Thread: Septic Tank: how often to clean?
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Old 04-12-2007, 09:27 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Mary Fisher Mary Fisher is offline
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Default Septic Tank: how often to clean?

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
T...
In article ,
says...

"Malcolm" wrote in message
...




I've lived with septic tanks (if you get my meaning!) for the last 35
years. At our last house, we had it emptied about every three years,
which
seemed to be adequate until the day it started overflowing following a
torrential downpour, which just happened to coincide with higher than
normal use of baths, etc. The clear-up was not pleasant and involved
some
expensive alterations. I've gone for annual emptying ever since, which
has
been well worth the cost, in my view. I now have a standing order with
the
local council and don't even have to remember to ask for it to be
emptied.

A daughter lives on a Welsh mountain with a septic tank, they've been
there
for at least twelve years and have never had the tank emptied. I thought
the
system developed bacteria which dealt with solids and they drained away
harmlessly.

Hers is an organic farm and she is scrupulous about not allowing anything
which would be hostile to the bacteria down the drain. She uses special
dishwasher tablets, laundry and other preparations. There are two adults
and
a small child so baths are frequent and laundry is too - she only uses
washable nappies.

When we go we live in our tiny caravan and have to use similar
bacteria-friendly products if we empty into the tank - which we do. When
I
use conventional washing up liquid for dishes the waste is poured into a
ditch.

I daren't do anything else!

Mary



Its certainly the case that a good tank is better than mains drainage and
won't cost you as much!
Modern toilet cleaners & biological washing powders will cause tanks to
not work as well and to need emptying more often. Synthetic cloth fibres
also build up but more slowly.
Our tank has been emptied once in the last 150 years! but was absolutley
solid and took a lot of effort to get it done (no smell at all)

And jolly useful stuff for the garden I suspect :-=)

Mary


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