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What is the best sewage treatment system?

(41 posts) (21 voices)
  • Started 11 years ago by aussiesue
  • Latest reply from Greg

Tags:

  • Advanced Enviro-Septic system
  • eco toilet
  • Eco-Friendly Worm Farm Septic Tank System
  • Ecosafe
  • effluent
  • grey water
  • Greywater
  • home sewage treatment plant
  • HSTP
  • Jette
  • nutrients
  • Septic
  • septic system
  • septic tank treatment chemicals
  • sewerage
  • sub surface irrigation
  • Treatment
  • waste water
  • waste water treatment
  • wastewater treatment
  • Wormfarm
« Previous12
  1. Kerryn

    Kerryn
    Member

    Hey,
    I'm after some advice from anyone able.
    I am buying about 40 acres down the south end of NSW to use as rec land it is a bush block and we are seeing if council will let us build a mud brick cabin on it for when we dont want to camp.

    It has running water going through the property (a stream and swimming hole)-Not sure if thats important when planning theses things - but no town plumbing and power,
    so basically the cabin will have to be self serficaint, so solar power and and eco friendly waste management system - on site - along with tank water,
    So it can not be a high water use system, and as it will only be for rec use it will only have people living there a few months max out of the year and not grouped as a month at a time (average a week at a time spreed out)
    so it needs to survive a long time without human contact, i was looking for info on the worm waste set ups but im unsure if this is the right thing as i dont know if they will live long without "Food" - as long as 6 months without human contact-
    if anyone is able to give me adivice on what system would be suited i would be thankful also will i need two different systems for water and waste? or is there a system that connects the lot - shower/bath/toilet/sinks?, oh and is there a system which i could service rather than calling someone to help?

    anyway i would be thankful for any advice and help on the subject or even some links to some helpful sites as you all might know councils are very helpful except in taking your money and giving you the run around

    Posted Monday 18 Jun 2012 @ 1:25:23 am from IP #
  2. Bushwalker

    Bushwalker
    Member

    Noticed this post on another forum I visit. It's an installation and 4 year report on the Novaclear wastewater system.

    http://www.renovateforum.com/f194/new-wastewater-plant-installed-last-65527/

    Sounds like he's been through the mill, but also good to see owners capable of working through system problems and sharing their results too!

    BW

    Posted Tuesday 19 Jun 2012 @ 11:28:36 pm from IP #
  3. Jette

    Jette
    Member

    We had an Aqaureuse waste water recycling system installed in inner-Brisbane in 2008. Greywater from anywhere but the kitchen sink (silly restriction by council) is collected then trickled through layers of worm beds and re-used in toilets, washing machine and non-edible gardens. The worms coped well with commercial shampoos, hair dyes etc that the teenagers insisted on using, although I stuck with eco friendly cleaners otherwise.

    Great system and support, highly recommended, and I believe the system can also treat blackwater but check with the distributor. The system had to be rebuilt after the floods as it was completely submerged, the guys were great and it was operational again within a short timeframe.

    We've now in a different council area and have just installed an Advanced Enviro-Septic system. Because the water table is so high in this area, a raised bed had to be installed for the pipework, rather than laying it sub-surface. Although fully lined, we're noticing a lot of water leaking from all around the raised bed, making the ground very soggy but there's no odour so I guess that's something.

    Does anyone have any feedback they could share on their experiences with the AES Advanced Enviro-Septic system?

    Posted Friday 7 Sep 2012 @ 1:37:40 am from IP #
  4. Greg C

    Greg C
    Member

    I visited two houses a few years ago on Sustainable House Day that had disconnected from Sydney Water and harvest and handle all their water and waste water on site.

    http://sustainablehouse.com.au/downloads/Concord%20Sustainable%20House.pdf

    The guy behind is Michael Mobbs and his house was the most impressive, inner city terrace with very little land area to use

    Posted Thursday 4 Oct 2012 @ 12:29:29 pm from IP #
  5. jacobk80

    jacobk80
    Member

    After months of shopping and research I decided to choose the Advanced Enviro-Septic system.
    That was in 2011 and we have now had it installed for 4 years and have not spent a sent. It does not use electricity and I don't have any strange service people entering my property every 3 months.

    Posted Tuesday 7 Apr 2015 @ 4:34:41 am from IP #
  6. ezpz

    ezpz
    Member

    Hi all
    I am researching an environmentally and electrical usage friendly option for a sewerage system, I have also come across the Advanced Enviro-Septic system and also the Eco-Friendly Worm Farm Septic Tank System. Quote: "These systems allow for the efficient converting of organic waste, sewage and waste water on site into a reusable liquid fertiliser that is distributed underground throughout your property.... Household cleaners will not kill the worms and the system will not fail as a result of medications taken"
    Is there anyone that can offer feedback to the Eco-Friendly Worm Farm Septic Tank System or any other passive septic system out there that is not listed here, would be appreciated.
    thanks
    pete

    Posted Wednesday 17 Aug 2016 @ 3:47:00 am from IP #
  7. Greg

    Greg
    Member

    Where are you located ezpz? Regs vary somewhat round Australia. Here is a NSW link that might help as you need approved systems
    http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/domesticwastewater/Pages/default.aspx

    Posted Wednesday 17 Aug 2016 @ 5:01:26 am from IP #
  8. wormfarm blues

    wormfarm blues
    Member

    Regulations on using primary treated effluent out of a worm farm septic do vary around Australia as Greg says. You need to find out what you are allowed to do with it.

    I have no idea who Eco-Friendly are, or the details of their system, and my comments are general ones about worm farm septics.

    Be aware that the effluent from a wormfarm septic is nutrient rich and plant and grass roots will hunt into whatever pipework you might lay, and eventually block it completely. This includes your sand filter distribution system. Your installation will need to have some provision to allow effective unblocking of these.

    If you plan to manually distribute your wormfarm septic effluent, then you need to remember that you would be handling potentially pathogenic bacteria and you need to be very mindful of hygiene. This also applies whenever you are doing maintenance on your system.

    My main issue these days, is that in the real world a lot more maintenance is required than you realise. You need to be able to clean out whatever traps your system has for worm castings regularly and effectively otherwise they will flow into your distribution system and be another cause of blockages.

    Our distribution system blocked up with grass roots after 4 years use with only 2 people in the house. We now have inspection ports fitted to the distribution lines, and I intend to get a plumber to do a sewer snake job every 12-18 mths to ensure it is free of plant roots.

    Cheaper/easier maintenance than a traditional septic and field drain? Probably not. I am reconciled to the expectation of having to replace the system completely within another 6-8 years, and this will mean having to replace the septic tank as well.

    Posted Thursday 18 Aug 2016 @ 8:30:07 am from IP #
  9. nicholas

    nicholas
    Member

    I'm currently researching http://www.wormsmart.com.au

    Has anyone had any experience with their system?

    Posted Saturday 20 Aug 2016 @ 8:33:22 am from IP #
  10. Lise

    Lise
    Member

    In NSW you can just have a septic and trench but it depends on the size of the house and the soil type. Most properties will require secondary treatment so you need some sort of treatment system which removes nutrients. The land application area also needs to be around 100 m from a creek which can make it difficult.

    Wormfarms usually don’t provide nutrient removal and may not be accepted in all situations. You could put in a wetland system such as the EcoCell http://www.ecoteam.com.au/ecocell which will remove nutrient but won't use any power and as far as I know won’t cause the trenches to get blocked

    Posted Thursday 13 Oct 2016 @ 11:12:38 pm from IP #
  11. Greg

    Greg
    Member

    Reed beds a re pretty effective at removing nutrients. If you have enough space for an absorption trench you should be able to fit a reed bed or two.

    Posted Friday 14 Oct 2016 @ 3:56:48 am from IP #

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