Septic tanks are complex systems that essentially allow for the safe disposal of wastewater on your property. The tank will be a water-tight container buried underground and it is usually made of concrete, fibreglass, or plastic. The main purpose of a septic tank is to hold the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle down to the bottom, forming sludge, while the oil and grease float to the top as scum. It is made up of a simple design. These systems are an adequate drainage and waste alternative for properties that have poor drainage or are not connected to the main sewage network.
What is a septic tank?
Septic tanks are where all your drained plumbing goes to. The system is usually installed underground, a reasonable distance away from the home or commercial building. Septic tanks are made up of two chambers or compartments and one tank that receives wastewater from an inlet pipe. The tank is there to receive all the sewage, and it will separate the solid portion of the waste from the liquid part. Australians living in metropolitan cities and towns may not need septic tanks as much as those in the rural areas of Southern Australia because wastewater will be transported and dealt with their sewage system. A local water company or municipality will maintain & manage this.
With a septic system, any house can regularly use water facilities and trust that it will be safely disposed of and contained. Septic tanks come with additional precautions that need to be adhered to. Regular maintenance of the septic tank will also be required. There is a national code that needs to be followed for all plumbing and drainage of all waste control systems. Property owners with a septic tank on the premises have the additional duty to ensure their tank does not impact the local environment. It requires meticulous and regular maintenance and septic tank cleaning in Loxton to avoid incidents that cause a fault in your system. Take the example of a drain field being overloaded with too much liquid; this can cause flooding and the flow of sewage to the ground surface or create backups in toilets and sinks.
How does a septic tank work
Septic tanks will effectively digest organic and waste matter into the tank. The system will then separate matter that can float from matter that will sink. The two chambers mentioned earlier are ultimately two pipes for intake and outlet. The intake pipe is there to transport water waste from your house into the septic tank for collection. The wastewater will be kept here for an extended period of time (about 24 hours) so that solid and liquid waste is separated from each other. The outlet pipe is also called the drain (leach) field, and it moves processed wastewater from the septic tank and spreads it evenly in the soil and constructed watercourses. After the water is collected, it separates into three layers in the tank:
- The top layer that floats to the top is oils and grease (scum)
- The middle layer contains collected wastewater along with waste particles
- The bottom layer is made up of waste content like toilet paper that is heavier than water and form a layer of sludge
There is bacteria or treatment put into the tank that does the job of breaking down the solid waste, which allows for the separation of liquid so that it can be drained away easily. The content that isn’t drained and falls to the bottom of the tank needs periodic cleaning out as part of general maintenance. This is why professional septic tank cleaners are so crucial for the proper functioning of your system.
The 5 steps of how a periodic tank works
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Drainage
Water from your kitchen, from a flushed toilet or drained water from a bath, runs out of the property to one main drainage pipe leading to your septic tank
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Waste break-down
The septic tank will begin processing the water underground, and anaerobic bacteria living inside it start breaking down some of the waste. Solids will then fall to the bottom and settle there, while oil and grease float to the top.
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Effluent drain
After the waste is broken down and naturally separated, the remaining liquid wastewater (commonly known as effluent) will then be able to exit the tank into the drain field. The effluent will be discharged onto the porous surfaces surrounding the tank.
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Soil filter
The wastewater is then filtered and dispersed through the soil and discharged to groundwater. The soil will naturally remove harmful coliform bacteria, viruses and nutrients.
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Pump out
Once the septic tank is full, it will require comprehensive draining and cleaning. This can come at a cost, and we’ve put together a helpful cost guide to give you an indication of how much you can expect to pay.
What is septic tank pumping?
Regular inspections and pumping are very important to keep up with to maintain your system correctly. You may need a full pump-out every two or so years, and you might even benefit from high-pressure cleaning of your drains. Riverland residents or commercial property owners should get acquainted with the proper septic tank cleaning experts in Loxton and the surroundings straight away. Riverland Tank and Drain cleaners offer professional septic tank cleaning and maintenance servicing. Whether you need experts to handle commercial septic systems or residential ones, we are licensed for both and have done so in the greater Riverland area for 30 years. Choose us to handle overflow and a range of tank and drain services in Barmera, Loxton, Renmark, Glossop, Berri, Monash, Loveday, Winkie and Cobdogla and the surrounding suburbs. Use a professional who can help assess the severity of any septic tank-related situation and develop a solution for the required services. Call us on 08 8102 0998.