Septic tank soakaway

I've lived in my current home two and a half years in a rural position in the Scottish Highlands. I'm in the process of retrieving my gardens from nature but having to work with it not against it. My home is 22 years old and built on ex crofting land, so surrounded by fields and woodland. I have good reason to believe that out septic tank drainage has had no maintenance since installation. There is one solids tank and a pump that feeds liquids from there into two other tanks that are filled with peat, this is turn filters the liquids before they disperse into a soakaway. It's the soakaway that has become a problem.

My garden is on an incline with a bank that drops to slightly lower ground where the tanks are situated, they are across the width of the garden. Beyond that is a field that until recently contained part of the soakaway. The picture below shows the lids of the solids tank in the corner and the pump chamber lid in the foreground.



The other tanks are across the other side of the garden. The soakaway is on the left side of the picture between tanks and fence and continues on down into the field.



The field beyond. The liquids are no longer dispersing underground but coming to the surface and creating a boggy area. What is being released must be filtering well as cows that are in the field from time to time have been drinking it.



The work started with the felling of this Sycamore tree roughly 30ft in height ( just a baby really) it's roots not in an ideal situation between the tanks where the pipework runs left to right.









The boys toys are moved in and work starts on the soakaway. I will refer to the chap carrying out the work as 'A' . We know him well now as he's carried out various jobs for us and can lay his hand to almost anything. The aim is to change the route of the soakaway and pipe it further towards the right in a trench, where there is a dry stone wall. 'A' spoke to the owner of the field asking for permission to re-site the soakaway which wasn't forthcoming, he wanted it left as it was. We have no idea why.



With the gravel removed from the trench it immediately filled with liquid. No surprise with the ground being saturated. We also had to have a re-think on where the new soakaway was to be sited. Having mulled it over an idea came to mind. Mr S made contact with the owner of the field to the side of our garden and asked permission to re-route the trench and soakaway in his field. Good man! He didn't see it as a problem.



Continued on following post.....

 

'A' laid a perforated pipe in the trench and refilled it with new gravel. The far end is left open to join pipes as work continues. On the boundary with the adjoining side field are the remains of a dry stone wall which will need to be dug out for the trench to continue.



Meanwhile back at the solids tank. 'A' had recently discovered that there were two 6ft rods jammed in the pipework that were creating a 'dam' regarding flow from the house to the tank. Someone has obviously tried to free a blockage in the past and failed getting the rods jammed. 'A' tried to pull them out but no luck so had to dig down to the pipe to remove them, cutting the top out of the pipe. Rods removed he repaired the pipe and back filled the hole.



Back at the other side of the garden, digging is back underway. Below you see the remains of the wall.





The trench now dug ready to take more perforated pipe along a 25 metre (27 yard) stretch down in the side field. The soil here is sandy loam so drains freely and we're hoping that with the perforated pipe a soakaway won't be necessary.






The pipe is laid and joined to the one in the garden, the trench then back filled. During the process of this 'A' had an audience. There are three horses in the field that stood close by watching the process.



Last post to follow.....

 

The job complete I now have to do something with the remains of the boundary. Until late last year a third of the 'wall' which stretches along the plot from the back, to the road at the front was covered in bracken. Fingers crossed that I've dealt with that although it's still a little early in the year to see it sprouting.



'A' has also rebuilt the bank which was disintegrating into the back field.



I need to clear the lids of the solids tank and pump area.



The bank is roughly 3ft high. I'll have to grass seed it and make repairs to the lawn.



Where the little rough patch is by the tanks I'll be creating steps down.



And the view without the Sycamore - this sold the house to us. With the garden almost bare I'll be planting a couple of trees and a low hedge at the base of the bank to help anchor the soil.





That's all folks. Thanks for being patient.

 

Well that was a project and a half Sheal ... and I don't envy what you plan to do.

What an absolutely stunning location! How much land do you have? How near are you to civilisation / shopping? More piccies of your land please ... I think I remember seeing a triangular space near the house you planted up.

Thanks for sharing.

PS I've left my print black for you.

 

Impressive project - well done with that.

And that's an amazing view you've got over the valley!

 

Some of the members that have been on here a while will remember that I installed council water and sewage pipes a few years ago. @Sheal the system that I replaced was very similar to the one you have been working on. I mention this simply because I am surprised to find out that similar systems are used in the UK.

Well done on a good job!

 

Beautiful place where you live and the envy of many I think. Not sure why you related the story of the septic tank......I thought they were now illegal. Perhaps it’s a modern sewage treatment plant, of which I have some experience. Invernessshire is a truly beautiful place and would love to see more pictures.

 

Thank you @Victoria. I don't own any other land apart from the gardens surrounding my bungalow. The back garden is approximately 40ft long by 65ft wide. The front 140ft long by 70ft wide.

The small town of Beauly is almost five miles away. A local village is closer but has only one small shop. I drive to Inverness twelve miles away once a week for my main shop and any other supplies I need.

Yes, the bed in the back garden is currently under mental revision and only has a few plants in it, although it will be home again this year to runner beans. The problem with the bed is the fact I can't plant it up completely because I need access for cleaning windows.



Just after I finished digging out the bed below. It's being used as a nursery bed for the time being until I decide what to do with it.


The front garden as it is at the moment. It's had a lot of work and there's still plenty do both there and in the back garden. When I moved in I gave myself three years to get the whole plot to a workable state. With five months of that time left I think I will need to add another year.

Thank you.

 

Thanks @Graham B. I never get tired of looking at the view and it's amazing how different it looks from season to season.

A frosty day

 

Thank you too @Sandy Ground.

I remember the upheaval you went through too. I know how that feels now.

I think the systems have been updated since mine was put in and are less complicated.

 

Thank you @Redwing. Our love of Scotland and my love of it's history brought Mr S and I here leading up to retirement, almost four years ago. Our home, garden and view are a wonderful bonus.

I related the story of the soakaway because I'd mentioned the work being done in another thread. Another member said they would be interested in this thread.

Septic tanks aren't illegal, how could they be? Without them, those of us that live rurally would not be able to dispose of our waste. I don't understand what you mean about it being a modern sewage treatment plant?

Inverness-shire is beautiful. I will find time at some point to post pictures.

 

Tanks are not illegal, they just have to be up to all the new reg's if you put new a new one in and old one's have to be maintained