Current certification to the EPA Code of Practice & European Standard EN12566-3 offers no protection to homeowners in the event there system causes pollution.
EPA 2009 Code of Practice
The Environmental Protection Agency 2009 Code of Practice document provides guidance on the design, operation and maintenance of on-site wastewater treatment systems for single houses. Most planning authorities currently require that the septic tank or wastewater treatment systems must be designed, installed and certified to the per EPA 2009 code of practice. However the EPA 2009 code of practice disclaims any responsibility for any treatment system or polishing filter designed and installed to this code of practice. This means that if any problems should arise the homeowner is responsible and also liability under the Water Services Act.
EPA Disclaimer
“Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the author(s) accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full, as a consequence of any person acting, or refraining from acting, as a result of a matter contained in this publication.”
European Standard EN12566
EN12566-3 is a European standard for wastewater treatment systems. Each wastewater treatment system undergoes 38 weeks of testing and gets a treatment efficiency rating on completion.
However this European Standard provides no guarantee of performance and no protection to the homeowner.
