septic tanks!

[JeffC]

anyone on here an authority on septic tanks or more specifically about the drainage from them     I have a potential problem and require a bit of advice  

[Terry Everall]

Give me a ring on 07767836234

[Mark (smokey mow)]

What's up Jeff? I might be able to offer a bit of guidance.

[JeffC]

cheers chaps..

well briefly...

I live semi rural..

septic tank has been in since the 60"s. It sits in the field behind my house belonging to farmer A. there is a soakaway in this field.

Farmer B owns the field below this. Farmer B is now complaining about the water running into his field, more so he is complaing about the water being stinky.

Ive had the tank emptied although it wasnt even half full, the tank is a concrete thing with gravel down the outside, from what I can see it seems to be working, Ive checked the water in the manhole before the soak away and it seems to be clean certainly not black as he is saying.

realy looking for any advice, could the sptic tank be the problem ? if so  can the water be checked before the soakaway??  

who is that would check this sort of thing ?

Im told there is a solicitors letter on route from farmer B and just want to see what I will have to do when I get it ?

he has made noises about getting on to the enviroment agency  

I have the deeds to my house and I know I have right of way for soakaway and the right for my water to run to the south and east of property which is across farmer a + bs field.

b****y farmers      

[carpetstu]

Why not call the environment agency your self tell them what is going on and then you have shown you are not causing the argument but are keen to find a resolution if there is an issue.

[peterg]

^ yeah that, it's probably nothing to do with your sh*t Jeff so get it checked out  

[ACW]

Do you have neighbours ? Do they have thier own septic tanks ?

[Stuart]

I once got pulled at work by the EA for dumping oil into the stream alongside our yard.  The black stinky stuff in the stream turned out to be rotting vegetation - but unfortunately we had to have it analysed to prove it.  Guilty until proven innocent unfortunately.  

Have a septic tank at our place but the soakaways are under the back lawn.  Agree totally that the water pumped into the soakaways is never black - I have had to get in there a few times to sort out the pump over the years.  It is stinky though.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Firstly I wouldn't worry about his threat of the Enviroment Agency, if he does act on his threat and they decide to come out then they will probably take a sample of the water in the outlet chamber to confirm there are no pollutants/contaminants in this.  Hopefully they will find the same as you that the water is clear.  Th

The enviroment agency will only begin to jump up and down waving their arms lots if any potential contamination starts to reach the water course beyond the field.  That's even assuming that it's comming from your tank and not another source/broken pipe etc on his land.

When you describe the soakaway from the septic tank I'm assuming this is a series of (several meters of) perforated finger drains surrounded in 20mm stone and buried deep within his field.  It's possible if farmer A has recently ploughed the field that he cut deeper this year and damaged one of these fingers, if this is the case then water will free more freely to this damaged part and could explain why there i more water appearing in one part of the field.  

If the tank has recently been emptied then I doubt that it should need restarting particulary since the outflow isn't contaminated, but it may not hurt to add something to get it going.

goes away to think further

[rustie]

Chances are that Farmer B's only recourse is to Farmer A. Basic tenet of land drainage law is that the landowner has to accept run off from neighbours who are higher than them....that is further up the slope, not more stoned. Your discharge rights seem quite clear.

Farmer B only has any sort of case if he can demonstrate nuisance and then probably only against Farmer A.

Solicitors will write letters to anyone to stir the proverbial as long as someone is paying them. I'd sit quiet and watch. If the discharge in your manhole is clear and not smelly it's highly unlikely that your tank is contributing to Farmer B's problem.

[JeffC]

cheers chaps  

webmaster, I have one neighbour that shares the tank with me .

from the tank Im guessing there must be an outlet at the base of the filter media gravel, from here it appears to go into a 4" pipe , there is a manhole about 30 yard down from this,If I run the tap the water goes into the tank and overflows through the gravel and as said it looks clean here, the pipe looks clean so signs of slurry etc. another 20 yards in front of this manhole there was deep hole dug filled with bricks this is the soak away. the farmer that is twistin his field is about 15 yards below this.

[pistonbroke]

Farmer complains cos some one spreads s***e in his field  

Its gotta to be a P**s take      

[JeffC]

I said the same and even tried to charge him for it when he first mentoned it, he didnt see the funny side though    

[Bananaman]

I said the same and even tried to charge him for it when he first mentoned it, he didnt see the funny side though    

   

[pistonbroke]

I said the same and even tried to charge him for it when he first mentoned it, he didnt see the funny side though    

   

Maybe he doesn't do "Indian"