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:
1 Septic tank This is the most common solution, but be aware that it’s often referred to as a general term for all off-mains foul drainage.
It is a single chamber, originally constructed out of brick, but more recently from either concrete or GRP in an onion shape with a tall cylindrical tube providing access from the top. All of your foul waste ends up in the chamber where solids mostly sink to the bottom and the liquids (effluent) are then allowed to naturally drain into the surrounding soils. Over time, the solids build up as a thick sludge in the container’s base and need to be emptied by a tanker. This process is known as desludging and most domestic vessels, regardless of age, will need to be emptied once a year.