Making a change to your private sewage registration
This guidance tells you what to do when you want to make a change to your existing registration for a discharge from a private sewage treatment system.
When you don't need to apply to SEPA to change your registration
You do not need to make a change to your registration or apply to us if:
- You are adding extra rooms or toilets to your domestic property.
- You are improving your treatment of sewage. This includes replacing a septic tank with a package treatment plant.
- You are replacing your treatment system, but it provides the same level of treatment as the current system.
If you are changing the name or address of a property specified in the registration you don’t need to apply to change your registration, but you should contact our Registry Team and we will update our records.
When you do need to apply to SEPA to change your registration
If you wish to make one of the following changes, you will need to surrender your registration and apply for a new registration:
- Adding a property. However if the total number of domestic properties exceeds 10 then a permit application is required.
- Increasing the population equivalent (p.e.). However if the p.e. exceeds 50 then a permit application is required.
- Moving the outfall location (National Grid Reference).
- Changing where the discharge is to e.g. from a soakaway to a watercourse etc.
If you want to reduce the level of treatment, for example replacing a package treatment plant with a septic tank, please contact water permitting.
If a property or properties are no longer discharging into your sewage treatment system, you will need to apply for a partial surrender to remove the properties from the registration.
To apply to surrender an existing registration that authorises this activity complete:
Submit your completed form by email to our Registry team.
You can find out how to apply for a new registration by reading our Septic tanks and private sewage treatment system guidance.
If you have any queries or if you wish to make a change in relation to a permit to discharge sewage, contact water permitting to discuss with us.