Regulation 4(1)
1. The requirements to be satisfied in relation to a slurry storage system are as follows.
2. The base of the slurry storage tank, the base and walls of any effluent tank, channels and reception pit, and the walls of any pipes, must be impermeable.
3. The base and walls of the slurry storage tank, any effluent tank, channels and reception pit, and the walls of any pipes, must be protected against corrosion in accordance with paragraph 7 of the code of practice on buildings and structures for agriculture published by the British Standards Institution and numbered BS 5502: Part 50: 1993(1).
4. The base and walls of the slurry storage tank and of any reception pit must be capable of withstanding characteristic loads calculated on the assumptions and in the manner indicated by paragraph 5 of the code of practice on buildings and structures for agriculture published by the British Standards Institution and numbered BS 5502: Part 50: 1993.
5.—(1) Any facilities used for the temporary storage of slurry before it is transferred to a slurry storage tank must have adequate capacity to store—
(a)the maximum quantity of slurry that (disregarding any slurry which will be transferred directly into a slurry storage tank) is likely to be produced on the premises in any two day period; or
(b)a lesser capacity that the Environment Agency agrees in writing is adequate to avoid any significant risk of pollution of controlled waters.
(2) Where slurry flows into a channel before discharging into a reception pit and the flow of slurry out of the channel is controlled by means of a sluice, the capacity of the reception pit must be adequate to hold the maximum quantity of slurry that can be released by opening the sluice.
6.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the slurry storage tank must have adequate storage capacity for the likely quantities of slurry produced from time to time on the premises in question, taking into account—
(a)the proposed method of utilising the slurry, and the likely rates and times of utilisation; and
(b)the matters mentioned in sub-paragraph (3).
(2) If it is proposed to utilise the slurry on the premises by spreading it on the land, the tank need not have a greater storage capacity than is adequate, taking into account the matters mentioned in sub-paragraph (3), to hold the maximum quantity of slurry likely to be produced in any four month period.
(3) The matters to be taken into account for sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) are—
(a)the storage capacity of any other slurry storage tank on the premises;
(b)the likely quantities of rainfall (including snow, hail or sleet) that may fall or drain into the slurry storage tank during the likely maximum storage period; and
(c)the need to provide at least 750 millimetres of freeboard in the case of a tank with walls made of earth and 300 millimetres of freeboard in all other cases.
7. No part of the slurry storage tank or any effluent tank, channels or reception pit may be situated within 10 metres of any inland freshwaters or coastal waters into which slurry could enter if it were to escape unless precautions are taken that the Environment Agency agrees in writing are adequate to avoid any significant risk of pollution of controlled waters.
8. The slurry storage tank and any effluent tank, channels, pipes and reception pit must be designed and constructed so that with proper maintenance they are likely to continue to satisfy the requirements of paragraphs 2 to 4 for at least 20 years.
9. If the walls of the slurry storage tank are not impermeable, the base of the tank must—
(a)extend beyond the walls;
(b)be provided with channels designed and constructed so as to collect any slurry that escapes from the tank;
(c)have adequate provision for the drainage of the slurry from those channels to an effluent tank through a channel or pipe.
10.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), if the slurry storage tank or any effluent tank or reception pit is fitted with a drainage pipe there must be two valves in series on the pipe with each valve separated from the other by a minimum distance of 1 metre.
(2) Each valve must be capable of shutting off the flow of slurry through the pipe and must be kept shut and locked in that position when not in use.
(3) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to a slurry storage tank that drains through the pipe into another slurry storage tank if the other tank is of equal or greater capacity or if the tops of the tanks are at the same level.
11. In the case of a slurry storage tank with walls made of earth the tank must not be filled to a level that allows less than 750 millimetres of freeboard.
Publication date: 15th April 1993. ISBN 0-580-22053-2.