# Septic Tank Questions



## woodbine

I have no knowledge of septic tanks, but in all likelihood the property I buy will have one. I have a few questions;

How long does a septic tank/system normally last before replacement is needed?
How often would a tank need to be emptied if I live alone?
I'm guessing it's an important consideration to assess the tank's condition before purchase - can they be surveyed?
How much does a new tank/system cost on an average 2 or 3 bed house?
Would a tank normally be emptied by the seller or a house before completing the sale of the property?

Many thanks for any advice.


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## LesFroggitts

1. Decades unless it's faulty.
2. Between almost never to annually depending upon usage and quality of system.
3. They have to be certified as compliant or not by the vendor in order to sell house.
4. Too many variables but have heard of around 10k depending upon who does the work and/or type of system put in
5. Empty by vendor - hmm some say has to be done, others say not. But if it is emptied ensure that some is left and the tank refilled with effluent containing water ideally.

Basically there are too many variables here to give you specific answers.


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## Yours truly confused

We have just bought next door, a one up one down little house. The diagnostic report said that the fosse was “non compliant” and that we have a year to install a new one. We will endeavour to find it and have it emptied in the coming weeks. We were not surprised as we had to do the same here when we bought it in 2007. 

We have the Devis for the new fosse, the smallest possible, it is just over 9000€, which is actually about the same price we paid in 2007 for the one we have here.

We have just had the fosse here emptied, it is just under 5 years since it was last emptied, we have been advised to do it again in 4 to 4 and a half years. We are two people. Hope that helps


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## Befuddled

Les Froggitts has nailed it.
The place I have been living in for the last 12 years was claimed to have no fosse when I bought it. A few years later it was inspected and although there actually was a fosse the inspector couldn't find it so declared it "non-compliant". The much repeated requirement that one must be installed or made compliant within one year is legendary. I have yet to hear of anyone having a second visit by an inspector or receive a fine for not taking action. Although it would be very nice to have a fully compliant system I cannot afford one and there are no grants available for the work to be done. I paid about €800 for a 3000 litre tank and dug a hole for it by hand. This has to be emptied twice a year at a cost of approx. €230.


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## Yours truly confused

Befuddled said:


> I have yet to hear of anyone having a second visit by an inspector or receive a fine for not taking action.


Our other neighbour pays a fine every year for not having taken action, she cannot afford a new fosse so prefers, for now, to pay the circa 200€ fine each year. Our fosse was installed in 2007, it has been inspected twice since then, I guess it depends on how “active” the SPANC department in your local area is, around here they do check.


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## ccm47

Some good answers here but why not get some info from one of your own local builder's merchants where you are now? Country houses all over the UK have them but the legislation on soak aways is slightly different. We had one in the UK for 25+ years, and for that reason I have never used a biological washing powder as it can upset the microbes in the tank. I never put fat/oil or other nasties down a drain or use harsh chemicals for the same reason. I tend to treat mains drainage in a similar way but I did miss the green stripe of grass maintained by gently leaching water during our summer drought.


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## LFBEUSTON

woodbine said:


> I have no knowledge of septic tanks, but in all likelihood the property I buy will have one. I have a few questions;
> 
> How long does a septic tank/system normally last before replacement is needed?
> How often would a tank need to be emptied if I live alone?
> I'm guessing it's an important consideration to assess the tank's condition before purchase - can they be surveyed?
> How much does a new tank/system cost on an average 2 or 3 bed house?
> Would a tank normally be emptied by the seller or a house before completing the sale of the property?
> 
> Many thanks for any advice.


When we bought our house the tank had been in situ for about twenty years. The owner, and his wife, had as far as I know, never had the tank emptied. Tanks are designed to work properly when full (not of effluent but water!) so emptying them is only necessary when the effluent level is high and the tank then needs emptying, that quite obviously could take decades!!! As the effluent is broken down by microbes the emptying of a tank can, theoretically, never be needed. 
Not knowing anything about this when we bought the house we opened up the tank after moving in and was horrified to find it full to the brim!!! We had it emptied and there was about , maybe, thirty centimetres of 'mud at the bottom; the rest was water! In other words it hadn't needed to be emptied. Our French neighbours thought it hilarious especially when they told us to fill it up to the brim again with water!!
As for how long a tank lasts, for ever I should think!
Emptying: Living on your own, again not worth thinking about.
A survey! We didn't and I would have thought it unnecessary to do so.
Have a new system, installed? Why if the one you have works!
I doubt very much that a 'seller' would be the least concerned about emptying a tank.
A fosse septic does have to be compliant and an inspection arranged. If it is compliant then why concern yourself unnecessarily? If it isn't then you would be informed and any work necessary carried out.
When the regulations changed some years ago our neighbours did the work themselves, installing a filtering (sand) system that made it compliant. We already had some sort of filtering system. In any event it all became redundant when we were put on mains drainage; as were the neighbours! The council did the drains up to the house and I (with the help of my neighbour) simply connected to it breaking up the concrete fosse in the process and burying it in its own hole!!!
As a P.S!
I'm sorry if this is obvious to you but you do know that a fosse septic drains water into a fosse or somewhere else and cannot become 'full'? In our ignorance 20 odd years ago we thought it was full and needed emptying!! Sorry again if you knew that but it's possible you weren't clear about how they work.


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## Micb1905

the property i have just purchased came with the caveat of not knowing where the fosse is.

The Notaire assisted with organising someone from SIEPAB (unsure if this is a national or local water organisation) to come out and do an inspection for me. The gentleman was great and really helpful. Basically he said because we can't find it and the previous owner couldn't, although its causing no problems it will be so old that it is no longer compliant and will need a new one installing. *he told me that we would simply have 2 years to begin the work, not one year to complete it as is banded about.*

He recommended that i install it myself and would return to advise me on what's required due to the insane costs of getting a contractor to carry out the works.

having looked at the materials the whole job shouldn't cost more than 1500 euros.


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## LFBEUSTON

Micb1905 said:


> the property i have just purchased came with the caveat of not knowing where the fosse is.
> 
> The Notaire assisted with organising someone from SIEPAB (unsure if this is a national or local water organisation) to come out and do an inspection for me. The gentleman was great and really helpful. Basically he said because we can't find it and the previous owner couldn't, although its causing no problems it will be so old that it is no longer compliant and will need a new one installing. *he told me that we would simply have 2 years to begin the work, not one year to complete it as is banded about.*
> 
> He recommended that i install it myself and would return to advise me on what's required due to the insane costs of getting a contractor to carry out the works.
> 
> having looked at the materials the whole job shouldn't cost more than 1500 euros.


I find it astonishing that no-one knows where the fosse septic is located! I don't doubt your word but it is quite unusual. Having no idea of the layout of your property of course but the tank cannot be far away! In your shoes I would examine in detail the area quite close to the house. The tank will almost certainly be within a metre or so from the side of the house. If located it will certainly be cheaper to modify rather than install a new one.
I would doubt very much the figure of 1500€, even doing it yourself. The tank alone I would think costs more than that!!
I wish you the best of luck in your quest and hope it is all resolved without 'breaking the bank'!!!


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## Micb1905

LFBEUSTON said:


> I find it astonishing that no-one knows where the fosse septic is located! I don't doubt your word but it is quite unusual. Having no idea of the layout of your property of course but the tank cannot be far away! In your shoes I would examine in detail the area quite close to the house. The tank will almost certainly be within a metre or so from the side of the house. If located it will certainly be cheaper to modify rather than install a new one.
> I would doubt very much the figure of 1500€, even doing it yourself. The tank alone I would think costs more than that!!
> I wish you the best of luck in your quest and hope it is all resolved without 'breaking the bank'!!!


Hi,

the property is just over half an acre in a rural setting, the inspector told me the fosse would likely be original to the property (early 70's) so even though its working fine, it will need need a new one as it wont be to standards. its assumed to be an old style stone filter type which i believe isn't actually a tank, but just a big hole full of rocks.

The local marie have also said they dont possess any information on it. 

i have looked at the materials with the inspector so unless something is glaringly wrong it shouldn't be far off.

we bought the property knowing this information as well as the fact it needed a new water main etc, so it was all reflected in the price. 

i best start digging!


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## LFBEUSTON

Micb1905 said:


> Hi,
> 
> the property is just over half an acre in a rural setting, the inspector told me the fosse would likely be original to the property (early 70's) so even though its working fine, it will need need a new one as it wont be to standards. its assumed to be an old style stone filter type which i believe isn't actually a tank, but just a big hole full of rocks.
> 
> The local marie have also said they dont possess any information on it.
> 
> i have looked at the materials with the inspector so unless something is glaringly wrong it shouldn't be far off.
> 
> we bought the property knowing this information as well as the fact it needed a new water main etc, so it was all reflected in the price.
> 
> i best start digging!


The 70s? 1870s?. Just a suggestion but if you can find where the waste pipe exits the house then the fosse has to be on the end of it! Where the pipe exits can only be in one or two places and obviously you would start tracking from inside the house.I would certainly track it down before going to the expense of a completely new tank and fittings. As for just a hole with rocks in it, well I doubt it. In my experience any 'soak-a- away' ever constructed usually clogs up over time with soil or other detritus. Your 'rocks' would have certainly had a lot of that!!!! What with a new water main as well; you are certainly going to be busy!


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## Yours truly confused

LFBEUSTON said:


> The 70s? 1870s?. Just a suggestion but if you can find where the waste pipe exits the house then the fosse has to be on the end of it! Where the pipe exits can only be in one or two places and obviously you would start tracking from inside the house.I would certainly track it down before going to the expense of a completely new tank and fittings. As for just a hole with rocks in it, well I doubt it. In my experience any 'soak-a- away' ever constructed usually clogs up over time with soil or other detritus. Your 'rocks' would have certainly had a lot of that!!!! What with a new water main as well; you are certainly going to be busy!


Unfortunately rules have changed and most fosse over 20 years old will not comply, which means that, even if they may still “work fine” they no longer comply and new owners are obligated to install a new system within a specified time or face fines. 
We have just bought next door, it has a perfectly serviceable 1m cubed fosse (according to the previous owner), that’s fine as far as it goes but current regulations state that the smallest fosse must be at least 3m cubed. In the sale documents we signed, it states that we are obliged to install a new fosse that complies to current regulations within one year, or at least have accepted a devis for said work. They will inspect during and after the work.





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Sewage Treatment - Septic Tanks - FRANCE


Details of septic tank and sewage treatment regulations in France and treatment options. BIOROCK Non-Electric plant now has French Certificate.




www.crystaltanks.com





This is just one link I found in English.


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## LFBEUSTON

Yours truly confused said:


> Unfortunately rules have changed and most fosse over 20 years old will not comply, which means that, even if they may still “work fine” they no longer comply and new owners are obligated to install a new system within a specified time or face fines.
> We have just bought next door, it has a perfectly serviceable 1m cubed fosse (according to the previous owner), that’s fine as far as it goes but current regulations state that the smallest fosse must be at least 3m cubed. In the sale documents we signed, it states that we are obliged to install a new fosse that complies to current regulations within one year, or at least have accepted a devis for said work. They will inspect during and after the work.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sewage Treatment - Septic Tanks - FRANCE
> 
> 
> Details of septic tank and sewage treatment regulations in France and treatment options. BIOROCK Non-Electric plant now has French Certificate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.crystaltanks.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is just one link I found in English.


I read your link and found it extremely interesting. Fortunately we joined main drainage several years ago otherwise the fosse I had would not have met current regulations. In your shoes I would still investigate the possibility that the 1m cubed fosse isn't, in fact a 3m cubed one and still legal. Obviously if it doesn't comply then you have to install a new one. I understand that you have signed a document but it only applies if the current fosse doesn't comply. Could mean the difference of a couple of thousand!! All the best.


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## Yours truly confused

LFBEUSTON said:


> I read your link and found it extremely interesting. Fortunately we joined main drainage several years ago otherwise the fosse I had would not have met current regulations. In your shoes I would still investigate the possibility that the 1m cubed fosse isn't, in fact a 3m cubed one and still legal. Obviously if it doesn't comply then you have to install a new one. I understand that you have signed a document but it only applies if the current fosse doesn't comply. Could mean the difference of a couple of thousand!! All the best.


We already know it doesn’t comply as the bill for its last emptying was amongst the papers given to us, stating it is 1m cubed.


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## LFBEUSTON

Yours truly confused said:


> We already know it doesn’t comply as the bill for its last emptying was amongst the papers given to us, stating it is 1m cubed.


In which case you will have to have a new one!!


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