About Sewerage Treatment Plants -
& septic tanks
Are you new to domestic sewage systems?
When you are considering upgrading your home, replacing failed septic tanks / soak-away, or including a sewerage treatment system in the design of your new home. Yes? Then a domestic sewage package plant should be considered an investment. However, you would need to scratch through a myriad of the different systems out there in the market, some may be ideal, which will offer you genuine peace of mind, but others are nothing more than expensive septic tanks. And you will only know which - soon after the lawn has grown back.
So, your new sewage treatment system should be simple electrical & mechanical designs, right?
Sewerage System
Discreet Sewage Plant
Domestic system
The Stink Factor
Wrong! In today’s lifestyle, we have come to the reality that our waste has some value, and particularly our domestic wastewater. Several Scarab clients have included our sewage systems as features when selling their properties, and it certainly is an asset, even offering images of the system.
And the stink factor – yes, this has some negative perceptions, as sewage does stink. But only when it’s sewage. Once sewage becomes correctly aerated, (the aerobic stage) the smell stops, leaving an almost odourless condition - an earthy smell. Quite pleasant!
Repeat - when raw sewage is open to the air, it will smell.
The large municipal systems (WWTW) do smell, since they are primarily open sewers, and this technology is classified as “activated sludge”. Very few package plants are based on this technology, since no household is prepared to have open sewers outside their kitchen. This technology is best suited for large municipal flows from towns and cities.
So, if your sewage system stinks, its not working.
Modular Wastewater systems
The Right Size sewage system
We use the SABS National Building Regulations (NBR) guidelines on water use. NBR suggests that each person could use up to 250 litres of water per day, which includes washing, showers, toilet, laundry cooking etc. A three bed-roomed house could have up to 6 people living there, and this water usage is around 1500 litres per day. Hotels, camp sites, retirement villages and hospitals have their own consumption rates.
But, speak to us and we will give you your daily water use figures.
Water Assets & Waste Liabilities
I would think not.
Some designs promote an underground system, with neat plastic lids (inspection covers). One wonders what a lawnmower does to plastic thingies hiding in the grass. And when the 10-ton honey sucker arrives to de-sludge (this is a part of maintenance on all systems - even our Scarab!) and fails to see plastic thingies covered near in the flower bed. If you going to spend the (un)reasonable fee for a sewer system, you would want to see the darn thing, right? And should there ever be a problem, and it leaks, you won’t know. You will continue to believe your asset is safe, and saving water, meanwhile its leaking. Serious repairs could require digging up your manicured lawn, removing the system, and returning it back to operation. And in the meantime, raw sewage is floating into the neighbour's property. Your sewage becomes a liability.
All water is an asset, particularly when you have already paid for it, so keep it in a safe place.
Plastic Septic Tanks
Buried septic tank failures
Plastic septic tanks
For some really sound advice, give us a call.
Buried Concrete sewage systems
These underground sewage treatment systems are favourites in Australia, but they are so much different. All our (SA) systems are either plastic, or fibre glass, but Ozzies are concrete, weighing maybe 6 tonnes. When they go in, they don’t ever come out. They don’t leak, implode, crack or float out the ground. But, they are a terrible design. Those down under are not too concerned about water quality.
“If it pretends to work, we will pretend to care”. Ironically, I paid for this one (below).
Steel and Sewerage
Some package plants are supplied using shipping containers, and / or mild steel frameworks. Special coatings have been applied to metal parts, in the factory, which is essential, and offers great oxidization (rust) protection – while in the factory. These systems, do, however leave the factory, travel maybe 5000 kilometers, on dirt and dusty potholed tracks, through war zones, and flooded rivers to reach a remote mine-site in the African bush, where they get off loaded and reassembled using local inhabitants, without any damage to this coating? After 3 / 5 years, the system is a rust bucket, and would require replacement – yet again. Manhandling these sewage systems in the factory are pretty easy, but on the remote mine-site, crane-age is a must. The alternative - roto-moulded (plastic) tank systems, are easily manhandled into position. And they don’t rust, ever.
Most package treatment plants are manufactured using plastic roto-moulded tanks, although there are a few fibre-glass designs The roto-plastic base-material is flexible, U-V stabilized, tough and does not oxidize easily. The plastic itself is resistant to chemicals, sewage contaminants, and toxic / corrosive gasses. These tanks are easily welded, cut, and even shaped, often on site. We have repaired a few of our Scarab systems after damage occurred during delivery, and quite successfully.
Speak to us - For some really good advice.
