At Alpha Services we specialise in the refurbishment of old and failing systems.
After many years of service to the Wastewater Industry we are ideally placed to advise on and install the correct upgrade for you system.
Unfortunately for the National Watercourses it is estimated that many thousands of sewage treatment systems are failing their consent either through poor design or lack of regular ongoing maintenance.
It may be that you have a sewage treatment system that has been installed for many years and appears to be beyond repair or you may have one of the older style systems that use a submersible pump to continually recycle the water whilst mixing in air (creating dissolved oxygen). At Alpha Services we have developed our own retro-fit system that effectively brings your system up to date and importantly operates in a way that is more cost effective and will enable your system to get back to consent levels of discharge.
Sewage Treatment Dos and Don’ts
Small sewage treatment plants require servicing and de-sludging to ensure that the effluent remains satisfactory. Owners are provided with guidance on what may and may not be disposed of to the sewer but, with a small group of houses, it is difficult to ensure that everybody is conscientious. Change of ownership, home helps, au-pairs and visitors may not appreciate that the house is not connected to the public sewer.
These simple DO’s and DON’Ts will greatly reduce the risk of system failure:
DOs
- Make sure the electrical supply to the plant is maintained at all times
- Regularly check the aeration pattern and aeration pumps
- Think before you put anything down the sink, toilet or drains
- Use cleaning products little and often so the plant isn’t overloaded (household bleach can be used sparingly)
- Spread your clothes washing throughout the week
- Keep to the same washing, dishwashing and other cleaning products (the bacteria in the plant will work more efficiently when products to which they are accustomed are present)
- Use liquid cleaners for washing clothes and in dishwashers
- Ensure your service provider carries out the regular maintenance routine as described in your Operation and Maintenance Manual
- Have excess sludge tankered away periodically (the interval is determined by the manufacturer based on the size of the plant and its loading)
DON’Ts
- DON’T Turn off the electricity supply to the plant
- DON’T Use household bleach or other strong chemicals indiscriminately
- DON’T Tip bottles of medicine, mouth wash, disinfectants, garden chemicals etc. down the toilet
- DON’T Put condoms, sanitary towels, tampons, disposable nappies, baby wipes, cotton wool, cotton buds, incontinence pads etc. down the toilet
- DON’T Pour fat or grease from cooking down the sink or drains
- DON’T Allow surface water to form or pool around the plant’s access lid
- DON’T Attempt to service the plant yourself or use any replacement parts other than those recommended by the manufacturer
The regulator may require property owners to keep records of all servicing, repairs and de-sludging. It is prudent to keep records to show that the equipment has been properly maintained.
Sewage Treatment Indications of Problems
The list of below is a brief summary of common problems when sewage treatment plants are operating well below optimum performance:
Slowly draining sinks, toilets, baths etc.
Covers lifting
Sewage levels backing up at the inlet to the treatment plant
Sewage odours in vicinity
Land wet, soft or waterlogged
Grey and cloudy final effluent
Pollution plume and fungi in watercourse
If you have concerns about your sewage treatment system and your responsibilities please feel free to give us a call or use our contact form to get in touch.
We have been extremely fortunate throughout 2012 to have been awarded a significant contract to inspect and refurbish a large number of varying types of aged septic tanks and sewage treatment plants in South Wales, Mid Wales, West Wales, North Wales, Cumbria, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, Midlands, Derbyshire, South East, South West etc. Some of the systems were very old, from old Tuke and Bell ‘Ideal Series’ and Double tipper Tray systems to bespoke in-situ built sewage treatment plants. With a little creative thinking we managed to get all of the systems fully operational.
So if your old septic tank or sewage treatment plant or petrol separator has seen better days and you are concerned that it is causing problems – please give us a call we’d be glad to help.
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