Guides & Downloads

We have compared the main sewage treatment plants that we supply and install so that you can easily see the benefits of each system.

Give us a call on 0333 272 6940 for free advice and guidance.

A Cesspit (or often referred to as a Cesspool) is simply a holding tank for sewage. A cesspit does not have an outlet like a Septic tank. It is the last resort to install a cesspit, only when there is no way to drain water through the ground or send treated water to a ditch would a cesspit be installed.

Sewage treatment plant installation doesn’t have to be a long or difficult process. If you’re aware of the legislation that applies to your situation and you have a good supplier, you shouldn’t need anything more. Owls Hall’s sewage treatment plant installation guide will give you the information required to take the first steps. Keep reading to understand the full process, or use the links below to jump to the section you’re most interested in.

If you want to know how to calculate septic tank size, look no further. It can be tough to work out exactly what size septic tank you need for either a commercial business property or your home. As such, we have put together this septic tank sizing guide which specifies which septic tank size a property would need, determined by the amount of people it needs to serve. With over 50 years’ experience in septic services, you can fully rely on the information provided by Owls Hall in this guide.

For context, a septic tank is generally used where no mains sewage connection is available, and the water can be discharged through the ground via a soakaway or drainage field.

A sewage treatment plant is designed to treat waste water from a building where no mains sewage connection can be made. The water from a sewage treatment plant is clean enough to discharge into a river or stream, alternatively the water can be discharged through the ground via a soakaway. sizing it is vital for it’s correct operation, if you need to know how to size a Sewage Treatment plant, you’ve come to the right place.

Pumping stations are used to move water from a tank when gravity can’t do the job. If you want to know how one works, take a look at this article before reading here. In this article, Owls Hall Environmental answers more questions about the installation and maintenance of pumping stations.

A pump station is a product used to lift or move water when no gravity fall can be achieved. Installed underground and often cylindrical in shape, the pump station would normally have 1 or 2 pumps installed inside it. Float switches monitor the level of water in the tank. As water enters the tank and fills up, the float switch activates the pump to move the water to its desired location.

If you have read our page describing how a sewage treatment plant works, you’ll already understand that it is a natural biological process. In fact, a sewage system thrives on being fed with normal organic waste. When it comes to what should not go down the drains, (e.g. via toilet, kitchen sink, drain) when you have a sewage treatment plant, we can categorise the items into 3 distinct areas.

This is a question we often receive from people looking to purchase a sewage treatment plant. If you’ve already read our post on how a sewage treatment plant works you will understand that the process in a sewage treatment plant is a natural biological one.

Modern treatment plants are designed to treat the wastewater from a building to a level of quality that will not pollute the land or rivers.

Short power cuts (2-4 hours) should not be a cause for any particular concern. If the power cut is for a longer duration, then it depends on the system as to whether it would cause a problem or not.

European Standard EN12566/3 is a rigorous test for small treatment plants (for treatment plants up to 50 population) assessing their efficiency. It is a test performed on all products sold as a “packaged treatment plant”.

If you are discharging to a ditch or stream you must use a treatment plant. However, if you are discharging to a drainage field (through the ground), you are legally entitled to install a septic tank. However, many people upgrade this to a treatment plant for the following reasons.

Installing a treatment plant is something that should be done by competent people who understand performing ground excavations. This being said, we can break down the sewage treatment plant installation process.

Sewage treatment systems come in all shapes and sizes. Some have different ways of performing the same job but all work on the same core principle. In this article we will explain what this core principle is and help you to understand the differences in the styles of treatment process. But first we should explain what a sewage treatment plant does.

In most instances, you will not require a permit to discharge waste from a domestic sewage treatment plant. However, the following criteria must be adhered to.

A percolation test is a way to calculate how quickly the soil in your area absorbs water to make sure it is permeable enough to absorb and filter all the effluent before it reaches the ground water.  Both the Environmental Agency and local councils recommend that percolation tests are performed by a qualified engineer to ensure accurate and objective results.

If your sewage treatment plant smells, there are a number of things that should be checked. It would be helpful to also understand what you should not put into a treatment plant as some things will harm or kill bacteria.

A pumped sewage treatment plant is a sewage treatment plant with a pump to lift the treated water out and in to the ditch or stream. It is used when a normal gravity discharge cannot be used.

Energy free sewage treatment plants have been around for a long time. They can work very effectively for the treatment of domestic wastewater. If you understand how a sewage treatment plant works then you will understand that bacteria perform the main role in the treatment of waste. This is no different in an energy free sewage plant.

There are a number of things that are checked during the servicing of a sewage treatment system.

A reed bed is a natural filtration system that can be used to treat and improve water quality prior to discharging into the environment. It utilises the ability of a reed to transport oxygen to the soil, hence encouraging microorganisms to digest the contaminants in the effluent.

New drainage is always split so that your rainwater and surface water go down one set of pipes, and your fowl (sewage water) goes down a different set of pipes. This is set out in the building regulations.

With the right maintenance, a sewage treatment plant can last a long time without needing any significant work. Owls Hall Environmental addresses the key questions regarding service and maintenance to help you keep yours in top working condition.

If you’re considering installing a sewage treatment plant, there are several planning considerations for you to bear in mind. This guide from Owls Hall Environmental addresses some of the most important things to plan for.

Whether you’re upgrading an old wastewater system or contemplating having a new sewage treatment plant installed, it’s important to understand the associated costs to protect yourself from any nasty surprises and to ensure you are given a fair price for the work carried out.

More than half a million domestic properties within the UK aren’t connected to mains drainage, operating off septic tanks instead. The majority of these homes are located in more rural parts of the UK, and so, if you’ve decided to join the 126% of UK people contemplating a move to villages in search of more of a country-esque style living, you may have to get to know what a septic tank is and how it works.

In the UK, we use a simple rule of thumb for sizing a septic tank, that is the volume of water per day + 2000L. We have a full guide on sizing a septic tank which can provide you with the detailed calculations.

In the UK, discharges to the environment are regulated by the Environment Agency. These rules cover septic tank discharges into ditches and other areas. The current regulations are set out in the general binding rules and apply to everyone as of this year (2020).

Knowing precisely what a septic tank is and how it operates, you’d think they would be quite a smelly thing to install in such close proximity to your home. But the fact is that your tank should not smell.

Our know-how stems from years of experience in serving and maintaining rainwater harvesting systems. Our systems have been developed to be as robust as possibly with the highest quality components selected for their reliability.

Any water saving is good, whether it is a low flush toilet, or a rainwater harvesting system. These days we see water as a commodity which is regularly wasted.

No, you don’t need one, but you may want one. This article goes into detail about what the role of a headertank is and why you might (or might not) want one.

If you are very good with DIY and are comfortable with water pipe fittings and pumps, then it may be possible for you to install a cheap above ground system for watering the garden.

For a domestic rainwater harvesting system that flushes toilets you will have a few components in the house depending on which system you opt for.

In a domestic house system, you can save up to 50% of your water consumption, although we feel it is more likely to be 40%.

Yes, you do have to maintain a rainwater harvesting system. However if the system is well designed and installed the maintenance is minimal and normally comprises of checking and cleaning the leaf filter. You should check the filter in any new system (not just ours) every 3-6 months in the first year, especially around the time the leaves are falling. This will help you to build up a pattern of when the filter needs to be cleaned.

Whilst this is uncommon with modern rainwater harvesting systems, we have seen early rainwater harvesting systems that have dirty water in.

Owls Hall Environmental has collected a number of tips to help you save water at home. We’ve covered a range of water-saving ideas, from little changes you can make to your routines through to more efficient ways to use water in your garden.

In a period of increasingly unpredictable weather and damaging climate change, saving water where we can helps to ease the strain on Britain’s water supply. Our tips will also help you save money if you have a water meter and could also cut down on your gas and electricity bills.

As a simple rule of thumb, for domestic system you will require about 1000 litres of storage per person.

There are more detailed calculations that can be performed to assess the best size of rainwater harvesting tank.

A pressure vessel is a metal cylinder with a rubber diaphragm inside. On one side of the diaphragm there is pressurised air, on the other side, and connected to your plumbing, is pressurised water.

If you’ve already decided that you want to install a rainwater harvesting system, there are a few other practicalities to get out of the way to make sure everything goes smoothly. This FAQ by Owls Hall Environmental gives you information on the key things to consider.

Rainwater harvesting is a way of collecting and storing rainwater with a view to reusing it. It is a great strategy to reduce your water bills and ensuring you have enough water to reuse in your house or garden in times of drought and hose pipe bans.

We admit that there is a fair bit of jargon used in the construction industry and we hope to smash some of that here. We’re happy to help and always offer free advice over the phone, so if you have a question about any aspect of your water treatment or drainage give us a call on 01371 850537.

Please fill out our rainwater harvesting calculator form below in order to help you select the right size system.

Considering a drain survey but not sure if it’s right for the property you’re buying? Do you want to find out more about what it entails? You’re in the right place. This FAQ page contains common questions for our drain survey service that will help you know what to expect. Surveys are available for the South East and East of England.

Rainwater harvesting is a way of collecting and storing rainwater with a view to reusing it. It is a great strategy to reduce your water bills and ensuring you have enough water to reuse in your house or garden in times of drought and hose pipe bans.