Much attention is being paid to the automatic adoption of private sewers and lateral drains on October 1, 2011. But where your property is not connected to the public sewerage system, is it also time to register your septic tank? The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 have been in force since April 1, 2010, and these regulations will require the registration with the Environment Agency of a domestic sewage treatment system as exempt from the need for an environmental permit. Septic tanks that discharge directly to surface water will not be able to be registered with an exemption. The householder will need to apply for a permit to make the discharge and, if granted, there will normally be a requirement to upgrade to a package sewage treatment plant. If the discharge is being made to ground (e.g. through soakaways), it may be registered for exemption at any time before 1 January 2012.
The Environment Agency has provided Summary guidance for householders together with a full guidance document.