EPA - Domestic Sewage Treatment - Maintenance Contract

rampantbunny

Hi all. Gathering documents for engineer sign-off on domestic build. What is the expectation/requirement re. sign-off on sewage treatment systems especially with regards maintenance contracts. I 'think' I heard there needs to be a 3 year contract in place but not sure.

Secondly, if there is a contract of this duration required, must it be with the original supplier of the system.

Metric Tensor

It's normally a condition of the planning permission that a maintenance contract is in place and paid in advance. Dig out your grant of planning permission or look it up on the council website and see what it says.

It does NOT need to be with the original system supplier. However it does have to be with an appropriately licensed contractor and I have heard of certain suppliers making it a condition of the warranty they provide with the system that you only use them to service it ... (whether that would fly in front of a judge if it came to it is debatable!)

rampantbunny

Metric Tensor wrote: »

It's normally a condition of the planning permission that a maintenance contract is in place and paid in advance. Dig out your grant of planning permission or look it up on the council website and see what it says.

It does NOT need to be with the original system supplier. However it does have to be with an appropriately licensed contractor and I have heard of certain suppliers making it a condition of the warranty they provide with the system that you only use them to service it ... (whether that would fly in front of a judge if it came to it is debatable!)

I thought I would find this on an EPA document or other published item but haven't so far.
But from the above, it sounds like a maintenance contract requirement is not a definitive period of time for every installation, but something that is per grant of planning permission, or is the gist of the above that it can differ per council?

I would be surprised (not the first time) if it is not a predefined figure.
I'll have a look at the planning conditions this evening.

The installers in my case supply a first year FOC, but thereafter it is €250 ex. VAT, not including the cost of replacement parts i.e. 250 for a visual inspection of the tank and control board. Sounds a bit steep IMO.

Metric Tensor

Yes. It's a planning condition. Just check your planning permission. If it's there it's there, if not great. Regardless of whether it's on the planning or not maintenance is essential and something the vast majority of people don't bother with.

What type of system is it? Most have to be desludged regularly. Also any other maintenance firm will probably have to buy parts from the manufacturer as many parts are proprietary.

rampantbunny

System is Oakstown BAF.

Checked out the planning docs and there is a condition related to waste water treatment and disposal. See attached screenshot.
Nothing about a maintenance contract, but there is a reference to the 2009 Code of Practice - Wastewater Treatment Systems for Single Houses
A quick word search through that, and although I've found references to maintenance, I couldn't find anything stipulating a maintenance contract period.

So, the system needs maintenance as required, but for sign-off I wouldn't be expected to have a maintenance contract in place then?

Metric Tensor

Sounds like you don't have to have anything with regards to maintenance for compliance with planning but that system needs to be desludged regularly so don't put it on the long finger.

It also has pumps, compressors, etc., that need to be maintained so for your own sake you need to stay on top of things.

rampantbunny

Metric Tensor wrote: »

...but that system needs to be desludged regularly

I might be reading something that is not there, but sounds like this system in particular needs regular desludging, versus ANOther domestic system that does not.
I've sent you a PM if you have time to answer. I'm aware that this is becoming a discussion on the merits of a particular system, so keeping charter in mind I think PM might be more appropriate.

Metric Tensor

PM never arrived rampantbunny. Feel free to send again.

Most/all treatment systems, including septic tanks, require desludging or media replacement on a regular basis.

The main reason I emphasised the "this" is that from the blurb on the manufacturer's website I see them advertising "longer times between desludging" and I wouldn't like this to make people think that's it's a rare occurrence! Annually would be the usual/correct desludging interval for most systems, including septic tanks - some more frequently.