General Chat

Just googled septic tanks, and came across a website called Garden Law, one of the topics was about septic tanks, just in case this will be useful to anyone else.

Thanks Ice-Ice Baby, we have been on the internet, but I haven't googled septic tanks. Will do so now.

We have a septic tank for our house, situated at the bottom of our long garden. There are three inspection chambers near the house.

Since owning the property for over seven years, we had it emptied two years since. There have been problems with the downstairs loo, when it fills up too far in the bowl, and OH grabs the drain rods, and has a session, which clears things.

But now, our downstairs loo has been out of action since the end of November, due to the water not getting away. OH had a look at the inspection chambers, and said they had water standing in them.

On Tuesday, he had another look at the inspection chambers and saw the water had risen hugely, so he dug out the septic tank, and was horrified to see it was full of water. The septic tank people came out and in half an hour it had been emptied - they were in the locality, and my bank balance was £140.00 lighter. We were hugely relieved, but not for long.

Today, after lunch, downstairs loo water was not getting away, so OH inspected the chambers near the house, and the septic tank. All full of water again.

No-one else in our row of four house is having problems, though I wouldn't ask neighbour who is less than co-operative with anything.

We have spoken to the Water Board, who say that as we are on mains drainage it is nothing to do with them! We have spoken to the septic tank company, whose boss went to France today, and if they empty it again, will charge us another £140.00. We have spoken to a drains company, who charge £58 per hour to come and have a look, after doing a survey. They have a camera, which is supposed to pinpoint where the fault is.

We are absolutely devastated, who wants raw sewage on their back yard?

No-one knows where the soak away is for the septic tank, if we knew, we would have been investigating.

There are no drains plans for these four houses. And in the meantime, the ground is thawing like mad, which we hope is the reason for the full pipes and tank.

We back onto farmland, and even the farmer doesn't know where the soak aways are situated. Each time we access the field, we ask his permission.

So, at the end of this long account, do any of you have a septic tank, and if so, are you having any problems?

This is not a good start to 2011, last year, it was major car problems, to the tune of 3K. Iron packed up last week, also an oil filled radiator. I realise that in the light of the dreadful event in Bristol, these are minor issues, but the septic tank is extremely serious, and needs to be sorted asap.

I would be grateful for any helpful advice.