Light-Liquid Separator Competent Person
Generalised inspection and maintenance of light-liquid separators, sludge and oil-layer measurement, self-monitoring records, five-yearly general inspection. Per DIN 1999-100, DIN EN 858 and DWA-A 791.
DIN 1999-100 · DIN EN 858 · DWA-A 791
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What is a light-liquid separator competent person?
A light-liquid separator competent person (Sachkundige für Leichtflüssigkeitsabscheider) inspects, maintains and assesses separators that hold back petrol, oil and other liquids lighter than water before wastewater reaches the public sewer or a body of water. Without a working separator, hydrocarbons would pass into drainage and pollute soil and water, which is why operators are obliged to maintain and inspect these systems regularly.
The technical basis is the DIN 1999-100 series together with DIN EN 858 (separator systems for light liquids), which set out design, operation and the inspection regime. The DWA worksheet DWA-A 791 gives practical guidance on operation, self-monitoring and the general inspection. Discharge into public sewers or waters is additionally governed by the Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (WHG) and the discharge permit issued by the competent water authority, often with conditions on monitoring and maintenance intervals.
The competent person carries out the recurring general inspection (Generalinspektion), typically every five years, in which the separator is emptied, cleaned and checked for tightness, coating and proper function. Between general inspections the operator performs self-monitoring: regular measurement of the sludge depth and the light-liquid layer, checks of the automatic closure device and the warning device, and emptying when the filling limits are reached.
Competence requires the knowledge and experience to assess the construction, function and condition of separators and to interpret the standards. The competent person documents measurements, defects and the inspection result in operating and inspection records, which the operator must keep available for the water authority. The role supports, but does not remove, the operator's responsibility for lawful discharge.
Core duties of the separator competent person
- Carry out the recurring general inspection (Generalinspektion), as a rule every five years, with emptying and cleaning
- Check tightness, coating, structural condition, the automatic closure device and the warning device
- Measure and record the sludge depth and the light-liquid layer thickness
- Assess whether self-monitoring intervals and filling limits are being observed
- Document the inspection result, defects and recommended measures in the inspection record
- Advise the operator on maintenance, emptying and disposal of separator content
- Verify that the separator type and size suit the actual inflow and contamination
- Check that operating instructions and the operating logbook are present and complete
- Support the operator in meeting permit conditions under the WHG and the local water authority
- Flag separators that no longer ensure compliant discharge until repaired or replaced
When is a separator competent person engaged?
Any operator of a light-liquid separator has to maintain and inspect the system so that wastewater is treated before discharge. The recurring general inspection under DIN 1999-100 and DWA-A 791, as a rule every five years, must be carried out by a competent person, so operators engage one whenever the inspection interval falls due or after repairs and modifications.
The duty follows from the technical standards together with the discharge permit and the Wasserhaushaltsgesetz. Many water authorities and local sewer bye-laws (Entwässerungssatzungen) make the five-yearly general inspection and the keeping of inspection records an explicit condition of the permit. A separator put into service for the first time also needs an inspection before commissioning to confirm tightness and correct installation.
The competent person can be an external service provider or a suitably qualified in-house person. Competence is demonstrated through relevant training, knowledge of the separator standards and practical experience in inspecting these systems. The operator selects the competent person and remains responsible for arranging the inspections, for self-monitoring between them and for keeping the documentation available. Where a separator fails an inspection, the operator must remedy the defect before discharge may lawfully continue.
- Recurring general inspection due, as a rule every five years
- Before commissioning a newly installed separator
- After repair, modification or relocation of the separator
- Permit condition imposed by the water authority or sewer bye-law
- Self-monitoring shows the filling limits or function are no longer assured
- Change of operator or significant change in inflow and contamination
Where separator competent persons are needed
- Petrol stations and fuel depots
- Vehicle workshops and car washes
- Haulage, logistics and bus depots
- Metalworking and machining operations
- Airports and aircraft maintenance
- Construction-equipment and plant yards
- Recycling and scrap-metal facilities
- Industrial sites with oil-handling areas
- Public works depots and municipal yards
- Power stations and transformer compounds
How CIVAC supports the separator competent person role
CIVAC keeps the separator inspection regime on schedule and on record. The five-yearly general inspection under DIN 1999-100 and DWA-A 791 is set up as a recurring task that surfaces well before the interval lapses, and the more frequent self-monitoring of sludge and oil-layer depth runs as its own repeating task with an owner and due date. Inspection records, the operating logbook, the discharge permit and the appointment of the competent person are stored together in the documentation pillar, linked to the specific separator. When the water authority asks for proof that the general inspection and self-monitoring were carried out, the intervals, measurements and defect history are exportable from one place rather than searched for across operating folders.
Frequently asked questions about separator inspection
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