Homeowners who use septic tanks or treatment plants to dispose of their waste may be tempted to try to keep them in good working order themselves – but if you do this rather than calling in the experts, it could potentially be risky and end up costing you money.
At Gilson Environmental Services, we are specialists in sewage treatment plant maintenance throughout Suffolk. Here we explain why calling in specialist contractors like ourselves is a more cost-effective, and safer, alternative than trying to do all the work yourself.
The Issue of Regulatory Compliance
You don’t have the problem of keeping up to date with all the latest legislation if you bring in a qualified expert in who knows what the law is. For example, the Environment Agency has recently brought in new General Binding Rules. These stipulate that septic tanks are not allowed to discharge anything directly into a surface water source, such as a river, stream or ditch – and the law came into effect on 1 January, 2020.
These rules were updated in October 2023 to take account of small sewage discharges. To learn more about the original legislation, follow this link; and for more detail about the updates, just click here.
Owners of septic tanks and sewage treatment plants also have responsibilities regarding their cleaning and maintenance. If you sell your property, you are legally required to give the new owner full details of your system, including a full service history. Failure to comply with any of the General Binding Rules could result in prosecution.
The Ability to Deal with Dangerous Situations
The nature of the work involved in septic tanks and sewage treatment plant maintenance can be difficult and dangerous and it is inadvisable to carry this out yourself. You may find you need to work underground in small spaces, against a backdrop of noxious odours.
Gilson Environmental Services staff are all City and Guilds Level Three trained in Confined Space entry for underground drainage. This means we are allowed to carry out drain repairs and other complicated work which may require the use of gas detectors, breathing apparatus and other types of specialist equipment.
The Ability to Deal with Problems Immediately
If you have a problem with your septic tanks or treatment plant, it can be unsightly as well as unhealthy, and in some circumstances could even pose a risk to your own life as well as those of people in the neighbourhood. In these circumstances you need to get the issue sorted as quickly as possible.
At Gilson Environmental Services we offer a round-the-clock service for many of the common faults. These include broken pipes, blockages, and, in the case of sewage treatment plants, electrical problems such as a pump or motor gear box failure.
The Ability to Offer Ongoing Maintenance
Rather than just deal with problems as and when they arise, specialists like Gilson Environmental Services can keep your systems in good working order, minimising the risk of costly and embarrassing breakdowns.
For example, septic tanks need regular emptying if the layer of sludge builds up too much, preventing the water from flowing out, resulting in a back-up which can affect domestic drains. The same problem of desludging may also affect treatment plants, where you also need additional checks relating to all the mechanical and electrical components.
Gilson Environmental Services’ Septic Tank and Sewage Treatment Plant Maintenance
Gilson Environmental Services provide a first-class septic tank and sewage treatment plant maintenance service. We aim to deal with all issues on site, and provide full records and photographs, which allow us to build up a full picture of your system.
We also offer new treatment plant and septic tank installation and commissioning from our bases in Ipswich in Suffolk, and Harleston, on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.
If you have a tank or treatment plant which needs servicing, inspection or maintenance, or any other issue with your system, follow this link and fill in the online form to get in touch. Alternatively you can call us on 01473 741530 or email kris@gilsonenviro.co.uk.
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