Sewage Treatment Plant Regulations

Sewage Treatment Plant - new UK Standard

European Standard EN 12566-3 "Small wastewater treatment systems for up to 50 PE"

Sewage Treatment Plant manufacturers now have to send their units to the Continent to be tested and certified for both tank and process performance over a period of 38 weeks.  They come away with the EN 12566-3 2005+A1 2009 Certificate.  The old British Standard was the BS 6297 1983, but this is now superceeded for package underground plats.

Both the ClearfFlo and the BIOROCK have the EN 12566-3 and the CUBE is exempt as it is an above ground plant.  The Crystal ECO can still be used after a septic tank, as this part of the European Standard is only in preparation.

The EN 12566 currently consists of 7 parts. Some parts are still in preparation whilst others are finished and published for adoption as National Standards.  Part 3 below is now a British Standard and designated as BS EN 12566-3:2005+A1:2009.

EN 12566 parts are:

Part 1: Pre-fabricated septic tanks;

Part 2: Soil infiltration systems;

Part 3: Packaged and/or site assembled domestic wastewater treatment plants;

Part 4: Septic tanks assembled in situ from prefabricated kits. (in preparation);

Part 5: Pre-treated effluent filtration systems;

Part 6: Prefabricated treatment unit used for septic tank effluent (in preparation);

Part 7: Prefabricated tertiary treatment unit (in preparation);

The announcement was made in EU Directive 89/106/EEC for construction products.

Only sewage treatment plant previously certified and tested to BS EN 12566-3:2005 or newly certified to BS EN 12566-3:2005+A1:2009 (it has been ammended in 2009) are legal in the UK.