Cesspools and septic tanks

Cesspool and septic tanks are used when the property is not connected to main drainage ie the effluent does not go into the public sewer.

Septic tanks and treatment plants must now be registered with the Environment Agency, this has been a requirement since 1st January 2012. If the discharge from the septic tank or treatment plant is to a river or stream, then it must be registered immediately. Please use the link below to access the Environment Agency website.

Cesspool

This is a covered pit or sealed tank into which raw sewage from the house is discharged. There is no discharge from the cesspool to the environment. Cesspools have to be emptied periodically (usually every few weeks) and this is carried out by private waste contractors.

Septic tank

A septic tank is a simple tank that is usually buried in the ground. It has an inflow of sewage from the house and an outflow from the tank. The septic tank allows solid matter to settle in the tank and liquids to flow out. The outflow from the septic tank requires further treatment and this is normally achieved by soaking it away to ground, where bacteria in the soil complete the treatment process. Normal maintenance for a septic tank would be removal of the accumulated solid matter (sludge) from the bottom of the tank. This is known as desludging and is usually required about once a year.

The maintenance of both a septic tank and a cesspool is the responsibility of the property owner.

Date Updated: 05/10/11