EPD - Guidance Notes on Discharges from Village Houses

Guidance Notes on Discharges from Village Houses

How does a Septic Tank System (STS) work?

4.	A STS consists of a septic tank, a soakaway pit or some soakaway trenches, and the surrounding soil into which wastewater is finally disposed. The septic tank should be large enough to hold at least the volume of wastewater collected in one day. The soakaway system and the surrounding soil should be able to soak away the same volume in one day.

5.	OVERFLOW from septic tank or soakaway pit, or direct discharge without passing through a soakaway system, is POLLUTING and should not be permitted.

6.	Polluting material is only removed from the wastewater after travelling a long distance in the soil. Pollution would result if a STS is located too near to a beach, a stream, a well, etc., or even too near to a retaining wall where wastewater might seep out from the face of the wall.

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2005

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Last revision date: 28 April 2006