sewage treatment system servicing

towbar

We have a continuous aeration sewage treatment plant in just over a year. Been noticing a strong smell lately from the vent pipe and contacted supplier. Told me system should be emptied annually and serviced.

Emptying is €200 and service is over 300. Now I remember seeing when I bought it that it needed an annual empty and service but I certainly didnt expect these prices. When I asked what the service entailed - simply involves checking the pump as I have a pumped system - which I know is working perfectly and checking the air blower which there must be some easy way I can check that.

I'll bet the smell is more to do with level of detergents which could probably be fixed by the addition of bacteria to the tank?

Anyone else paying this annually or know what the risks of not doing it are?

builderboy1001

I purchased a pumped system from Biotech Treatment Systems Ltd,
Boherbue, Co Cork. Pump gave up within 15 months. No come back. Had to pay €500 for new pump and fitting. Very umimpressed that a product that is created for the conditions will not last and no support from the producer.

RKQ

towbar wrote: »

I'll bet the smell is more to do with level of detergents which could probably be fixed by the addition of bacteria to the tank?

Detergents should be avoided as much as possible. Bleach kills all bacteria - good and bad and your Biological system depends on the growth of good bacteria.

Might be worth installing a grease trap circa €120, to catch grease / food from kitchen sink and ideally the washing machine. This smelly grease can be emptied regularly. Its best IMO to keep this stuff out of the tank.

The maintenance contract seems expensive but all systems charge differently.

The Engineer

For a domestic house a grease-trap should not be required! A properly designed treatment system should have a large enough primary chamber to receive the grease (which is normally in suspension as it is mixed with/being carried by warm water from the sink) and allow it to cool down and float to the surface of the chamber. However, employing common sense in the kitchen will prevent grease getting to the plant, such as avoid dumping grease from a chip-pan down the sink.

You should never have to add bacteria to the plant either, but as a previous poster said, strong bleaches and anti-bacterials can have affect the "bugs" in the plant. Also, avoid setting aside one day a week for washing clothes as it can over-load the plant - instead, spread it out over the week.

If you're getting smells, it may just be that the plant was poorly designed or undersized in the first place.

Hope this is of some use.

3dsteel

We were getting a bit of an odour from our system too . I fitted a carbon filter to the tank's outlet vent and an air admittance valve to the vent stack coming out of the house. (See links below). We haven't noticed any nasty smells since .

If you're getting the unit serviced you could ask the technician to increase the air flow going into the tank. This should increase the tanks efficiency.

http://www.humm-busters.com/en/mfdescrp.html
http://www.humm-busters.com/en/MVdescrp.html

cheapskate

Try throwing a dead cat into it, you could always use the neighbours cat:D

CS