Septic Tank on a 0.1 Acre Site...?

Poppet

I have noticed a cottage for sale which is on a site of 0.1 acres.

Apparently the septic site is located in the field beside the house, though this field belongs to someone else.

Is it possible to place a septic on a site of 0.1 acres, or is it not permitted?

If not, what are the legal implications of having a septic tank on someone elses land? Could they decide in the future that they no longer wanted the tank on their land and force the septic tank owner to remove it leaving them with no septic tank?

Or would the owner of the septic tank always be permitted to keep the tank on the other persons land, since it is already in place?

Thanks..!!

AJL

As far as I can recall tank needs to be 10m from the house and three metres from boundary. If it is on somebody elses land i'd guess it needs to be sorted out through solicitors?

whassupp2

and if you got a septic tank you need a percolation area which must contain 100m of piping. This can be done with 5 x 20 m pipes etc.

Poppet

Thanks guys for the info.

If I wanted to discover the exact distance the septic tank has to be located from the house/boundary, just to know if the 10m & 3m distances are exactly correct, which department should I contact?

Now that I think about it, I suppose it'd be the planning department...

smashey

You are going to need 200 sq. metres for the percolation area alone. Now considering that the area of the site (0.1 acres) is 404 sq. metres, this leaves you with 204 sq. metres. Take out the area of the house and a garden, distances from roads/boundaries, distance from the house to the septic tank and the possibility that you may have to include a reserve percolation area, then you are not going to get the septic tank and percolation area on this site. It is just too small.

Poppet

As I'm used to mains sewerage system, I don't know anything about septic tanks so hopefully this makes sense...

You mentioned that 200 sq m is required for the percolation area alone. Once an area is used for a percolation area does this mean it can't be used for walking on or using as a garden?

I'm not sure what the percolation area actually is?

smashey

The percolation area is the area through which the percolation pipes from the tank are spread. They are buried, so you can indeed use it as a garden and walk on it. Bear in mind that they also have to be a certain distance away from any neighbouring percolation areas.

Johnniep

Sorry, but the site you are looking out sound like it is a loot of hassle for a very small site! The fact that the percolation area is next door will invariably lead to problems........no matter how much the vendor says it wont :rolleyes:
And at a future date, the if you have to incorporate the percolation area within your site, as Smashey says it could use up 200m sq (depending on the nature of the site)

Anyway, I have attached a page from the EPA manual on the teatment systems for single houses showing the required minimum distances from boundaries/neighbours etc......

Treatment Systems for Single Houses.jpg

Hope this helps.

J.

Poppet

smashey wrote:

You are going to need 200 sq. metres for the percolation area alone. Now considering that the area of the site (0.1 acres) is 404 sq. metres, this leaves you with 204 sq. metres. Take out the area of the house and a garden, distances from roads/boundaries, distance from the house to the septic tank and the possibility that you may have to include a reserve percolation area, then you are not going to get the septic tank and percolation area on this site.

smashey wrote:

The percolation area is the area through which the percolation pipes from the tank are spread. They are buried, so you can indeed use it as a garden and walk on it.

So if the site is 0.1 acres i.e. 404 sq m, then would it not be a matter of deducting only the area of house from the 404 sq m?

Why would the 200 sq m for the percolation area be deducted from the 404 sq m if the percolation area can still be used as a garden?

smashey

This area cannot be built on. Then, you have issues regarding siting the house, which must be a certain distance from any adjoining road etc. Also, the septic tank and percolation area have to be a certain distance from the house. All these will eat up your site area and I don't think there is any chance of getting a house with a septic tank and percolation area on a site so small.

Poppet

I wouldn't be knocking the cottage down, as it's not in too bad condition.

Also I don't think I'd be extending it, so no building would be needed...

smashey

The tank also has to be 20 metres from the dwelling. Now if your site was square, that would make it 20m x 20m. So, leave 20m from the house to the tank and you are outside the site boundary. It ain't gonna work.

Poppet

If the information which Johnniep linked to above is correct...

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/51244/33401.jpg

then I think the septic tank only has to be located 7 metres from the house

noby

How about approaching the Farmer whose field the tank is in? Maybe he'll sell you a small square of it.

Johnniep

Poppet wrote:

If the information which Johnniep linked to above is correct...

What do you mean "IF"?????

Poppet

Johnniep wrote:

What do you mean "IF"?????

Ooops..!


I've been able to find out that the seller of the cottage does not own the land on which the septic tank is located.

Though I have been informed by the auctioneer that there is a right of way to access the septic tank.

Is it ok as long as this right of way is in place?

Or even if there is a formal right of way which has been proven and verified by a solicitor is it still possible that the owner of the land on which the septic tank is situated could in the future legally require the owner of the cottage/septic tank to remove the septic tank from his land.

What I mean is, even if there is a legal right of way to the septic tank whilst it is located in the other persons field, could they legally require it to be removed and therefore leaving the cottage without a septic tank.

muffler

Poppet wrote:

Or even if there is a formal right of way which has been proven and verified by a solicitor is it still possible that the owner of the land on which the septic tank is situated could in the future legally require the owner of the cottage/septic tank to remove the septic tank from his land.

I dont think you are going to find any solicitors here and in any event I think you have answered your own question.

Its been said before - talk to your solicitor before proceeding any further.

I think you're chasing a dead duck

kyote00

Also need to ensure that the septic tank and percolation area is a certain distance (i think its 30ft) from the well --- assuming it well water...