Sewage Treatment Systems — septic tank & drainage advice https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/ Practical guides on septic tanks, sewage treatment plants, emptying and drainage. en-gb Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:39:04 +0000 Do you need planning permission for a sewage treatment plant?https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/planning-permission-sewage-treatment-plant/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/planning-permission-sewage-treatment-plant/Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0000Replacing a septic tank is usually permitted development, but building regulations still apply and some sites need consent. Here is what applies when.Rules & compliance Tree roots in drains: how they get in and what actually fixes ithttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/tree-roots-in-drains/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/tree-roots-in-drains/Fri, 30 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000Roots find old clay joints, thicken into a mass and catch everything passing. Jetting clears them; unless the joint is repaired they come back.Drains & blockages Percolation tests: how your ground decides what system you can havehttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/percolation-test-explained/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/percolation-test-explained/Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000A percolation test measures how fast your soil accepts water, and that single figure sets the size of your drainage field — or rules one out entirely.New systems & installation Sharing a septic tank with your neighbours: who is responsible?https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/shared-septic-tank-between-houses/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/shared-septic-tank-between-houses/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:00:00 +0000Two or three houses on one septic tank is common off the mains. Here is who the rules hold responsible, who pays for emptying, and what to agree in writing.Rules & compliance What does it cost to empty a septic tank in Derbyshire?https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-emptying-cost-derbyshire/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-emptying-cost-derbyshire/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000Tank size, access and how far the hose has to run decide the price far more than your postcode. What a tanker visit involves and what adds to it.Emptying & maintenance What you cannot put down the drain when you are off mainshttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/what-not-to-put-down-the-drain-off-mains/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/what-not-to-put-down-the-drain-off-mains/Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100Wipes, fats and bleach cause most of the septic tank problems we attend. What genuinely harms an off-mains system, and what is perfectly fine.Emptying & maintenance Septic tanks on farms, smallholdings and holiday lets: what is differenthttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tanks-on-farms-and-holiday-lets/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tanks-on-farms-and-holiday-lets/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100Variable occupancy, farmyard waste and multiple buildings all change how an off-mains system behaves. What catches farms and holiday lets out.Farms & commercial sites Your treatment plant alarm is going off — what to do nexthttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/treatment-plant-alarm-what-to-do/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/treatment-plant-alarm-what-to-do/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100An alarm usually means a failed pump, a stuck float or a rising level. What to check, what to stop doing, and how urgent it really is.Servicing & repairs CCTV drain surveys: when they are worth it and what you actually gethttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/cctv-drain-surveys-when-worth-it/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/cctv-drain-surveys-when-worth-it/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100A camera survey earns its money in three situations: buying a property, repeat blockages and insurance claims. What it shows and what you get.Drains & blockages Why drainage fields and soakaways fail — and what it costs to put righthttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/why-drainage-fields-and-soakaways-fail/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/why-drainage-fields-and-soakaways-fail/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100A waterlogged drainage field is the most expensive part of an off-mains system to fix. What causes it, how to spot it early, and what a rebuild costs.New systems & installation Six signs your septic tank needs emptying — before it backs uphttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/signs-your-septic-tank-needs-emptying/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/signs-your-septic-tank-needs-emptying/Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100Slow drains, gurgling, smell and a green patch over the drainage field all show up before sewage does. Here is what each sign means and how urgent it is.Emptying & maintenance Selling a house with a septic tank: what the solicitor will askhttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/selling-a-house-with-a-septic-tank/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/selling-a-house-with-a-septic-tank/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100Off-mains drainage now comes up in every sale. The questions the buyer’s solicitor asks, and the paperwork to have ready before you list.Rules & compliance What a sewage treatment plant service should actually includehttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/what-a-sewage-treatment-plant-service-includes/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/what-a-sewage-treatment-plant-service-includes/Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100A proper service covers the mechanical parts and the biological process, not just a look in the lid. What should happen, and what the report should say.Servicing & repairs Septic tank or sewage treatment plant — which do you actually have?https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-or-sewage-treatment-plant/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-or-sewage-treatment-plant/Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100The two look similar from the garden but work differently, need different maintenance and face different rules. How to tell which one you own.New systems & installation Blocked drain? What to try before you call anyone outhttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/blocked-drain-what-to-try-first/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/blocked-drain-what-to-try-first/Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100A few sensible checks will clear a fair number of blocked drains without a call-out — and the rest will tell you quickly that you need a jetting unit.Drains & blockages Septic tank regulations: what the General Binding Rules actually mean for youhttps://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-regulations-general-binding-rules/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/septic-tank-regulations-general-binding-rules/Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0100If your septic tank discharges to a ditch or stream it must be replaced or redirected. What the General Binding Rules require and when they bite.Rules & compliance How often should a septic tank be emptied?https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/how-often-should-a-septic-tank-be-emptied/https://sewagetreatmentspecialist.co.uk/blog/how-often-should-a-septic-tank-be-emptied/Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0100Most domestic septic tanks need emptying once a year — but tank size, household size and what goes down the drain all change that.Emptying & maintenance