Aerobic septic?

[Shiloh Acres]

I was reading the other thread about septic ... I'm not sure if it's better to add my question there or post a new one, but to avoid hijacking, I'll ask here.

Our county requires everyone to have an aerobic septic system with a company contracted to maintain it. There are (apparently) no other legal options.

I wasn't thrilled at first, because they do put bleach or something similar in it, and it sprays out over your yard, pasture, or wherever you have the sprays set.

I don't know much of the history of the system. The house is about 30 years old, maybe a little more. The septic guy said it needed to be pumped out, but I think that's just a matter of course when they don't know how long it's been. He wasn't too worried about it. He WAS worried about the cracked cover and got that fixed asap without being paid first or anything else, because he said it was a liability issue.

There is no smell that I can detect when the system comes on. There was before they started maintaining it. And there really is with the neighbors' system.

My questions are ...

1. If I wait a bit to have it pumped (really there is NO WAY to have it done within 6 months or so, that I can forsee) do I have the same issue as with the other septic system being talked about? I don't know that there even IS a leachfield?

2. Any opinions about how clean that water is that's going out the sprayers? Or what kinds of effects I need to worry about with the chemicals? Is there a threshold that is safer not to worry about?

For myself, I try to live as free of harsh chemicals as possible. I use bleach almost never, try to buy natural shampoos, soaps, etc., and make a lot of my own cleaners from simple things. I don't use fertilizer (unless you count compost) or weedkiller or pesticides at all. I try to avoid unnecessary treatments of my livestock.

Can this be compatible with an aerobic septic system?

Are there other concerns? I know they said don't use many chemicals (I don't), don't wash two loads of laundry in a day (Ok, sometimes I do), and don't plant the garden for human consumption under the sprayer (I haven't). Anything else?

Thanks, all!

 

[TanksHill]

Can you explain what an Aerobic Septic system is? Are they spraying the leach liquid? And where?

I did not know they had systems like this.

 

[justusnak]

I have never heard of this type of system....so I did a search. Hmmmm...I don't think I would like it.

An aerobic septic system uses oxygen to stimulate the growth of bacteria, which will help break down wastewater and solids faster. This type of system has a few disadvantages when compared to other types of systems.
Some of these disadvantages include cost, electricity, maintenance, and effectiveness.
One of the main disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is the cost. You will pay much more for this type of system than you would for a convention system. Also, an aerobic septic system will be very expensive to install and maintain.
Another disadvantage of an aerobic septic system is that it requires electricity. Air is circulated through the system through use of electric pumps. Therefore, the site that houses an aerobic septic system has to have electricity. You will also have to pay the cost of this electricity usage. You will also need to secure the motor's electrical plug so that it doesn't accidentally come unplugged from the receptacle.
Maintenance is one of the next disadvantages of an aerobic septic system. This type of system is much more complicated than most other systems. An aerobic septic system also requires more frequent maintenance also. Therefore, this type of system will be more costly to maintain. With more components to the system, the risk of something going wrong increases.
One of the next disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is its effectiveness. Certain things can reduce the effectiveness of this type of system. If harmful chemicals are poured down the train or if it is neglected, an aerobic septic system will not work effectively. This can also occur if the ambient temperature is too low.
One of the final disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is the law. This type of system is not allowed in many municipalities. Therefore, you may not be able to use them in certain locations. You should always check with your town or city before you buy an aerobic septic system.

 

[kcsunshine]

Sounds yukky. Not only that, sounds like someone in your county is getting kick-backs from the system installers and maintenance people. I can't believe they would require you to spray your septic fluids out over your property.

 

[i_am2bz]

Hi, I started the other septic thread, but I wanted to add something here.

Many moons ago (in the 70's, maybe?) my hometown in MI had an experimental setup like this for municipal waste. The liquid was sprayed as fertilizer over an adjoining field of corn (not sure if this was fed to animals or what). I don't know what became of it, whether they kept doing it or not, as I went away to college then moved out of the state. But this was a municipal (county) system, not private. :/

 

[~gd]

I was reading the other thread about septic ... I'm not sure if it's better to add my question there or post a new one, but to avoid hijacking, I'll ask here.

Our county requires everyone to have an aerobic septic system with a company contracted to maintain it. There are (apparently) no other legal options.

I wasn't thrilled at first, because they do put bleach or something similar in it, and it sprays out over your yard, pasture, or wherever you have the sprays set.

I don't know much of the history of the system. The house is about 30 years old, maybe a little more. The septic guy said it needed to be pumped out, but I think that's just a matter of course when they don't know how long it's been. He wasn't too worried about it. He WAS worried about the cracked cover and got that fixed asap without being paid first or anything else, because he said it was a liability issue.

There is no smell that I can detect when the system comes on. There was before they started maintaining it. And there really is with the neighbors' system. The water might have a slight musty or a chlorine odor but it should not stink like sewerage. The neighbor's system needs maintenance!
My questions are ... I live in a area where both systems are in common use (depending on the existing soil) In addition I ran a small system for a company and had the training that your contracted maintenance people must have. (The company decided it was cheaper to do inhouse rather than to contract the work out) so I well give a shot at your questions

1. If I wait a bit to have it pumped (really there is NO WAY to have it done within 6 months or so, that I can forsee) do I have the same issue as with the other septic system being talked about? I don't know that there even IS a leachfield?If the guy had the cover off your system he should know if it really needed to have the sludge removed. He probably thought it was Ok but couldn't say that because of the liability issue, if you have contracted with him or his company, they assume part of the liability. The big drawback of this type of system is that they need to be operated on a constant basis. If shut down the bacteria start to die because of lack of oxygen or air and they revert to an anaerobic (traditional) septic system but the lack of a leach field often means that they can't work that way either. If the guy replaced the bacteria culture and started the system back in operation there is a good chance that SOME of the sludge will be digested and be removed from the system. I suspect he is trying that first but he will be back to check if it worked. If he tells you at that point that you Must have the system pumped, YOU MUST HAVE IT PUMPED or he will be forced to report you for having a failed system. in plain English he is trying to work with you rather than being a SOB and sticking to the strict rules. I did not want to write a book on this topic, but one of the ways to fix a traditional system that had been overworked to the point that the pipes had become plugged with sludge is to switch to an aerobic for a few momths to clean the pipes out to the point that you can force a tube down them to back flush them. BTW if cost is the issue with the pumpout see if they won't do it on credit in return for a long term contract, it sounds like you have found one of the honest contractors.

2. Any opinions about how clean that water is that's going out the sprayers?it should be 4X cleaner than would come from a septic system. I wouldn't let kids play in the spray but it should be fairly clean. Here it is often sprayed on lawns and golf courses. Or what kinds of effects I need to worry about with the chemicals? Is there a threshold that is safer not to worry about?If you see any dieback on plants sprayed with it, it is wrong that is the rule of thumb and it is about as accurate as lab measurements, Don't mistake the growth caused by water and extra nutrients with dieback.

For myself, I try to live as free of harsh chemicals as possible. I use bleach almost never, try to buy natural shampoos, soaps, etc., and make a lot of my own cleaners from simple things. I don't use fertilizer (unless you count compost) or weedkiller or pesticides at all. I try to avoid unnecessary treatments of my livestock. Make sure you are using the right form of chlorine, The correct kind will be destroyed by UV or sunlight fairly quickly so If you have any choice syray during daylight rather than at night, stay away from pool chemicals, they have a stabilizer to prevent breakdown by sunlight which is just the opposite of what you want'

Can this be compatible with an aerobic septic system?Of coarse, other people are using these systems all the time

Are there other concerns? I know they said don't use many chemicals (I don't), don't wash two loads of laundry in a day (Ok, sometimes I do), and don't plant the garden for human consumption under the sprayer (I haven't). Anything else? That one load a day thing is probably a matter of load equalization rather than overload. These systems work best under a constant load, If you do 2 loads today there may be no loads for tommorrow. without knowing the spects I suspect you could do two loads EVERYDAY and it would work better than doing 2 loads today and 0 tommorrow. You want to give it a constant load so plan your other high load days to equalize as much as possible. I would not run a garbage disposal on that system. do not dump fats and grease down the drain they will just add to your sludge load avoid anything that can't be digested by the system or that might kill off the bacteria that are working for you. Suprize most detergents are more easily digested than soap. If you are one of the crowd that use bacterialcide hand washers don't put them down the drain. If you use brine either in a water softener or for making pickles don't dump strong brine down the drain.
All in all you have one of the most efficient sewer treatment systems, the drawback is that they require more maintenance than the old kind. Any questions, post them and I will do my best to answer~gd

Thanks, all!

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Thanks y'all.

Well, legally there are no other options here. It was already installed, so at least I didn't bear any cost for that. I do have to pay the fees for mainentance (again required by law). It's comparable to a sewer charge, I suppose. Less than $20 a month. I'm not sure how much electric it uses, but my bill isn't bad. It DOES have the unit outside my bedroom window, so I can hear a constant slight hum if all is quiet.

I talked to the maintenance guy, who seemed very trustworthy, and he said the bleach requirement is much, much lower than it used to be, so there wasn't (to his mind) a concern about chemicals in the pasture/yard. Bleach in fact damages the system.

All I can say is that about once a day, the sprinklers come on, like an automatic watering system, and spray out water. This happens when the water level in the tank reaches a certain level. So running water in the house causes the sprayer to come on. As I said, when I first moved in, it had a sewage-type smell to it. After having it cleaned, serviced, and all that (the guy didn't even charge for that ... Included in the monthly fee) there is no smell. The grass growing under it grows like there is plenty of water getting to it, but no slimy, smelly, or strange kinds of growth there. The guy did say he wouldn't put his garden under one, in case the system isn't working properly you DO get a sewage-type stuff spraying out. (I know, gross)

That's all I know about it. Well, and it has two caps, there are a couple of filters, and the main tank is filtered before it gets there, then it circulates there and is supposed to break down fast.

I was never planning to seek organic certification, but I do like to grow my own food and treat my food animals as closely as possible.

The good part is that the place it sprays to can be sectioned off, and is not uphill of most of the property.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Thanks, gd!!!

I think you got all my questions while I was explaining further.

I do think the contractor is a good guy, and I'm thankful for that. Thank you for explaining. The system was off for some time, I'm not sure but probably 9 months to 2 years or so. So that explains perfectly. I hope it gets to working right then. He's been back out to check it 2 or 3 times and hasn't said any more about having it pumped.

I don't use anti-bac stuff, or pour grease in the drain, or have a disposal (that's what chickens are for LOL). But I'm glad you mentioned brine. I probably poured 3 gallons of weak brine about 4 months ago. Can't remember if I put it in the sink or out the door. But I won't do it again, thanks.

Most of my cleaning stuff gets poured outside. Hmmmm ... I'm not sure though what's worse/better then for dish/laundry detergent. Except for a little cleaning stuff in showers, toilets, etc. that's going to be the main soap (well my personal soap/shampoo).

I use Dawn dishsoap (regular, not anti-bac) and I make laundry soap using Zote, borax, and washing soda. I hope that's not a particular problem?

I will ask about the type of bleach, thanks again. If I can it's worth it to me to not have it on the grasses. The geese sometimes graze there.

I've never seen any dieback, that's for sure. It's nit super-crazy growth either, though it does seem to favor a weed that looks kinda like clover but remains very close to the ground, which also is NOT a type the animals care to eat.

Thanks again, so much, for the info. I had thought in a way it could be a good thing. It doesn't waste any of the household water. And I will be more careful to try to equalize the usage.

Is there anything else I can add, or ask the contractor to add, to help the system remain healthy?

Thanks!!!

 

[~gd]

Sounds yukky. Not only that, sounds like someone in your county is getting kick-backs from the system installers and maintenance people. I can't believe they would require you to spray your septic fluids out over your property.

Well if you are on solid rock or hardpan or very heavy clay or water table near the surface the only way you could have a traditional septic system would be to have truckloads of proper soil brought in and laid on top of the problem. I am not a huge fan of government either but I don't just assume that they are a bunch of crooks or that nobody in the whole county is smart enough to figure out that they are being taken. Half of my county is red brick clay. If it won't pass the perk test your choice is to do an aerobic treatment system or buy and pay for all that soil to be hauled in. Your leach bed may cost more than your house! And for you people that are on city sewer where does all the treated water from your sewer treatment plant go? I'll bet it ends up in a stream somewhere. the output from our aerobic system (most city sewer systems are aerobic) tests cleaner than our drinking water! The city is so proud of their sewer treatment outlet that they pay to have it stocked with fish. The finest trout around come out of that stream and pond that has no outlet to the sea or another body of water. Heck when wild animals poop in the woods nature handles it with a aerobic system!~gd

 

[~gd]

I have never heard of this type of system....so I did a search. Hmmmm...I don't think I would like it.

An aerobic septic system uses oxygen to stimulate the growth of bacteria, which will help break down wastewater and solids faster. This type of system has a few disadvantages when compared to other types of systems.
Some of these disadvantages include cost, electricity, maintenance, and effectiveness.
One of the main disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is the cost. You will pay much more for this type of system than you would for a convention system. Also, an aerobic septic system will be very expensive to install and maintain.
Another disadvantage of an aerobic septic system is that it requires electricity. Air is circulated through the system through use of electric pumps. Therefore, the site that houses an aerobic septic system has to have electricity. You will also have to pay the cost of this electricity usage. You will also need to secure the motor's electrical plug so that it doesn't accidentally come unplugged from the receptacle.
Maintenance is one of the next disadvantages of an aerobic septic system. This type of system is much more complicated than most other systems. An aerobic septic system also requires more frequent maintenance also. Therefore, this type of system will be more costly to maintain. With more components to the system, the risk of something going wrong increases.
One of the next disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is its effectiveness. Certain things can reduce the effectiveness of this type of system. If harmful chemicals are poured down the train or if it is neglected, an aerobic septic system will not work effectively. This can also occur if the ambient temperature is too low.
One of the final disadvantages of an aerobic septic system is the law. This type of system is not allowed in many municipalities. Therefore, you may not be able to use them in certain locations. You should always check with your town or city before you buy an aerobic septic system.

justusnak I only disagree with your effectiveness coment, most of the same things that will interfer with a aerobic system will foul a conventional septic system the big difference is that the conventional septic system is all underground and you won't know about the failure until 'sewerage springs' develope in your yard and when that happens you are going to have a huge repair bill to fix the mess since it usually has to be dug up to fix. As I mentioned in my long reply to the OP one way to help repair a failed septic system is to switch it to an aerobic system to try to remove enough sludge in the pipes so a tube can be stuffed down them to back flush the system otherwise the pipes all have to be dug up and repaired or replaced.
There is a reason that most city systems are aerobic, proplems are spotted easier before system failure and a trained staff can head off problems by doing maintenance. Most municipalites will allow a aerobic system if you can insure that it is maintained properly and there is a safe way to dispose of the water and sludge produced. ~gd