Why a treatment plant needs servicing
A sewage treatment plant relies on equipment to work: an air blower or compressor, or a motor that turns the discs, and sometimes a pump. When one of these stops, treatment stops, and untreated waste water goes out through the discharge. A plant can fail without any sign indoors, so a regular service is how most faults are found.
In England, the general binding rules require the owner of a small sewage discharge to keep the system maintained as the manufacturer specifies and to have faults repaired straight away. The government's guide to septic tanks and sewage treatment plants explains the duties.
What a service usually covers
- Checking the blower, compressor or motor, and replacing filters and diaphragms that have worn.
- Checking the air diffusers or the rotating discs.
- Testing any pump, float switch and alarm.
- Checking the electrical supply and control panel.
- Measuring the sludge level and saying whether the plant is due for emptying.
- Looking at the quality of the treated water leaving the plant.
- A written report of what was found and done.
Keep the reports. They show the plant has been maintained, and a buyer's solicitor will ask for them if you sell.
Signs a plant needs attention now
- An alarm sounding or a warning light.
- A blower that has gone quiet, or is much louder than usual.
- A smell around the plant or at the discharge point.
- Cloudy or grey water at the outfall.
- Drains that are slow across the whole property.
How to get a quote
Use the form at the top of the page. Tell us the make and model if you know it, how many people the plant serves, and what the problem is if there is one. We pass your request to firms that service this type of system in your area. Servicing is specialist work and not every emptying firm offers it, so we match the request to the work.