29 September 2025

Help and support for septic tanks across Windermere

There is a lot of discussion on how best to support properties across the Windermere catchment that use package treatment plants, septic tanks or cesspools to dispose of their wastewater, especially where drainage may also be contributing to pollution of the local environment.

The partners in Love Windermere are actively working on and delivering a range of solutions to tackle this issue, which includes promoting where connecting to the mains sewer may be an effective solution, as well as providing other advice and options where this may not be suitable, for a number of reasons.

 What’s the issue?

Alongside the nine operational wastewater treatment works operated by United Utilities, the Windermere catchment includes:

• 98 privately operated permitted sewage treatment facilities
• An estimated 1,800 privately operated septic tanks that operate under the General Binding Rules.

You can find out more about those binding rules here: 👉General binding rules: small sewage discharge to the ground – GOV.UK

The Love Windermere Partnership is developing and delivering projects that tackle all sources of pollution.

What help is already available

Through our sewage workstream, Love Windermere partners are working together to focus efforts to improve the treatment and management of non-mains sewage.  We are doing this through a number of projects, including:

• STEP Programme – Help and advice for private sewage treatment:  South Cumbria Rivers Trust is offering free advice and guidance to help septic tanks owners service and better maintain their existing wastewater disposal facilities.  This is funded through the Water Restoration Fund.  Read more 👉 New Project Tackles Septic Pollution in Windermere – Love Windermere

• Promoting connection to the mains sewer system: United Utilities has been running targeted pilots in:
  • Skelwith Bridge
  • Ambleside
  • Tower Wood

Due to a lack of applications in Ambleside, the pilots have continued to focus on first time sewerage schemes for Skelwith Bridge and Tower Wood, and now also includes the community of Troutbeck, who have come together to express an interest. These pilots promote the First Time Sewage application process and offer incentives to households and businesses to see if they are interested in moving forward with an application. 👉Explore more: First Time Sewerage Windermere Catchment Pilot Scheme Factsheet | United Utilities).

• Innovative Upgrades for Existing Systems: Operators of private sewage treatment can explore taking their existing septic systems to the next level of treatment standard by working with United Utilities to access innovative technologies to their existing systems.

Looking Ahead

You can find out much more about existing projects and more work to come in the launch of Love Windermere’s action plan, which is coming soon.