About MPCS

Septic Tank and Sewage Treatment Systems

Survey & Design

Supply Only

Full Install

Custom Scope

Our sewage treatment & drainage system surveying and installation team aims to help you sort your off mains drains project to the latest compliance levels with proper consideration of project and running costs.
 
We cover refurbishments, new sewage treatment systems, septic tanks, pumping stations, rainwater harvesting as well as general drainage work, mains connections and surface water management.
 
With nationwide coverage and a straightforward transparent approach to projects, we aim to understand your needs, assist in working out the best options for you to choose from as independent equipment suppliers and installers of waste water treatment plant.
 
An innovative approach combined with established suppliers gives you as much flexibility as possible in the process based on your specific circumstances, requirements and constraints, from systems for individual properties, to commercial specialist situations and communal sewage systems up to 250 population.
 
We are passionate about both doing the right thing for our customers as well as seeing improved sewage treatment benefit the environment we work and live in.

How to ensure your sewage system is compliant

If you are discharging to a watercourse, such as a river or a stream, you are required to use a sewage treatment plant (sometimes referred to as a package treatment plant). This uses aeration, mechanical & biological processes to treat the wastewater to minimum EU regulatory standards so that the final effluent does not pollute the watercourse.
 
Sites and applications which discharge to surface water have been given four options by the Environment Agency:
 

Sewage System Option 1: Upgrade

Upgrade / replace your existing septic tank with a sewage treatment plant, eliminating the need for any drainage field. The sewage treatment plant should be sized in accordance with the British Water flows and loads for the correct property type, number of people and size. Package treatment equipment must be CE marked and comply with the minimum effluent standard

s, a full list of Environment Agency approved, compliant equipment is hosted on the British Water website.
 

Sewage System Option 2: Review Drainage Field

Install a drainage field (“soakaway”) system. This allows the septic tank to discharge to the ground instead of the surface water. Do note that, in many cases, the installation of a drainage field is not possible due to site constraints such as space and/or the soil not having sufficient soakaway potential such clay soil. A percolation test and trial site assessment holes also be undertaken to measure the ground’s drainage characteristics.

Sewage System Option 3: Connect to Mains

Connect to the main sewer. Your local water company can confirm if a connection to the mains sewer is an option, however, this is unavailable in a lot of remote areas hence the reason a septic tank was required in the first instance.

Sewage System Option 4: Repair & Resolve

Undertake remedial work to address any system deficiencies, for example leakages or treatment process failures, that are causing non-compliant discharge to the watercourse from a system that should theoretically be compliant. Effluent measurement may be required by way of evidence that effective treatment has been reinstated.
 
The options need to be undertaken in conjunction with correct application of Buildings Control, Planning and other relevant authorities, neighbours and other third parties that may be involved. The MPC team will be able to assist in getting written confirmation from the relevant authorities prior to expenditure as well as help you with the cost benefits of each route.

Help us help you save money! While there is nothing like meeting in person and inspecting a sewage treatment system first-hand, in many cases this being essential, there is a lot that can be achieved with modern technology: the benefits of an initial remote-survey for your site using Face Time or Whats-app will allow us to give you a good idea as to your options at an early stage in your project without the expense or risks associated with our surveyors travelling. We do genuinely pass this saving on to you and it allows us to be more responsive in providing you with the reports you.

Our experienced surveyors have been walking customers through basic checks remotely while the COVID-19 situation was developing, and while we are back to ‘normal’ we have seen benefits for customers from remote surveys that we are committed to continue to develop. At the very least, an initial remote survey ensures that any in-person visit is effective, to the point and properly planned as the basics will have been covered and reviewed by the team in advance.

Are you paying too much for frequent emptying of your sewage system? Is your sewage system the source of unpleasant odour or irritating noises?

Useful third party guidance on Sewage and Septic Tank Systems

Third party guidance regarding septic tank, sewage treatment, buildings control regulations and requirements:
 

Maintenance of sewage treatment systems

In order to keep your sewage treatment system fully functioning and operating within Environmental standards it is essential that your unit is regularly serviced in line with manufacturers guidelines to ensure it continues to deal with waste in a clean and efficient manner. Our experienced and qualified engineers carry out sewage treatment plant servicing, repairs and upgrades. We have over 20 years of experience in the wastewater industry and more than 1500 happy service contract customers to date, along with thousands of non-contract customers.
 
It is important to remove built-up sludge from your sewer tank before it reaches its maximum capacity. Removal of sludge must be undertaken by a registered waste carrier. If there is cracking or other damage to your system, this needs to be repaired to prevent discharge of untreated waste from the treatment system.
 

Source protection zones & other restrictions

You must apply for a permit if you want to begin a new discharge to a surface water in or within 500m of a designated sensitive area. A sensitive area includes special conservation sites, designated bathing water, protected shellfish water or special protection areas. You also need a permit if the discharge is within 200m of an aquatic local nature reserve, or within 50m of a chalk river or aquatic local wildlife site. You must contact the Environment Agency or use our Sewage System Checker to check if you are in or near a designated sensitive area. 
 

Partial drainage fields

A partial drainage field is a system for discharging to water, which allows effluent to drain into the ground when levels in the watercourse are low, and into the watercourse when groundwater levels are high. A partial drainage field can only be used with a small sewage treatment plant and must be within 10m of the edge of the watercourse.
 

Sewage Treatment System Project Guide

Are you thinking about buying a countryside property with a possibly non-compliant septic tank or perhaps looking to upgrade your existing sewage system tank to a modern quiet, energy efficinet, low odour systems?
 
With increasing regulations about water quality, and ever more people looking to move to off-mains drainage properties in the countryside the MPC team are here to support you and our sewage system Quick Quote is the ideal way to quickly get a clear idea of the options available.
 
Having a quick quote can help you even before you commit to a property so that you can plan and budget for any work that might be needed and even help with a smooth transaciton.
 
Sewage treatment plants are used where access to mains drainage is not available. A sewage treatment plant receives all the waste water from the property and provides an environment for aerobic micro-organisms to feed upon and degrade the pollutants within the waste. This process produces a treated effluent which is clear and odourless. In most cases the level of treatment will allow the treated effluent to be discharged into a ditch, stream or river. Where a watercourse is not available then a drainage field is constructed. How your final effluent can be discharged, though are strongly dictated by the local environment and ground condition tests.
 
The MPC Install team will work with you to determine and implement the right solution for you which meets the regulatory requirements
 
A sewage treatment plant installation whether it is replacing an existing system or installing new one requires careful planning. Our MPC Install Team are here to support your sewage treatment project in line with all the latest regulations.
 
A typical package treatment plant installation project starts with understanding your requirements, taking into account your site, the local and national regulations so that you can consider the full range of alternatives that may be available to you. Our MPC Install Team is experienced in dealing with the various relevant agencies and authorities around the country to ensure that you end up with a fully compliant effluent treatment system that has been signed off to the right standards for effluent discharge, Buildings Control regulations and all the various planning matters that can arise.
 
We aim to provide helpful, independent guidance and follow this through with implementation of the parts of the sewage treatment installation project that you would expect from a specialist to deliver for you. As independent installers we can provide you with a quote for a variety of sewage treatment plants that have different advantages to suit your budget. All of the sewage treatment plants we install met regulatory standards.
 
From the beginning you will have an understanding of the impact of the installation project will have and how it will unfold from access into your garden, the types of machinery we will need to use, how and where we will dig and the disruption there inevitably will be to gardens, lawns, paving, roadways etc. We will always work in a way to help minimise disruption and discuss with you how much ‘making good’ you want done once the sewage treatment plant is in the ground.
 
We also understand that you may have skilled labourers, groundworkers and plant on site for other purposes already and so we can specify what your team will need to do, as well as supervise if necessary should you wish to do the install yourselves.
 
We like to be able to stand by our project work over the long term, and as part of this we will make sure you are fully covered by the various warranties that both we and the treatment plant manufacturers provide. Servicing and de-sludging offerings are an important part of the smooth ongoing running of your system and so we will make sure that you have the right commissioning documentation as well as recommended servicing and tank emptying schedules.
 
From determining what you are looking to achieve through to delivering you the right system installed in a compliant fashion in line with all the latest regulations, the MPC Install team are here to support your sewage treatment project.
 
In summary, we aim to provide you with informed options and alternatives which we will then look to deliver for you to meet your expectations, giving you the right treatment package for your long term needs
 

Pumping Station Projects

A pump station is used to overcome gravity and distance issues. The pump station is typically a tank below the ground which receives waste water which is then pumped to another location. This location could be to mains sewer or to/from a sewage treatment plant to a discharge point. A control panel will be positioned above the ground and maintenance access to the pump station will be via a secured removable lid/cover. The size and design of your pump station will be driven by usage and site conditions.
 
A well specified, well installed and properly serviced pumping station will give you many years of good service. At MPC we work closely with pump manufacturers to build the right pump stations to meet your specific needs, following this through with the right installation, testing and commissioning to make sure that your system is performing to specification.
 
Our MPC Install Team is experienced in dealing with the various relevant agencies and authorities around the country including Building Control, Highways and Water Companies to ensure that you end up with a fully compliant pumping station.
 
Additionally we have developed a range of systems and processes particularly relating to monitoring the ongoing performance that not only give you peace of mind but also minimise your ongoing running costs associated with electrical bills, maintenance and unplanned downtime.
 
Whether it be a stand alone pumping station or part of a wider system, the MPC Installs team will make sure that your overall requirements are understood and make sure that you have a full understanding of the wide range of alternatives that are available.
 

Septic Tank Projects

While the installation of new septic tank systems is on the decline due to increases in the regulatory requirements of discharging waste, our MPC Install team regularly review septic tank projects.
Including:
• assessing the condition of existing equipment
• combining a septic tank with additional process equipment downstream in order to provide a compliant off mains drains sewage treatment system.
 
A septic tank receives waste water from the property, the solids fall to the bottom of the tank where the natural bacteria in the waste eventually breaks down the sludge. The effluent is discharged through perforated pipes into the ground formerly known as a soakaway.  As the effluent is not treated it cannot be discharged into a watercourse, to do this you would need to install a sewage treatment plant.
 
Septic tanks need to be emptied on a regular basis.  Soakaways can get blocked and smells emitting from pipes, the tank as well as the changes in regulations around discharging to a watercourse have all contributed to people replacing septic tanks with cleaner and the more efficient sewage treatment plants.
 
Condition reports on existing septic tank systems are typically the starting point when it comes to assessing your alternatives, as well as being an important part of the process when buying or selling a property that is not on the mains drainage system. Our teams, along with CCTV, tankering and jetting will isolate and clean out your tank to allow a full internal inspection to be done. The subsequent report can be used either to confirm a starting point for more comprehensive sewage treatment system project or simply as evidence of compliance.
 
With ever increasing regulations and the historical popularity of septic tank systems, there are a wide range of approaches to this type of project and the MPC Installs team work with a range of manufacturers of process equipment to make sure that we can offer you well thought through alternatives that meet the specific needs of your situation.
 

Rainwater Harvesting Projects

Rainwater harvesting systems allow for the recycling of rainwater for use around the property and/or grounds and depending on the type of system you select can be used for:
  • Toilet flushing
  • Watering the graden
  • Domestic laundry
  • Washing vehicles
  • Irrigation systems
 
Both environmental and economic considerations mean that rainwater harvesting systems are proving more and more attractive, not only saving money but also reducing on CO2 emissions associated with water treatment. It has been shown that more than half of water usage in a typical family home can be replaced by rainwater leading to significant savings that justify a rainwater harvesting system project in their own right, particularly when the re-sale value of a property is also taken into account.
 
Our MPC Install team will work with you to understand your priorities and determine the types, capacities and configuration of system that are best suited for what you are trying to achieve and that meet the practicalities of your local circumstances. We are used to working alongside third party designers, builders and other tradespeople or managing a project in its entirety based on the preference of our customers as it is often the case that local plumber for example is familiar with the property being worked on.
 
As with our waste water treatment installations, the MPC team not only have a specialist understanding of the suitability of different types and brands of rainwater harvesting equipment but also are regularly in touch with manufacturers directly to ensure that any project specific requirements relating the the equipment and its installation are met. The team is familiar with managing Buildings Control and associated compliance matters on your behalf as a key part of a project should you choose.
 

Drainage System and Mains Connection Projects

A good understanding of surface water management, the issues that can be faced and the options that are possible underpins all MPC off mains drains project work.
 
Starting any drainage related project typically begins with an assessment of the existing infrastructure, dye testing, CCTV surveys and making the most of any existing drainage plans and maps allows the team to deliver a drainage plan and set of alternatives based on what you are looking to achieve with your project or the challenges that you are facing.
 
Typical drainage projects range from ensuring that surface and foul water are correctly managed, preventing your packaged treatment plant from being unnecessarily overwhelmed during storms, through to connecting to mains drains and all the associated paperwork and processes, particularly relevant when it comes to dealing with the Highways agency and your local municipal water company.
 
The equipment involved with a typical drainage system project are more straightforward than for example a packaged sewage treatment plant installation, however as experienced specialists, our understanding of this type of groundworks, pipework and the associated project administration mean that you can choose to have the peace of mind associated with the MPC approach and the results this brings for you.