Commercial septic tanks are relatively cheap to operate and can last up to 40 years, as long as you ensure they are properly maintained. The specific maintenance tasks will depend on the type of landscape and the age of the septic tank, but you can follow these maintenance best practices.
Keep Up with the Emptying Schedule
According to the Environmental Agency, commercial waste disposal from a septic tank should happen at least once a year. Doing this avoids blockages, overflowing, soakaways, and horrific smells, which can be harmful to people’s health. A reputable commercial waste collection Bristol company like Anderson’s Waste Management will be able to take care of this and much more.
Don’t Let Cars Park on the Drain Field
The area around your septic tanks needs to have lawn grass coverage, which facilitates exchanging oxygen to feed the bacteria at work around the tank. Therefore, you must protect the area and its surroundings from damage. You can do this by cordoning off an area to prevent cars from parking in the vicinity.
Avoid Flushing Garbage
You must put clear processes in place to avoid visitors and staff from flushing garbage, which will block the septic system. The type of garbage you need to avoid flushing are feminine hygiene products, nappies, and plastic bags.
Even if you put these regulations in place, it can be difficult to manage. Therefore, you must have the system regularly checked for blockages. As well as having this done during your annual commercial grease trap and commercial waste oil disposal, you can learn how to check the system yourself.
Never Flush Oils
Many people don’t understand that oil acts differently from water when flushed through the septic tank system. If you have too much oil released into the drainage field, you’ll need to have the area replaced, which is extremely expensive. Therefore, you should educate your employees on how to properly dispose of oil wastage.
Avoid Planting Anything Near the Drain Field
You need to take every measure to prevent damaging the pipes running underground, which means never planting shrubs and bushes in the area. If you do this, the roots will run deep enough to pierce the pipes, which will leave you facing costly repairs. As a rule, you should leave 100ft between the septic tank area and any planting.
Steer Rainwater Away from the Drain Field
If the drainfield becomes waterlogged, it won’t be able to cope with incoming waste. Therefore, you need to put measures in place to steer rainwater away from the area. To do this, you can install a series of gutters on the ground, which will take rainwater away from the septic tank.
Install Quality Urinals and Toilets
Flushing toilets in an office building accounts for roughly 43% of all water consumption in an office building, and this figure can be much higher in other commercial buildings. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have high-quality urinals and toilets installed, which don’t use as much water to clear waste.
Keeping commercial septic tanks well-maintained is essential for keeping the environment and people safe, and is the only way to avoid paying for costly repairs.
