Septic Tank Registrations in Scotland from Multiple Authorities

An amalgamation of licensed septic tank data from SEPA, Scottish Water, Scottish Assessors, and some Local Authorities in Scotland. The dataset is part of an ongoing effort to create a complete view of septic tanks, with SEPA mapping approximately a quarter of tanks since the 2012 licensing requirement. The Scottish Assessors currently identify 678 septic tanks that serve more than one dwelling.

Use Cases

• Mapping septic tank locations for environmental compliance monitoring based on the geospatial amalgamation described.
• Analyzing the coverage and gaps in septic tank registration based on the partial information from multiple authorities.
• Supporting policy analysis on water resource management based on the legal responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Water Resources (Scotland) Act 2013.
• Identifying non-domestic septic tanks for assessment based on the Scottish Assessors' identification of tanks serving multiple dwellings.

Strengths

• Combines data from four authoritative sources: SEPA, Scottish Water, Scottish Assessors, and Local Authorities.
• The Scottish Assessors provide a specific count of 678 septic tanks serving more than one dwelling.
• Data collection is governed by specific legislation (Environmental Protection Act 1990, Water Resources (Scotland) Act 2013).

Limitations

• SEPA has mapped only approximately a quarter of septic tanks, indicating significant data gaps.
• Row count, column definitions, and file formats are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• The work to combine data into a complete view is described as not yet complete.

Provenance

Source

Scottish Government SpatialData.gov.scot, amalgamating data from SEPA, Scottish Water, Scottish Assessors, and Local Authorities.

Collection Method

Licensed data amalgamation from multiple public authorities.

Time Range

Data collection likely ongoing, with a licensing requirement noted since 2012.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 14:06:02.524329; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Scotland