THE MAGAZINE FOR THE DRAINAGE, WATER & WASTEWATER INDUSTRIES


OFF MAINS DRAINAGE


and a discharge to a surface water a maximum of 5,000 litres per day. If this daily discharge volume is exceeded, it doesn’t mean it’s not allowed or illegal, it simply means the discharge needs to be permitted. The submission of a permit to discharge to the Environment Agency is required in this instance.


The only way to demonstrate compliance, or non-compliance, is to establish what the system is, if it’s performing and where it’s discharging to, and that requires a survey inspection to be carried out. However, residents run the risk of mistakes being


Discharges to


Rule 1 2 3 4 5


6 7


8 9


10 11 12 13


14


15 16


17


surface water ground No Yes Yes Yes No


Yes No Yes Yes Yes


Yes No


Yes Yes


Yes Yes Yes Yes


Yes


Yes Yes


No Yes


No Yes


Yes Yes Yes Yes


Yes General binding rule


The discharge must be 2 cubic metres or less per day in volume. The discharge must be 5 cubic metres or less per day in volume. The sewage must only be domestic.


The discharge must not cause pollution of surface water or groundwater.


The sewage must receive treatment from a septic tank and infiltration system (drainage field) or sewage treatment plant and infiltration system.


The sewage must receive treatment from a sewage treatment plant.


The discharge must not be within a groundwater source protection zone 1 or within 50 metres from any well, spring or borehole that is used to supply water for domestic or food production purposes.


For discharges in tidal waters, the discharge outlet must be below the mean spring low water mark.


All works and equipment used for the treatment of sewage effluent and its discharge must comply with the relevant design and manufacturing standards, meaning the British Standard that was in force at the time of the installation, and guidance issued by the appropriate authority on the capacity and installation of the equipment.


The system must be installed and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification. Maintenance must be undertaken by someone who is competent.


Waste sludge from the system must be safely disposed of by an authorised person.


If a property is sold, the operator must give the new operator a written notice stating that a small sewage discharge is being carried out, and giving a description of the waste water system and its maintenance requirements.


The operator must ensure the system is appropriately decommissioned where it ceases to be in operation so that there is no risk of pollutants or polluting matter entering groundwater, inland fresh waters or coastal waters.


For a discharge that was started on or after 1 January 2015, the following general binding rules also apply Yes


Discharges must not be within 30 metres of a public foul sewer. Yes


18 No 19


20 21


22 23


Yes No


Yes Yes Yes


Yes No


No No


Yes


Yes Yes


For discharges, the operator must ensure that the necessary planning and building control approvals for the treatment system are in place.


Discharges must not be in or within: 500 metres of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site, biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), freshwater pearl mussel population, designated bathing water, or protected shellfish water; 200 metres of an aquatic local nature reserve; 50 metres of a chalk river or aquatic local wildlife site.


Discharges must not be in, or within 50 metres of, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site, or biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and must not be in an Ancient Woodland.


Discharges must be made to a watercourse that normally has flow throughout the year.


For discharges, any partial drainage field must be installed within 10 metres of the bank side of the watercourse. Discharges must not be made to an enclosed lake or pond.


For a new discharge that started on or after 2 October 2023, the following two general binding rules also apply Yes


A new discharge shall not use the same outlet as any other discharge if the combined volume of those discharges would exceed the volumetric general binding rules thresholds for groundwater or surface water.


A new discharge shall not be made to a discharge point within 50 metres of any other exempt groundwater activity or water discharge activity.


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made as the inspection, and the subsequent report conclusion, can only be as accurate as the attending engineer’s and/or report writer’s knowledge and experience of these systems and the correct application of the respective general binding rules.


The last decade has highlighted the requirement for a specific industry accreditation demonstrating competency for compliance inspections because, in its absence, and until such time that one is created, asset owners are left to carry out their own research regarding who to appoint. Thankfully, in the scenario of a


property transaction, an ever-increasing number of property professionals have built up trust with companies who they will recommend to their clients/the asset owner, and this reduces the possibility of mistakes being made.


The Small Sewage Discharge General Binding Rules is an excellent regulatory reform as it has, and continues to, improve the water quality and wider environment. More stakeholders are aware of the rules and therefore more non-compliant systems are being discovered and addressed, but there is still lots to do.


The following general binding rules apply to all small sewage discharges


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