Circular 008/2018 - Private Sewerage

Publication of Circular 008/2018 – Planning requirement in respect of the use of private sewerage in new development, incorporating septic tanks and small sewage treatment plants

Today a new Circular has been published in order to provide updated guidance to planning authorities and developers on the management of private sewerage as part of new developments. This Circular supersedes advice contained in Circular 10/99 – Planning Requirement in respect of the Use of Non-Mains Sewerage incorporating Septic Tanks in New Development.

The purpose of updating Circular 10/99 is to ensure national planning guidance is reflective of current legislative and wider requirements with regards to private sewerage schemes as part of new developments having regard to the previous Circular being published in 1999. The key changes include:

• Reflecting the current position on bodies that provide advice on matters relating to private sewerage in Wales;
• Updating references to legislation in this subject area, including the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. These Regulations require an environmental permit to be obtained from Natural Resources Wales for developments which discharge treated sewage effluent over certain thresholds and the need for records to be kept for 5 years on the maintenance of treatment systems for private sewerage provided as part of new developments; and
• Providing clarity on the types of treatments available for private sewerage, including on the use of package plant treatments and cesspools.

Click here to view the circular