February 2009

Since July 2008, compliance with BS EN 12566-3:2005 which covers small wastewater treatment systems for up to 50 persons, became a legal requirement in the UK. It relates to plants with tanks made of concrete, steel, PVC-U, polyethylene, polypropylene and glass reinforced polyester. Packaged solutions and/or site assembled wastewater treatment plants must all comply with the new standards of sewage treatment efficiency.

Alex Best who is Marketing Manager of WPL Limited, the wastewater solutions specialist, highlights the dangers of not complying with these European regulations and considers the implications for the industry.

"BS EN 12566-3 is the British version of the European-wide harmonised construction products standard which replaces all national standards. Since July 2008, only sewage treatment plants which have been type tested and approved to the new standard and CE marked should be marketed in this country and those involved in specifying and installing such equipment must ensure that it complies with the new requirements. Trading Standards enforce the regulations to ensure non-compliant treatment plants are not sold or installed.

It is, therefore, vital that all links in the supply chain understand their obligations under BS EN 12566-3, from architects and consultants to installers and merchants. All those involved in selecting wastewater treatment systems should specify or order compliant products or they may find that when it comes to installing the selected system it may not meet the full requirements of the standard. Such an error could disrupt a build schedule and prove costly in terms of reputation and contract delays - so there is a lot at stake for all parties.

Products that bear the CE Mark reassure the purchaser that the product meets all the essential requirements of relevant European Directives relating to health and safety. But what does CE accreditation mean when it comes to wastewater treatment systems? Independent tests are undertaken to assess the system’s sewage treatment efficiency and ensure it meets the required process performance standard. The levels of BOD5 (the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed in 5 days by biological processes), Suspended Solids and Ammonia NH4-N are all tested for a specified volume of incoming ‘standard’ effluent to determine the plant’s efficiency.

The WPL Diamond Sewage Treatment Plant, for example, has been verified as fully compliant by independent assessment through Lloyds Register of Quality Assurance (LRQA), and carries the CE mark.

The WPL Diamond offers self-builders, architects and specifiers a wastewater treatment solution that meets current regulations. The portfolio includes: the Diamond DMS range for 1-20 people, and the Diamond DMC range for 21-55 people. The Diamond is specifically designed for simple installation, high quality, odour free treatment, and low maintenance and running costs. Its simple design and robust construction ensure reliable operation, with no integral moving parts. In addition to its CE accreditation, the Diamond is fully compliant with UK Building Regulations and standard Environment Agency and SEPA specifications.

The CE effluent testing programme of WPL’s Diamond system was conducted over 38 weeks and the unit was, in fact, one of the first to be tested and to have its design and build successfully type tested. The Diamond’s sewage treatment efficiency is verified to ‘clean’ wastewater to a standard of 20mg/l Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and 30mg/l  Suspended Solids (SS) and 20mg Ammoniacal Nitrogen (AMM-N) on a 95 percentile basis. WPL has further demonstrated compliance by commissioning LRQA to undertake ongoing independent verification of its CE testing and approval process. This will ensure the highest quality levels are maintained. In addition, WPL’s ISO 9001 approved integrated management system guarantees repeatability of build quality."