Sewage system maintenance

Sewage System Maintenance Hints, tips and advice on maintaining your sewage system As an owner or user of a sewage system you have a legal responsibility to maintain your septic system so it is in good working order. By ensuring you look after your tank and maintain a good working order for your system you will not only be protecting the environment but also your families health and a well maintained tank required emptying less often and is less likely to fail.

Your septic tank can usually be found down hill from your property with a metal or concrete lid (which maybe under overgrown vegetation). However your tank may not be on your land and may also be shared with other nearby properties. If you have trouble locating your tank your title deeds may point out the location.

A septic tank is used when dwellings are not connected to the public sewage system. Waste water from the house enters the tank, heavier solids fall to the bottom (sludge) and lighter solids float to the top (scum). Helpful bacteria break down waste that remains in the effluent layer and this treated waste leaves the septic tank to a soakaway or directly into a source of surface water.

Regular checks should be made to ensure you tank stays in a good working order.

1.

Are drains slower to drain or toilets backing up? This could be a sign that the pipes are blocked,

soakaway is clogged or the tank is full.

2.

The tank cover should be accessible and well fitting, there should be no smell coming from the

septic tank.

3.

If the soakaway area is showing signs of prolific grass growth, standing water or odour, it has

become clogged and the tank requires emptying.

4.

The water discharged from the tank should be pale, with little or no smell. If the discharge water

is smelly, dark or has solids in it then the sewage system is failing.

5.

Roots of trees and shrubs can damage the tank. Keep them away from the whole system.

A build up of sludge is the most common cause of problems and therefore the septic tanks requires desludgeing on a regular basis to ensure it continues to work correctly and efficiently.

All tanks require to be emptied but there are a number of thing you can do to reduce the frequency.

Ensure you are using the correct size of tank for the number of people and water usage it is servicing.

Follow the tips in this booklet to ensure you use your system correctly and try to reduce the amount of water that goes through the system.

All septic tanks must be registered with SEPA. For more information or to check if your septic tank is registered please contact SEPA.

Thainstone Business Park, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire AB51 5GT Tel 01467 623010 Fax 01467 623011 info@filpumps.co.uk www.filpumps.co.uk

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Locate your septic tank, the soakaway and where it discharges Make regular checks of the septic system Ensure lids are secure and intact Empty your tank when necessary Avoid using toilet cleaner and other household cleaners that do not specify that they are suitable for use with septic tanks. Some cleaning products (like bio washing powder) can upset the bacterial balance of the tank, so it does not work as efficiently.

Use a strainer in the sink to catch any food scraps as if these enter the sewage system they can cause a rapid build up of sludge and can also cause blockages in pipework.

Use only moderate amount of environmentally friendly or low phosphate household cleaners as these will have less of an impact on your sewage system and also the environment.

Space out activities that use water such as running the dishwasher or washing machine to limit the amount of water passing through the system at once.

DON’T

88 NEVER flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Kitchen towels, sanitary items, cotton buds, condoms and nappies should be bagged and binned as they can easily block drains. They will not break down in the tank and cause a rapid build up of sludge.

88 Never dispose of grease or oil (even cooking oil) down any drain. Pour into a container and dispose of in a bin. Fats will solidify and can block drains. They are not broken down in the tank and will cause a rapid build up of sludge.

88 Never put paints, solvents or any chemicals down the toilet or drain. These chemicals will kill the friendly bacteria in the septic tank and will stop the system digesting waste.

88 Don’t use caustic soda or drain cleaners to clear blockages, try boiling water and bicarbonate of soda instead. Caustic soda and drain cleaners will kill the friendly bacteria in the septic tank preventing it from digesting waste.

88 Never connect rainwater drainage into the septic tank. Too much water through the system will cause the liquid effluent to pass through the tank before the friendly bacteria have a chance to work

Thainstone Business Park, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire AB51 5GT Tel 01467 623010 Fax 01467 623011 info@filpumps.co.uk www.filpumps.co.uk