Frequently Asked Questions

A broken dip pipe on a septic tank means that the inlet or outlet dip pipe — which directs wastewater properly inside the tank — is damaged, cracked, or disconnected.

Dip pipes are vertical pipes fitted inside the septic tank at the points where waste enters (inlet) or exits (outlet):

• Inlet dip pipe: guides incoming waste downward into the tank, preventing disturbance of the scum and sludge layers.
• Outlet dip pipe: ensures that only relatively clear liquid (effluent) flows out to the drain field, not floating scum or settled solids.

When a dip pipe is broken:

• Wastewater may splash or flow improperly inside the tank.
• Solids might leave the tank and clog the drain field (serious and costly problem).
• The tank’s natural separation process is disrupted, leading to system failure, smells, backups, or environmental contamination.

The septic tank now Compliance with Regulations

You now often have to install a sewage treatment plant instead of a septic tank because of stricter environmental regulations. Here's the full explanation:

1. Septic tanks discharge less clean water:
A traditional septic tank only separates solids and liquids — it does not really treat the wastewater. So the liquid that leaves the tank (called "effluent") still contains pollutants, which can harm rivers, streams, and soil.

2. New environmental laws (like the UK's 2020 General Binding Rules):
Under updated rules, septic tanks that discharge directly to a watercourse (like a river, stream, ditch, or pond) are no longer allowed. The government requires that any discharged water must be much cleaner — which only a sewage treatment plant can achieve.

3. Sewage treatment plants properly treat wastewater:
Unlike septic tanks, sewage treatment plants use aeration (oxygen) and bacterial action to actually clean the wastewater to a much higher standard before releasing it. The result is much safer for the environment.

4. Avoiding fines and legal issues:
If you have an old septic tank that discharges to a watercourse, and you don't upgrade to a compliant system (usually a sewage treatment plant), you could face enforcement action, including fines.

5. Protecting property value:
If you plan to sell your property, you must prove your sewage system is compliant. If it's not, it could delay or block a sale.

If the drainage field on the property was too small for the amount of wastewater being produced, several problems could happen:

• Waterlogging: The field can’t soak up all the effluent fast enough, causing it to back up to the surface or into the septic tank.
• Smells: Saturated or poorly treated wastewater can produce strong odors above ground.
• Pollution Risks: Effluent might not get fully treated before reaching groundwater, which can contaminate wells, streams, or lakes.
• Septic System Failure: If the drainage field can't keep up, it can cause the entire septic system to fail — leading to expensive repairs.

This usually happens because:

• The drainage field was underestimated during installation (common with older systems or when a home was extended).
• The soil percolation rate was too slow (especially in clay or compacted soils).
• Water use increased beyond the original design (like a bigger family moving in, or adding extra bedroom).

Fixing an undersized drainage field often requires:

• Expanding the existing drainage field (adding more trenches or pipes).
• Installing a new drainage field somewhere else on the property.
• In some cases, upgrading to an alternative wastewater system (like a mound system or treatment plant) if space or soil conditions are bad.

You should disconnect your stormwater system (like gutters, sump pumps, or foundation drains) from your septic tank because:

1. Septic tanks are designed for wastewater, not stormwater: Septic systems are sized to handle only the wastewater from household uses like toilets, showers, sinks, and laundry. Adding rainwater overloads the system.
2. Overloading causes system failure: When too much water enters a septic system, it can overwhelm the tank and drainfield (the area that treats the effluent). This leads to poor treatment of sewage, flooding, backups into your house, or even pollution of nearby water sources.
3. Reduced treatment efficiency: Stormwater can dilute the contents of the septic tank, preventing solids from settling properly. This leads to untreated solids moving into the drainfield, causing clogs and eventual drainfield failure — which is very expensive to fix.

• Your foul pipe (the pipe that carries sewage or wastewater to your treatment plant) was leaking or cracked.
• Because of the cracks, groundwater was seeping into the foul pipe — this is called infiltration.
• That extra groundwater was filling up the treatment plant unnecessarily, making it work too hard, possibly leading to overflows, high maintenance costs, or system failures.

Groundwater infiltration is a huge problem for treatment systems because:

• It overloads the system.
• It dilutes the sewage, making it harder to treat properly.
• It can cause premature equipment wear.
• It can even violate environmental discharge permits (depending on your setup).

• By lining the foul pipe, you’ve sealed off the cracks and joints where groundwater was entering.
• The new pipe within the old pipe is watertight.
• Now, only actual sewage flows through — no more unwanted groundwater.
• This keeps the treatment plant operating efficiently, reduces the volume it handles, and extends the life of the system.