How to maintain a healthy septic tank system?

It"s important that homeowners understand how to maintain a septic tank system ' no one wants a failing system, which can lead to multiple problems and can be very costly to rectify.

A septic system is a wastewater treatment process, it"s underground and self-contained. Generally, in rural areas, a septic tank is required when there is no centralised sewer system available. To understand how to maintain a healthy septic tank, an understanding of the process of a septic system is required!

When wastewater enters a septic tank from a household or other locations, the heavier elements tend to fall to the bottom of the tank (sludge) and break down over time. Grease and oils float to the top of the septic tank forming a layer (crust) that prevents any air getting into the body of water and providing a good environment for bacteria to break down the waste. When the liquid waste exits the tank (effluent) it is then distributed out to an underground leach drain either by gravity or the use of a submersible pump.

Where exactly does the wastewater come from?

Wastewater comes from sinks, toilets, drains and baths generally in a household. Did you know that the average domestic household produces an average of 200-300L of wastewater every single day? For businesses, wastewater can also consist of many other substances such as unwanted chemicals. A grease arrestor is a common product utilised in commercial kitchens, as it separates the solids and liquids to maintain a healthy septic tank. Learn more here about the Orion grease arrestors that are offered in various locations around Australia.

Here are some top tips to keep your septic tank system healthy as a hippo!

1. Don"t flush harsh chemicals for example, paint, waste oils or pesticides into the septic system. Make sure everyone in your household understands what can/can"t be flushed to avoid septic issues. Some states have free disposal services that can take care of this type of waste, but changes on your location.
2. Be smart about your water usage! Using too many water sucking appliances at once can overload your septic tank. Try and coordinate your dishwasher, showers, washing machine to run at different times, so that your septic tank has time to process the waste properly.
3. The last big tip we can give away is: when inspecting a house to purchase, if it has a septic tank system, ask the owners to confirm where the leach drains are, and inspect the area to ensure that there is no evidence of leakage or untreated sewer at the surface. Also confirm when the tank was last pumped out.

If you haven"t followed the above measures, trust us you will know something is up with questionable odours appearing around the house! Slow drainage is also a key indicator that something is up (or not going down)!

Maintaining a healthy septic tank system can decrease long term costs. If you are researching septic tanks to purchase for your home or business, quality is key! Orion has over 35 years of experience, and offer BLOO septic tanks that are manufactured from high quality industrial grade polyethylene, with materials sourced from Australia. Quality guaranteed.

Reasons why you should choose an Orion BLOO Septic Tank:

• The septic tanks have an extremely robust design and can stand the test of time against ground and water pressure underground.
• The tanks can withstand knocks during installation, watch this video if you don"t believe us!
• The BLOO Septic Tanks are a compact design, and easy to handle in a once piece tank. We have thought about everything with the design, and have even incorporated in lifting lugs for easy installation when a crane or excavator is required.

Enquire today, or call our friendly team.