Me too it was advised. When I was 'inspected' the lady said it shouldn't really be needed in a 'well working' tank. She did though agree it was a good idea to bung some down the ones for my gites during winter when, for most of the time they are not in use. Just to keep things ticking over.
Yes, Eparcyl is one Septifos is another. You can get 'weekly sachets' or a 6 month 'dose'.
Out in hot places like say, Cyprus . If a tank is not functioning they stick something like a dead rabbit in the tank, to 'get things going'.
Most of the Brits round here are in the same category! :<)
The original plumber told me to use the powder- some sort of magic enzymes which eat everything up apparently! Got to use it monthly at least. The process depends on regular use and there can be problems in with intermittent holiday home usage I was told. The whole thing worked well until the tenant put his dog's rope round the pipe, dog tore it off the wall and there was s**t down the side of the house for a while. Powder name is Eparcyl I think.
David. Why powder? What powder? I've seen stuff advertised & being sold in the local supermarket but never used it on the basis that a good septic tank should look after itself. Everything seemed OK on the inspection last year. My 3m3 installation is 7 years old & probably now due for emptying but the drain still runs clear so I'm figuring it's alright.
I think you've hit the nail on the head, Nick ;-)
I will ask about a grant, but second home...
Some people say that the word from the authorities, in secret, is ignore. There isn't enough money or political will to harass people about these fosses and that it will be a problem only for sellers and new buyers. Most locals are in their 70s and 80s
I suspect it varies from commune to commune. I installed a fosse in my cottage about 38 years ago and it still seems to be working. That cottage is now let and the only problem is that the tenant doesn't put the powder down regularly. He's always after me for repairs and improvments, but that's another story. The test was done about 8 years ago and it didn't comply but we knew that. To put a fosse in will be very difficult as there is not enough land. So I'm just leaving well alone and my guess is that little will happen.
Ours was checked a couple of years ago and was found to be just about satisfactory. General concensus seems to be 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. So long as it drains into your own land and doesn't produce nasty pongs you should be OK.
Other good advice is leave it alone and, if you come to sell, make any interested buyer aware that the fosse needs replacing, the cost will be about ???? euro and that you're willing to either do the job before they buy or knock that amount off the purchase price.
there's not a lot left in the pot and the rules change each year as to who qualifies, Michael, but yes it's worth asking - contact your local spanc ;-)
Nick, your local water and sewerage company normally give grants towards replacing a fosse.
Nick,
You can`t have a micro station fosse in a second home if it is one requiring electricity due to the risk of power cuts when absent. The drainage authority have to be approached for their approval before you start work.
As said on other posts there are new compact systems for situations where land area is limited.
I have an EPARCO system - cost 9000 Euros.
That’s good old France for you, a department charges for inspection, in another it’s no cost. No charge when mine was inspected.
It was new in 2005, but was told it didn’t have the ‘required ventilation’ . I questioned as to why it got passed when the Mairie inspected it . That was met with a shrug, as was me asking what happens if I don’t do anything.
Eventually the lady did explain that the commune ‘air quality’ is being ‘monitored’ and if the quality is good then the Mairie gets some sort of grant for the commune. If its bad and they can identify ‘reasons’ like a tank not being vented, well they’ll insist on it being bought ‘up to date’ . My elderly neighbours all have out of date tanks, self-emptied every 2 months or so… On to their potato patch! Theirs were inspected and condemned, they are just carrying on and ignoring things. Next inspection for us is 2015… We shall see.
Nick,
You might be in the ****? Sorry - couldn't resist that one!
Yes I think I will go see the Maire. He's in a bit of a bad mood tho as everyone is blaming him for these E110 inspection bills for a job that takes ten minutes.
If you're lucky nothing will happen.
We've had three places where the fosses didn't meet the normes. Technically we had a year in each case to put things right. We sold twice having done nothing, both buyers being fully aware of the problem. We currently have a non conforme fosse but have an agreement with our maire, we will replace it but only once we've got the relevant subventions (a long story but the subventions rules changed between negotiating and signing)!
PS if the village's station d'épuration doen't conforme then the spanc will force them to do something long before they come knocking at your door ;-)
The local village is essentially emptying their cess pit into the river.
What I still wonder is what happens if we dont do the work? Some say that nothing will happen, our problem will be if we sell. Which as M Hollande has made that economically impossible will not happen.
not the easiest project! You too can empty straight into the river once it's been through a micro station ;-)
We have the room for the fosse, the old concrete one is quite large, what we dont have is any level ground large enough for the run off. Plus we will need tanks for the grey water and pumps and pipes to take that water back up the hill to the fosse.
Its all very annoying when you consider the local village empties its communal fosse into the river. And they say WE are a health hazard out in the middle of nowhere!
if you've got the room for a standard fosse toutes eau et reseau d'épandage then you should be looking at around to 5k€ all done. a micro station will cost that to buy plus the cost of having the old one removed/filled in and the micro installed. There are grants and the rules change each year - ask your local spanc ;-)
Well its so old the last person to use it before we bought the ruined house 11 years ago was probably wearing a German uniform
Its just a concrete box basically, the grey kitchen water meanwhile goes down a pipe and into the bushes!
No grant for us I dont think, its a second home :-(
Yes we will have to start getting estimates and hope that in 4 years time we win the lottery!
N