To feel panicked about this in a holiday cottage we have arrived at?!

[Ubghren]

Arrived at a holiday cottage this morning and there was a large sign saying septic tank so be careful with only flushing loo roll.

I know nothing about these apart from once reading that they can allow dirty water into the bath/shower facilities or into drinking water. Is this remotely possible due to a tank like this? I am so stressed and been worrying all day as have young dc.

Septic tank is literally a pit in the ground directly under the loo. No other plumbing around. All that shite goes into the ground, never to be seen again.

It's really not. No septic tank will be right under the house.

Umm no.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septic_tank

You are thinking of a cess pit - a totally different thing!

I can't comment on sewage systems but maybe the OP would also prefer NOT to holiday in French gîtes?

I remember a great time we had in the Lot-et-Garonne, with lots of little saucers filled with colourful nibbly bits dotted around our half timbered barn accommodation. Luckily we worked out they were rat poison. 😀

If you’re planning on spending 20 years eating dangerously out of date meat, flushing your rubbish and waste down the loo, then attempting to push a small child down there, then it might back up.
otherwise you’ll probably be ok.

They’re far more common in rural areas so I’m guessing your cottage is quite remote. Ours is fine - just remember no bleach down the sink or loo. I presume the owners have left out Ecover or similar for washing up/washing machine. They do work as long as treated well, serviced now and then and left to natural devices.

Agree. We have a septic tank and ask guests to only flush toilet roll. It’s so nothing gets blocked but also so it all breaks down easily.

I’m sure I’ve read this on here before…

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4771999-septic-tank-water-safe-for-baby-posting-here-for-traffic?reply=124952789

either you’re repeat posting with a name change, or there’s two of you who believe this…

We have a septic tank and with recent years of heavy rain it does occasionally back up and the drains get a bit blocked in wet winters. I still cannot imagine how it could get all the way back up a vertical pipe and into your bath etc!. It would in the worst case just overflow the ground level drains - same as any other drainage system.

It could never get into your shower water or tap water - they are separate feeds.

But while I was googling solutions - it seems this is not completely uncommon in parts of the USA. They apparently have areas which flood heavily from time to time - and the chats talked about it backing up into your bath via the drain plug. Presumably just in bungalows? So yes it can happen - but the chats suggested it was 'normal' and 'expected' and maybe in darkest rural America they have no choice.

I've never heard of it happening here except that when places flood - as they seem to more and more - we may have to start expecting more issues with septic tanks - and also with mains drains? But not this week - you'll be fine.

By saying that from experience it would only ever back up into the toilet and nowhere else 🤔

sorry for trying to add some light heartedness 🙄