Septic tank maintenance

August 6th, 2013:

How plastics and nylons from laundry water can cause blockage in a seepage pit.

This article will cover how plastics and nylons from laundry water can cause blockage in a seepage pit. Some homeowners find it very helpful to have seepage pits to help their septic system deal with the wastewater they produce every day. A seepage pit is just like a cesspool when you look at its construction. It is also a huge pit that’s lined with porous blocks or concrete rings to support its walls. It also has a layer of gravel that surrounds it. The only difference is that the seepage pit is supposed to receive fluids only. The pit is constructed next to the septic system to receive the pre-treated effluent. The septic tank is supposed to have the solid waste particles decomposed by its anaerobic bacteria already. The resulting effluent enters the seepage pit and stays there for a while until all of it safely gets absorbed in the surrounding environment. At the seepage pit’s bottom is biomat. It purifies the effluent before it enters the soil surrounding the septic system. Just like the septic system, the seepage pit should have the right size to accommodate the wastewater produced by the household every day. It should also be free of solid waste materials that cannot be decomposed or degraded. Unfortunately, plastics and nylons still enter the septic system and the seepage pit. The seepage pit can still have non-biodegradable materials from greywater especially if you don’t have a greywater system or a dry well.

Laundry water is greywater that’s produced daily, if not, weekly. It is possible that laundry water can carry plastic and nylon pieces and fibers. Plastic is used to manufacture anything. If it is incorporated into fabrics, the result will be a more durable cloth that could even be more resistant to stains and moisture. You should know how plastics and nylons from laundry water can cause blockage in a seepage pit so that you could prevent the malfunction or failure of the entire septic system. This would also ensure the longevity of your seepage pit.

Wastewater treatment in your property will be more efficient if there are no plastic or nylon fibers entering it from the laundry water. you should spearhead this effort to ensure the continuous health and sanitation of your entire property. Making sure that the seepage pit doesn’t acquire plastic and nylon fibers means that you have to perform the following:

  • Repair any synthetic clothes to avoid having plastic fibers in the laundry water.
  • Take note of the washing instructions for every clothing so that the fabric won’t get damaged.
  • Use gentle, environment friendly detergents so that the fibers remain intact and won’t fall apart while they are in the washing machine.
  • Ask your septic expert to install additional filters in the laudry area, inflow pipe, and outflow pipe to make sure that no plastic and nylon materials could clog the seepage pit.
  • Arrange for a dry well or a greywater system installation to lighten the load of your septic tank and seepage pit.
  • Segregate your waste. Do not allow plastic and nylons to enter your drains, even if you do have a garbage disposal unit. Plastic is plastic. It will still clog the seepage pit.You can extend the life of your seepage pit depends greatly on the filters you have installed especially since it also receives blackwater. Debris and fibers should not enter your seepage pit. You should also have intermittent dosing systems to help the seepage pit regulate the amount of wastewater it accommodates.Plastic and nylon materials should never make it into the septic and seepage pit systems. These are synthetic substances and they would only cause more trouble to the system by producing methane as they are degraded. Methane is a flammable, odorless, and colorless gas that is toxic when present in large quantities. Be a responsible property owner. This will enable you to enjoy the property you’ve invested in longer. Having an efficient septic and seepage pit system cold even raise the value of your property higher.