SEWERAGE
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found in kitchen waste. It is
good for the septic tank and
helps to break down the
crust. Such substances were
developed for industrial
kitchens and are now
available for home use.
Another useful strategy to
minimize the effects of fats,
oils and greases is to install "T”
pieces on the inlet pipe in the
septic tank and on the outlet
into the drain field. In both
cases one branch of each T
should be below the surface
of the fluid in the tank. This
will keep most if not all of the
fats, oils and greases out of
the drain-field.
If a grease trap has not been
installed then the system will
need regular doses of a
biological treatment to keep
the fats, oils and greases
under control and the drain
field working.
Note that a grease trap is
installed on the kitchen waste
water line only ~ not, for
obvious reasons, on the toilet
sewers.
Many believe that, when their
tanks malfunction, they can
save themselves the cost of a
professional emptying by
pumping the liquid in the
tank out themselves,
"skelmpie-skelmpie" into a
disused part of the garden.
Quite apart from the flies and
smell this causes, this won't
help in the long run because
the liquid is required in the
tank for it to operate correctly.
The septic system won't work
any better simply because the
solids in the tank are now
more "concentrated" by the
removal of only the liquid.
This liquid also contains many
things that are dangerous to
humans and animals.
Another old wives tale is that
a septic tank can be "kickstarted" into action by tossing
in a dead chicken, an idea
which is as ludicrous as
throwing a handful of biltong
down the loo as a "starter'.
How will you know when
your tank ceases to function
optimally? The following
symptoms indicate that the
septic tank system is not
working efficiently or maybe
not at all:
K Noticeable smells inside or
outside the house.
K Flies around the tank or
drain field.
K Water or sewage lifting and
flowing out of the septic tank
manholes.
K Marshy areas or even
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water running from the drainfield, usually accompanied by
a strong toilet smell.
K Basins, showers or toilets
slow to drain.
In such cases the tank may
require pumping out to sort
out some of these problems,
but most will respond to a
biological treatment or two to
restore the bacteria in the
tank to health. This will kickstart or boost the stopped or
stalled natural action of the
tank and drain field. If the
drain-field is badly blocked
with fats, oils and greases it
may take time and need
several doses of liquid
biological drain cleaner direct
into the drain-field inlet pipe.
A monthly maintenance
treatment with a biological
product will keep the tank
and drain-field working and
increase the time between
pump-outs. It will also keep
the fats and oils from blocking
the drain field.