Sceptic Tank

This should be directed to the owners not the renters..... And the owner should be paying ....As with non payers of fees the committee can lodge and attach a lien on the non paying owners property for any unpaid fees and costs.....  This will need to be paid before any sale of the property can be processed..

I would be taking this to the commitee for approval and engage a lawyer whose costs  along with court costs can also be attached to the non paying owners property... Effectively it's an encumbrance on the property that will.impact on the owners at some stage....

I can't understand why any owner would not contribute to an essential.service .. as without effective sewerage the property becomes unsafe uninhabitable thus can't be lived in can't be sold can't be rented out...

Hi, on the subject of sewerage we just saw a blog where the presenter stated that no toilet paper is permitted to be flushed and it needs to be placed in a bin. Is this true everywhere? What about properties with septic tanks? Does the dirty paper need to be disposed of in a special place or does it go in the normal refuse?

Are there any other surprises?

Thanks

Marguerite

It's common all.over the island ..but not everyone abides by it.. You need to be sure of the sewage systems of your intended living space. For example where we are ..on a complex.. it's common to have joint septic tank arrangements and toilet tissues baby wipes are common findings in blocked pipes leading to flushing issues ... We do use bins all the time ..it's not an issue for us but then we've done that for 15 years in two med countries.. it's no biggy .. more of a mindset thing ..

But if you decide to do flush tisssues then there is the possibility of a charge to clear your pipes..a decision only you can make.... But you could use a biodegradable tissues that dissolves but there's is a cost to that too .

We use a scented bag  tied and secure and then deposit the waste in the normal green  bins

We do too, Toon!   

As you say, some folk are horrified by the idea of toilet paper and wet wipes not going down into the loo, but we too have been used to putting loo paper in the bin for over 12 years, so we are used to it.   I have bought those stick-on signs to tell visitors to do this.

(Or, in some countries special toilet paper that disintegrates rapidly can be bought to use for this purpose - as we did when we lived in France.).

A local tavern has had to pay lots of money during “the season” to have his pipes flushed through several times each summer, due to tourists who ignore his very urgent wall comments and think that it doesn’t matter - but it truly does!   Taverns tend to be old.

Apparently, if you live on a very modern development, these have had larger pipes installed and it doesn’t matter if toilet paper etc gets put down the loo.

@WestCoastLives correct just another thing tourists and new arrivals usually don't consider... Despite wanting to support local businesses they forget about this unseen and expensive cost for a specialist to clear the pipes that there are clear warnings about.. must be delicate souls....in addition to paying by card whencash is a better option of support. Most cards levy a charge to the business for their use... Yes I know that all businesses here must by law now offer payment by card...

Think about this little anecdote.....

Give you something to think about.

Why should we pay cash everywhere with banknotes instead of a card ?

If I have a €50 banknote in my pocket. Going to a restaurant and paying for dinner with it. The restaurant owner then uses the note to pay for the laundry. The laundry owner then uses the note to pay the barber. The barber will then use the note for shopping. After an unlimited number of payments, it will still remain a €50, which has fulfilled its purpose to everyone who used it for payment and the bank has jumped dry from every cash payment transaction made..

- But if I come to a restaurant and pay degitally by card... bank fees for my payment transaction get charged to the seller at upto 3%, so around €1.50 and so will the fee €1.50 for each further payment transaction or owner re laundry or payments of the owner of the laundry shop, or payments of the barber etc..... Therefore, after 30 transactions, the initial €50 will remain only €5 and the remaining €45 became the property of the bank thanks to all digital transactions and fees.

👍😉👊

Food for thought!

Sorry but may I ask what company you are using or they know of that will change/update your Septic Tank as we are also look for quotes to replace ours.

Thanks

Mr Williams.

@Tony10000 Not interested in a thread.  A septic tank, even 50 year sold  consisted of consisted of 3 separate interlinked tanks, with a final seep away - if you are lucky.  What is there to update[?- empty all of the tanks and you are back to square one! Cost in my area is about €90. The problem is that about 15-20 years go the authorities decided to do onto a mains sewerage system. Some areas (villages) decided charge for the new system - 20 years before it was implemented. Lots of protests. However the plan is for all villages to be connected to a main sewage system  - might take another 50 years!!!. If/ when your local authority decides to connect to a mains system - which does  not yet exist, then house holders will be financially liable to connect their house to the mains.  They will also  have to empty the old septic tanks and backfill with rubble/gravel, and ensure that the old tanks are sealed. So then empty your existing septic tanks, and check that they are efficient - The sewage man will let you know (a pint of Keo works very well).    I have not touched my tanks for 35 years and have no smells and no liquid visible in the 3 tanks. Should the authorities decide to connect your house to their NEW mains then if you have a choice choose the one down hill as the occupier is responsible for the sewage pump to the higher level. 

Pheww glad to have got that one off my chest!

I guess it depends on how much use the tanks get.... for example on medium to large size  complexes not on mains sewage schemes then they can probably deteriorate quickly through serious corrosion ..average lifespan for those may be 15 -20 yrs if lucky ..

@fhaggerty  Great if O thanks for that. Are there any companies that you know who can make adjustments/repairs to tanks. We have problems with items (sanitary towels , wet wipes etc) being flushed down and clogging to pump. We have been told to digout another chamber just before entry to existing tank to filter out all of the rubbish.

Plus also we have one of the chambers which is sinking. I don't know if we should look for a Septic tank engineer or a good builder. If anyone knows of companies who can do this work please let us know.

Hey a thread would be good !!!!

Our complex has had to do some work along the lines you have referred to I will find out who we used

We have 3 people involved....

Our PMC staff chemically treat the soak away... we then use a visiting engineering company to do servicing and emptying. We have a technician who calls and checks periodically. We also have a remote alarm system in place that indicates when there is a problem with performance ..Our PMC staff transfer from one soakaway to another using a submersible pump as there are problems with the first one not being big enough to cope with the present usage.. it's a big problem with nappies and wipes and washing powders if they are not bio degradable ones I think we are to install a further soakaway .. 

This is an ongoing problem on our complex and no amount of emails letters notices and signs have  an impact on owners or their tenants and holidaymakers

Maybe a catch box can be installed on the inlet

@alanroby

Hi do you mind saying who you ate getting to replace your Tanks ?

@Tony10000

Hi this is what I also need to find out from others as we need to compare prices to the existing company. (The 3x Quotes Rule which we all should stick to )

I wouldn't like to reccomend/mention our contractor as i haven't been involved in our problems until now, so until I see his workmanship etc I can't comment.  Sorry.

@Toon

It would be much appreciated thanks.