Sewage Treatment Plants Problems and Solutions

By back2blue, Nov 23 2014 03:11PM

Sewage Treatment Plants are a wonderful invention when working correctly however when they break down or stop working correctly can be a massive cause of stress and sleepless nights.
This article will try and shine some light on some of the possible problems and solutions to a sewage treatment plants function.


Problem: Sewage Treatment Plant smells excessively

Solutions:

1. Check that the sewage treatment plant has the correct ventilation if this is not present then gases may be building up within the pipework and tank causing excessive odours.

2. One of the most common causes of bad odours from sewage treatment plants is when the bacteria which are very important to the treatment process are killed off by chemicals etc which are flushed down toilets or washed down sinks. These chemicals include: Large amounts of bleach, excessive use of detergents, floor cleaners, disinfectants and many more. Although many chemicals in small doses will not cause a problem it is in larger quantities which will kill off the useful bacteria.

3. Bacteria washed away by rainwater are a common problem which is often overlooked. If the rainwater from your roof has been connected to your foul waste drains which then lead to the sewage plant when it rains the water entering the tank can wash away the useful bacteria. This will then cause a smell until the plant can recover and new bacteria takes there place. All rainwater should be diverted away from the waste drainage to a separate soak away.

4. The equipment inside the sewage treatment plant may not be working properly. For example the blower (air compressor) may not be working at its best or may not be working at all (the bacteria will have gone anaerobic) There are various other problems which can occur with different equipment so a recommendation would be to call a qualified contractor to inspect the sewage plant. Regular servicing of sewage treatment plants would minimise this problem as breakdowns in equipment are noticed much sooner.

5. Is your sewage plant adequately sized? Often with incorrect sizing before installation or when families expand etc a sewage treatment plant may start to smell as there is too much volume of wastewater entering it. A good guide is to allow 1.5 people / bedroom entering a sewage plant this will give an idea of population required.

6. Temperature changes can kill of the functioning bacteria in the plant. Time is the only solution for this as the plant will recover when the temperature stabilises.

Note: A sewage treatment plant will smell directly after installation as it starts generating the right kind of bacteria.

Problem: Sewage Treatment Plant backing up and not discharging (outlet not working)

Solutions:

1. If the sewage plant has a gravity outlet (not a submersible pump) and discharges into a watercourse such as a stream or ditch etc it is likely there is a blockage in the pipework leading to the discharge point. If it discharges into a soak away then there is a possibility that the soak away has failed and will need to be replaced. (re sited) Note: If a new soak away is to be installed a porosity / percolation test should be done before hand to correctly size the volumes.

2. If the sewage plant discharges via a submersible pump (pumped outlet) then the pump may be faulty.

Problem: The sewage Treatment Plant is moving or walls caving in! (problems with the tank structure)

Solutions:

Is your tank sinking? Has moved after installation or are the walls starting to cave inside or delaminate?
This is most commonly caused by bad installation procedures. For example the sewage treatment plant should be installed on a concrete base and the back fill should ideally be 10mm granular material (shingle). If the plant is installed in an area with high groundwater then it should be concreted completely to the top of the unit. Sometimes there are weaknesses in the tank during the manufacturing process and this may need to be investigated further.

Finally…….

Do’s and Don’ts for Sewage Treatment Plants

Do's

Have your sewage plant serviced and maintained regularly?

Have the tank emptied at least annually (depends on the plant and its loadings)

Don’t’s

Put the following items into the sewage Treatment Plant……..

Excessive fat or cooking oil
Motor oil, anti-freeze or brake fluid
Gardening chemicals such as weed killers, insecticides and fungicides
Paint or paint thinner
Any form of medication
Home beer and wine making kits
Chemical toilet waste
Any non-biodegradable material such as nappies, sanitary towels, condoms, rags, etc. Use of toilet paper is acceptable in normal quantities

If you have a problem with your sewage treatment plant please feel free to contact us for free no obligation advise.


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