The removal of foul waste (ie sewage) is something we tend to take for granted in our homes. The waste from our toilets, sinks, disherwashers, washing machines and showers – basically anything that gets drained or flushed away – usually disappears without us having to think about where it’s going. But if you’re self building, you need to make sure everything’s in place to get it removed safely. A mains connection is the most practical and cheapest solution, but for many rural plots this isn’t available.
There are various ways to control foul waste if you haven’t got a mains connection. Whatever is collected will either be removed by tanker, filtered into surface water or into the ground. Before I go into details about how to manage discharging sewage, here are the five main options for collecting and storing the waste: