Existing tanks If you are buying a property which has an existing tank, check with the Mairie that it conforms with to the 2005 regulations and ask for a certificate of conformity. Generally speaking systems installed before 1998 are now obsolete, it is often better to bypass the old system and replace it with a new tank and drainage. When decommissioning an old tank you should have it emptied and filled with sand. Installation Requirements You need a garden free of trees and shrubs approximately; 150 m² for a septic tank and sand filter. 250 m² for a tank and gravel drains. 15m² for an Eparco compact system. The type of system you require is determined by how many bedrooms the property will have after renovation, size of living area, the land available and soil type. In all but one department in Brittany (Côte d'Armor) you will be required by law to have a soil test carried out before permission is given for the installation. The soil test report includes a plan of the proposed position of the tank and filter. It is therefore important to have informed the soil test company of any ground works you wish to do before they start, for example driveways, swimming pools etc. We can organise soil test for you or put you in touch with good local soil test companies. The following information is needed for soil tests and quotes; 1. Plan Cadestral with land boundaries, plot number and scale mark 2. Number of bedrooms after renovation 3. Plan of car parking, driveways etc if it not already evident 4. Is there a well, if so will you be using the water? Local Authority approval is required before installation. Profosse can apply for this for you at no extra cost. Warning Estate agents do not always point out to prospective purchasers the costs involved in upgrading a septic tank system to meet the new regulation. If the existing system does not conform “pas aux normes” as opposed to “aux normes” it is advisable to calculate the cost of a new system before agreeing to buy the house, as in certain circumstances it can be expensive. There are a few houses which will never be granted permission for a filter system due to lack of land, or in rare cases in Finistere where there is no ditch for the reject water. In these cases the only option is to have a holding tank, these need emptying regularly and are therefore extremely expensive and devalue the house.