e. you, go away on holiday and (for whatever reason) switch off the electricity at the fuse box.

 

The people next door have no access to your property and have a big problem.

 

This is the scenario that I am trying to get my head around.  Is this scenario taken care of somehow in the deeds?  Thank you.

The solution to this is how you feed the treatment plant.

 

Do NOT feed it from the ordinary consumer unit in the house.

 

Instead split the meter tails with henley blocks. Then use a switch fuse to feed a SWA cable to outside and have a waterproof external mini consumer unit to feed the treatment plant.

 

Obviously the home owners could be completely stupid and turn off the switch fuse as well so put a label on "feed to treatment plant do NOT turn off."

 

This would give them the ability to turn off everything in their own house for any reason without disturbing the treatment plant supply.

 

Use a large enough waterproof enclosure and you could fit an electricity meter in as well so you have a record of how much electricity the treatment plant has used should there ever be a dispute about splitting the bill.

[Nickfromwales]

Why not just run a SWA cable from each house out to the locality of the plant supply. A c-form socket on an up stand at the end of each and then a c-form plug on the plant supply. If one supply fails, you just unplug from one and plug into the other. Simples. 

Obviously it's a no-brainer, whilst excavating anyway, to fit two new pumping stations and sort this mess once and for all . 

 

Edit to add : Do as Dave says and have these as dedicated supplies direct off the mains NOT out of the CU's. 

[Mike Parker]

On 05/03/2018 at 09:23, ProDave said:

The solution to this is how you feed the treatment plant.

 

Do NOT feed it from the ordinary consumer unit in the house.

 

Instead split the meter tails with henley blocks. Then use a switch fuse to feed a SWA cable to outside and have a waterproof external mini consumer unit to feed the treatment plant.

 

Obviously the home owners could be completely stupid and turn off the switch fuse as well so put a label on "feed to treatment plant do NOT turn off."

 

This would give them the ability to turn off everything in their own house for any reason without disturbing the treatment plant supply.

 

Use a large enough waterproof enclosure and you could fit an electricity meter in as well so you have a record of how much electricity the treatment plant has used should there ever be a dispute about splitting the bill.

 

Thanks Dave, this seems to be a step forward.  I will discuss this with my electrician.

Edited March 8, 2018 by Nickfromwales
Names changed to protect the guilty.