The Problem
True Water often gets calls to replace home sewage systems that have failed, smelly and no longer compliant with current regulations. Other systems are in poor repair, unsightly, emitting odours or just wearing out. Some of these systems are old but others are just poorly designed and have failed at an early stage in their life. This system was one of those instances.
The property owners said the system itself had never worked properly. The system servicing agent had also advised them that he was no longer willing to service the system. An additional problem was the land application area. This is the area where the treated water is dispersed and normally this all happens out of sight and out of mind. In this instance, wet patches were developing indicating a failure or fault in the dispersal system. With poorly treated water going into the environment, and a groundwater bore on site, it was imperative that a solution was found quickly.
The Initial Assessment
The first thing we needed to do was to assess the site. The old system was set beneath trees, but access was available. The orginal failing system could not be rectified and it grew worse over time. If your servicing agent refuses to service it, you know you are well overdue for a new system. Often it is a bad installation or the installation of an unsuitable system that starts the problems.
The system itself had several problems. The system was not treating the water properly causing a bad smell and the discharge of poorly treated water. The concrete tank itself had not been manufactured well. The concrete was already beginning to crumble. Crumbling concrete can cause breaches between the treatment chambers and sediments in the system. The system controller was also missing with the aerator and pump hard-wired in.
The old land application area (LAA) was not installed in a good location as it was beneath trees and in the shade. The shade and cover from the trees reduced sunlight and wind, inhibiting evaporation from the LAA. Tree roots could potentially grow in and cause problems and blockages as well.
The old system had recently been disconnected from the LAA. There was too much sediment in the water from the poor treatment. This had caused the LAA to block up and fail as well. If a system has an issue from the start, it often snowballs causing more problems throughout the whole cycle. Poorly treated water being disposed of incorrectly quickly becomes a problem. It can cause health and safety issues for people and pets. In addition, the receiving environment is negatively impacted.
Designing a New Fit for Purpose System for the Home
Decommissioning the old system was the only realistic choice. It was well beyond saving so planning for the new system was the next thing to do. The replacement system of choice was the Fuji Clean CE1500EX. The owners wanted a durable system with high-quality treatment. The guarantee of no noise or odour was also a big highlight. The Fuji Clean is a compact and lightweight system making it easy to install in the confined area. Placement near the old system reduced the need for running new infrastructure and made the switch from old to new system quicker and easier.
A new LAA was assessed and planned as well. Correctly assessing the site and installing the appropriate LAA is often overlooked. Many people mainly focus on the treatment system itself and forget the importance of the LAA. Things such as soil type, slope or aspect, vegetation cover, weather patterns, flood plains, and nearby waterways, are all things that need to be considered. Our technician was able to design a much more appropriate and suitable LAA.
A bad wastewater system will reduce the effectiveness and life span of the LAA. This is another reason why the Fuji Clean HSTP is our system of choice for home sewage treatment. With an industry leading reliability and quality of output, a well designed LAA will work faultlessly for many years.
It is surprising how many ways a system installation can go wrong. This is why your local council stipulates that you use a qualified professional.
The Process Begins
Once assessed and with new plans in place, we than assisted with the council application for the new system. With our expertise and years of experience, we have developed a seamless process from start to finish. From the soil tests we take and analyse, to the systems we supply and install ourselves, we know how the whole process works and can lay it out perfectly for council application. It is just another step in our full-service package.
The removal of the old concrete system required a bit of work. Luckily concrete systems are becoming a thing of the past. They are bulkier and heavy to install requiring a truck and crane to get into place. The modern fibre reinforced plastic of the Fuji Clean is very durable, but also lightweight and compact. This helps make installation much cheaper and simpler. Service technicians prefer the Fuji Clean as well. It is much easier for them to lift a reinforced plastic lid, rather than a heavy concrete lid when servicing. Concrete lids are also much easier to drop and break.
Compare the Systems: Fuji Clean is the best choice for Home Sewage Treatment
New System Installation
Once in place, the majority of the Fuji Clean sat flush with the ground creating a lower profile. The components above ground are protected by a durable cover. This cover offers protection from the elements, wayward palm fronds, footballs, excited dogs, or any other item with a mind of its own. The Fuji Clean quickly blends in to its environment.
One the main reasons we chose the Fuji Clean is the high level of treatment it offers. Over many years of research & development Fuji Clean have managed to design a system that is simple, yet highly effective. The actual treatment process between the old and new system is quite different. The process is the same in theory but the design and manufacture of the Fuji Clean mean the wastewater passes through a much more thorough treatment process.
The power requirements of the Fuji Clean are much less than the system it replaced. This will bring benefits long into the future with it designed to have a reassuring 50-year lifespan. The LAA is now in a much better location making it more efficient. The clean treated water will be much better for the environment than the contaminated water of the old failing system. The Fuji Clean will now offer years of quiet and clean performance. This adds value to the home itself and comes with added peace of mind for the home owners.
Quote from the owners;
“True Water has been very professional and any dealings with them were quick to be responded to. It was easy and straight forward.”
