Septic systems and water treatment plants are responsible for treating and disposing of wastewater generated by your household, to ensure the water is safe for reuse on your lawn or garden and in case any animals or people come in contact with it. As such, they’re a great way to boost your sustainability and lower water bills, but they require regular maintenance to keep them functioning properly.

Whether you have a traditional septic tank or an advanced wastewater and irrigation system, the upkeep is similar. However, even with proper installation and regular maintenance, they can still experience issues–like anything else.

To help you avoid costly repairs, environmental contamination and potential health hazards, and troubleshoot any issues that you may be having, this post will explore common septic system issues, their causes, and how to fix them.

Common Water Treatment Plant Issues

Water treatment plants and septic systems can experience various issues throughout their lifetime that impact how well they work and cause health or environmental hazards. These issues can include:

  • Clogged Drains: Clogged drains are one of the most common septic system issues. This can be caused by grease buildup, tree roots growing into the pipes, or flushing non-biodegradable items like sanitary products or wipes.
  • Backup or Overflows: If your septic tank is not properly maintained or if it’s overwhelmed with too much water at once, it can lead to backups or overflows, which can cause sewage to surface in your yard or even back up and flood your home.
  • Bad Smells or Odours: Water treatment systems can release bad smells or odours over time if the biological activity drops. This is usually caused by disinfectants or antibacterial cleaners being flushed through the system.
  • Old Age: Septic systems typically have a lifespan of 20-30 years. As they age, they can become less efficient and more prone to issues.
  • Power Failure: In advanced systems such as Aqua Advanced, the irrigation pump requires electricity to run. If the power is disconnected the alarm should sound. Once power is restored, give the system a few hours to catch up; once normal levels are restored the alarm will stop.

Fixes for Septic System Issues

Most of these issues have simple fixes that you can either complete yourself or that a qualified technician can tackle for you. The first step is to check for blockages and flush them out with hot water and septic-safe soap or baking soda and vinegar.

If this doesn’t work, the issue may be further down the pipes or in the irrigation system. With the Aqua Advanced Wastewater system, you can check opening a relief valve or disconnecting a union near the pump to see if water is trying to flow. If water is trying to flow but can’t it’s likely an issue with the irrigation system that needs to be fixed by your service provider. 

Your service provider will also be able to check for blockages or damage within the system and remove or repair them to get your water flowing freely again.

If the issue is just that your system is old, your service provider should also be able to help you with the process of pumping out your existing system to get it replaced with a newer, more advanced model.

Regular Maintenance Tips

For many water treatment plants and septic tanks, issues can be avoided by making a few simple household changes and performing routine maintenance:

  • Pump Your Tank Regularly: Over time your septic tank can fill with debris from cleaning your water and overwhelm your tank. To avoid this, you should have your septic tank pumped every 3-5 years or as recommended by your servicing technician.
  • Monitor Water Usage: Be mindful of your water usage and avoid using excessive amounts of water simultaneously as it can overwhelm the tank if it can’t pump out the water quickly enough.
  • Inspect Your System: Like any plumbing fixture, these systems are susceptible to wear and tear and can crack, leak or become damaged. It’s important to regularly inspect your system and have any damages repaired quickly.
  • Be Mindful of What You Flush: Many household products can cause issues for septic tanks. While you should be aware of the common things to avoid such as sanitary products, wipes, fats, oils, grease and hair. With septic systems, you also need to be mindful of the cleaning products you use. Antibacterial and disinfectant cleaners can disrupt the biological activity in the tank making it ineffective.

Maintain an Effective Water Treatment System

By understanding the signs of common septic system and water treatment plant issues, their causes, and how to fix them, you can avoid costly repairs and prevent environmental contamination. Knowing how to troubleshoot issues and maintain your systems effectively will ensure your property is safe and that these sustainable measures save you money rather than cost it.

At Everhard Industries, we are passionate about eco-solutions and sustainability in all aspects of our business and want to help you do your part too. That’s why we are dedicated to designing and manufacturing high-quality water treatment plants that provide safe and reliable treatment of wastewater for irrigation, such as our traditional septic tanks and Aqua Advanced Wastewater Systems.