In areas where there is no public main sewer commercial properties need to have a large tank professionally installed underground to collect all the liquid waste generated by the building’s occupants, from the kitchen sink to the toilets.
As waste water flows into the septic tank, which has a series of compartments, solids settle at the bottom and lighter matter floats to the top. Bacteria biologically break down the pollutants in the effluent before it is directed to a soakaway system or drainage field and is safely dispersed into the groundwater.
Commercial sewage treatment plants are large-scale waste liquid removal systems installed in off-grid settings for properties like small housing developments and industrial units or any other sort of establishment that deals with waste generated by a large number of people. A typical sewage treatment plant consists of several components, including a screening chamber, grit chamber, primary sediment tank, biological treatment tanks, and secondary sediment tank.
A commercial sewage treatment plant initially removes large solids and debris from the wastewater through screening and grit removal processes. The liquid water then passes through a series of tanks where bacteria and microorganisms break down and consume the organic matter. At the end of the process the treated water is discharged into the local environment.
Size is probably the most important factor. To ensure effective and efficient treatment of the waste your commercial property will generate the size of the tank or sewage plant needs to be carefully calculated, which is best done by a professional. A rule of thumb is that a sewage system should be able to handle the waste output of around one third of the workforce or occupants. One of the other most important considerations is to make sure your chosen system complies with both local and national regulations.
Septic tanks vary in size, shape and the material they are made from. Traditionally they were constructed out of brick and concrete, but nowadays septic tanks are usually made of glass reinforced plastic containers, strong but lightweight, ready to be buried in the ground. They can be cylindrical or onion-shaped.
High capacity sewage treatment plants for commercial use are supplied by a variety of manufacturers such as Klargester, Clearwater, Harlequin and Premier Tech. They come in gravity-fed and pumped options and some have added features like easy maintenance access and built in alarms. It’s best to get professional advice as to which type will suit your needs.
A commercial septic tank needs regular maintenance by qualified professionals to keep functioning properly, including pumping, inspections, and bacterial treatment. When it comes to sewage treatment plants these need emptying of sludge at least once a year, along with regular checks for blockages, cleaning of air lines, and replacing of air filters.
While septic tanks that are properly maintained work well and for the most part can stay out of sight and out of mind, there are problems that can cause them to fail with unpleasant consequences. If water backs up in drains, sinks and toilets or foul odours emanate from the drain field emergency repairs by an expert are probably in order due to things like a collapsed baffle, ground movement causing fractures in the walls, or damage to the dip pipes. The same is true of sewage treatment plants which can suffer structural problems, blockages, corrosion or pump failure which needs quick diagnosis and repairs by an expert.
You should be aware of the capacity of your commercial septic tank or sewage treatment plant so as to be alert to when it is due to be emptied of solid waste and sludge build up. The frequency of tank emptying is dictated by the size and capacity of the system – small domestic ones need emptying only every three to five years, but large commercial systems will need regular emptying typically once a year. There are various factors involved in determining the right frequency, and it is best to be guided by the specialists who you use to regularly maintain your system.
The Drain Specialists are an independent firm offering a comprehensive range of septic tank and sewage treatment plant services in Somerset, Wiltshire and Bristol suburbs. We install, maintain, inspect and repair septic systems in towns such as Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham, Corsham, Box, Frome, Keynsham, Kingswood, Midsomer Norton, Saltford, Trowbridge and Warminster. Our drainage engineers also offer high quality CCTV drain camera surveys for domestic and commercial properties.
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