Service level statement for small-scale private sewage treatment systems
Every year, we receive hundreds of enquiries and complaints about small-scale private sewage treatment systems. Most complaints are about "ponding", when wastewater or sewage forms puddles on the ground, or about sewage related solids in rivers or being washed up on beaches.
Many of the problems caused by private sewage treatment systems are because systems are not looked after properly or maintained. A lot of complaints are to do with disputes between neighbours.
These types of complaints usually present a very low risk of harm to the water environment but can take a lot of time and resource for us to follow up and investigate. This can impact on our ability to focus work on the most significant environmental harms.
To help manage complaints, we have issues a service level statement. This provides information on what you can expect from SEPA when you make a complaint about a small-scale private sewage treatment system.
Statement on our level of service
By "small scale", we mean discharges from private sewage treatment systems that aren't connected to the public sewer, and serve individual properties or are shared by a small number of properties. These are typically registration-level activities and what we consider as low environmental risk.
Our position as of September 2023
Owners and operators of small private sewage treatment systems, like septic tanks, are wholly responsible for ensuring that their treatment systems are maintained in good working order and don't cause pollution or nuisance to their neighbours, and every effort should be taken to make sure they don't cause problems.
We will limit our response to complaints about private sewage treatment systems to only providing standard advice and guidance on how systems should be operated, maintained, and repaired.
We will maintain a deterrent by carrying out compliance campaigns to focus our regulatory effort on known problem locations or subject areas (for example, unauthorised discharges, authorisations with upgrade conditions).
We will use enforcement tools, such as fixed monetary penalties, to change behaviours of those who persistently fail to comply, and where improvements are necessary to limit localised environmental harm or nuisance.
Service level
What we will do:
- We will provide standard advice and guidance on how to resolve problems.
- We will remind householders of their legal responsibilities and risks of not fixing problems.
- We will use intelligence gathered about complaints to inform future compliance campaigns.
What we will not do:
- We will not get involved in any discussion about rights of access, wayleave, or deeds of servitude, as these are civil matters.
- We will not respond to complaints about ponding of sewage on land, where no sewage is entering surface waters.
- We will not respond to repeat complaints about the same problem.
Advice and guidance
- British Water website for information on maintenance of septic tanks and package treatment plants.
- Private sewage treatment system registration guidance.