FAQ's - Tanks & Treatment Plant

The BioDisc System forms a range of Sewage Treatment Plants that biologically treat household and light commercial wastewater using the unique Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) technology. The range covers from a single house up to a small community’s requirements.

Both the BioDisc & Airflow range of Treatment Plants use an aerobic digestion process to naturally treat sewage waste. Please see Back to Basics for more information.

In the UK, the Environment Agency, SEPA and Local Building Control Departments govern what system you can install to treat your sewage & wastewater. Cesspools & Septic Tanks often do not meet with local regulations as they offer little or no treatment for the pollutant waste.

A Treatment Plant such as the BioDisc still requires approval but is already the preferred option in many areas with local authorities and environmental agencies.

In the UK, any unit going into the ground may require ‘consent to discharge’ from the local Environment Agency / SEPA office, even if you are using just a storage tank. Planning permission is required from the local Building Control department (see Links).

This procedure and standards of what is permissible can vary between regions, so we advise you contact either our Sales Department or your local Area Sales Manager to discuss your options.

All new Wastewater treatment systems require planning permission. Adding a secondary treatment system (such as a Reed Bed) may also require planning permission. Klargester’s advice would be to check with your local planning authority.

A percolation test is a method of assessing how much water can drain away through your plot’s subsoil (a subsoil porosity test). It is performed by excavating a small area and monitoring the time taken for the water to drop in minutes per inch. We strongly advise that an experienced site evaluator carries out the test, but instructions can be downloaded at How to perform a Percolation Test

Every location has its own characteristics and hence there can be either many discharge options, or none at all. Popular options include soakaways, drainage ditches or discharging to streams, rivers & watercourses. Again, it is important to remember that what is judged acceptable to the authorities in one location can be turned down by another, so the first step is always to consult your local Regulatory Body.

Any Klargester foul-water product can be a DIY installation as full instructions are supplied with each unit. However, we do recommend you use one of our Certified Installers to carry out your works to ensure a hassle-free, expert job.

No – Surface water cannot enter a treatment plant and must be drained away separately.

Klargester does not recommend the discharged water be used for any purpose. The water exiting a treatment plant remains wastewater and should be disposed of as such.

The new European Standard for domestic sewage treatment plants

Every newly installed treatment plant can be used immediately but a time period is required for the biological process (that breaks down the sewage) to fully develop. This process can take up to 6-8 weeks (subject to unit model & ambient conditions).

Klargester offers a Post Installation Inspection service to ensure correct operation and for extra peace of mind.

If normal installation & operation procedures are followed any Klargester Treatment Plant should not emit unpleasant odours.

In 2005, BioDisc gained certification to European Performance Standards, the Testing Engineer’s official report stating ‘There was no nuisance caused by noise or smell from the plant’.

If normal installation & operation procedures are followed any Klargester Treatment Plant should not emit any unwanted noises.

In 2005, BioDisc gained certification to European Performance Standards, the Testing Engineer’s official report stating ‘There was no nuisance caused by noise or smell from the plant’.

With sewage treatment, water quality is defined by the level of three forms of pollutants that are present in the water exiting a treatment plant. The three pollutants are

1. BOD – Biological Oxygen Demand (a measure of the biological pollutant load)
2. SS – Suspended Solids (small particles of waste matter)
3. Ammonia – (Ammonia is the chemical that creates urine odour)

The better a treatment plant’s performance, the lower level of these pollutants, expressed in milligrams per litre – The BA BioDisc for example has been certified to deliver (in normal domestic situations) an effluent quality of 15mg/l BOD, 25mg/l SS and 15mg/l ammonia, expressed as 15:25:15.

These are exceptional high levels of quality, falling well within the common standards demanded by the environment agencies. It is important to bear in mind that discharged water from any plant is not suitable for consumption or washing but a sample will have a high level of visual clarity.

All Klargester Treatment Plants require an electrical supply and are extremely economical to run, often costing less than a 60watt lightbulb per day.

In 2005, the BA BioDisc gained certification to European Performance Standards, the Testing Engineer’s official report stating a mean power consumption of 1.3kWh/d (roughly 10 – 14 pence per day, depending on supplier).

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