How responsible septic tank maintenance benefits the community

11 November 2024 by CSG

The topic of sewage and how it is managed is currently making headlines in the UK. Sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year – from 1.75 million hours in 2022 to 3.6 million in 2023. But did you know that your off mains system could also be having an adverse effect on both your local ecosystem and the wider environment?

What are the different types of sewage system?

Before we explore maintaining septic systems in further detail, it’s essential to understand how they work in the first place. A septic tank system is installed when a property is not connected to the public drainage system. It is installed underground and uses the most basic natural process to treat sewage. The wastewater separates in the septic tank over time, leaving solids at the bottom, oils and greases at the top, and clear water in the middle. This water exits the tank to a septic drain field, leaving the solids and oils in the tank to be removed.

A sewage treatment plant similarly uses natural processes to treat sewage. The difference is that mechanical components provide advanced processes to help break down solids and produce a cleaner, more environmentally friendly effluent. If you have a sewage treatment unit, sewage is treated before entering your drainage field or local watercourse.

A cesspit is a sealed, watertight underground tank that captures wastewater and sewage and simply collects it, without processing or treating it in any way. Cesspits can fill up quickly and will require high frequency emptying, at fortnightly or monthly intervals as required by the household.

How important is septic tank upkeep?

There are a lot of problems that can happen with an improperly maintained sewage system. For instance, tank sludge can overfill and lead to system blockages and leaks, which put the environment and people at risk, leading to costly repairs or replacements. It’s worth remembering that your sewage system is likely to be the single most expensive system replacement in your home.

Not properly maintaining your septic tank system can also mean you are running the risk of sewage leaking into your back garden. We have experience in attending jobs like this, and it is not pleasant! Not only does it affect you and your family – but the smell can spread beyond your garden and into your neighbours’ gardens and houses.

Not only that, but sewage leaks from your septic system can lead to polluted groundwater (all water lying below the water table or in aquifers). This can pollute surface water and rivers, streams and lochs.

These watercourses are part of our natural environment – they are home to important ecosystems and biodiversity, and can sometimes be used to supply our drinking water.

Regular septic system emptying can also help to support agriculture in the UK. The solid waste contents of all off mains sewage systems are treated and recycled back into agriculture. This fertiliser helps to support plant growth and nutrition. These nutrients play a crucial role in plant growth and cannot truly be replaced by artificial fertilisers made in factories.

With rising fertiliser costs and carbon emissions from artificial fertiliser production, recycling sewage can restore our depleted soils, but this must be done in a safe way. 

What can I be doing to help my community?

So, what can householders do to protect local environments, drinking water supplies and soil quality?

Septic tank owners should think about their product choices and chemical footprint to reduce the environmental burden on our communities. Ways that we can do this include:

• Don’t flush wipes. These break down to form impenetrable mats and enter water and soil environments, they are costly for your system and the local environment.

• Don’t flush or pour harsh chemicals and keep DIY products out of your system. Send them to the tip instead. We all want to reduce the chances of these chemicals entering our rivers, drinking water aquifers and soils.

• Always try to use nature friendly products, and use them in moderation. Spend a little more on quality septic safe products but use them sparingly and only when necessary.

• Don’t buy non-stick products. Opt for traditional scrubbable cookware to reduce our exposure and nature’s exposure to forever chemicals. Try to opt for PFAS free personal care products and clothing if you can.

• Try to opt for natural cloths for cleaning. Synthetic sponges and cloths degrade into plastic fibres that can end up in our rivers, groundwater and soils.

• Keep all plastics out of your system, they degrade and contaminate. Pop them in your household waste. Give nature a chance.

• Don’t flush medicines away, these cause havoc in aquatic ecosystems. Try to dispose of these in a safe way. One option for disposal is to see if your pharmacy offers a disposal service.

• Try to stick to the three p’s, that’s just paper, pee and poo.

Want to know more about how you can take care of your septic tank? Read our septic tank do’s and don’ts blog here.

Conservation organisations also help to better educate off-mains homeowners to improve their practices. A great example would be the Hampshire and Isle of White Wildlife Trust. They have launched the Septic Smart project to help support the Watercress and Winterbournes Scheme. The project hopes to spread awareness of poor septic system management and the negative effects this can have on the UK chalk streams.

How can CSG help me with septic tank maintenance?

CSG are available to support you and your sewage system. From advice and proactive measures to cost effective maintenance, septic tank pumping and inspections. CSG are a trusted company with 90 years of experience, are members of British Water and have trained accredited British Water engineers ready to tackle any sewage related issues you encounter. Contact us on 0800 011 6600 or click here to make an enquiry today!