You can manage water effectively in rural Australia by installing a domestic wastewater treatment system. However, you should remember that even household wastewater contains contaminants, which can degrade water quality. Thus, proper installation and maintenance of on-site treatment systems are crucial for minimising the impact of wastewater on ground and surface water. This post highlights top strategies for improving wastewater treatment and reducing groundwater contamination.
Minimise the Quantity of Wastewater
One of the easiest ways to reduce the possibility of wastewater contamination is minimising the amount the quantity coming from your household. It is because household members have full control over how much water they use. You can minimise water usage by reducing non-functional usage and using front-loading washers and efficient plumbing systems. However, you must raise awareness in your household so that all family members are on board. As long as water usage remains low, wastewater is treated efficiently since it spends more time in a treatment system, ensuring adequate settling, decomposition, and aeration. Besides, the presence of limited water in holding tanks means fewer pumping sessions.
Quality of Wastewater
The quality of water entering a wastewater treatment system also determines possible contamination levels. Typically, 99% of household wastewater is dirty water, meaning that it contains small amounts of contaminants. However, even small amounts of pollutants can completely degrade ground and surface water quality and render it useless. For instance, inadequately untreated wastewater has low oxygen levels, which kills underwater flora and fauna. The same happens if low levels of scum and sludge are gradually released from a wastewater treatment system. Therefore, reduce your garbage disposal unit's use and avoid flushing toxic substances and non-biodegradable solids through a treatment system. The steps will significantly reduce the quantity of contaminants passing through your treatment system, reducing contamination risk.
Effective Wastewater Collection
The above strategies account for nothing if your treatment system does not collect all the wastewater leaving your household. It often happens when you directly pour out wastewater or in the event of leaks. The two scenarios allow untreated wastewater to mix with and contaminate underground water sources. To effectively collect all the wastewater generated in your home, ensure that the plumbing system has no leaks. Also, encourage family members to pour used water into designated drainages. This way, you can rest assured that the wastewater leaving a treatment system is free of contaminants and safe for domestic use.
If you want to improve your domestic wastewater treatment system, talk to a wastewater professional in your area.
Share11 March 2021
We aren't on the main sewer line on our property and it's always been an issue getting the septic tank emptied in winter when the road gets muddy and trucks get bogged. As a result, we decided to switch to composting toilets in the home. It's been a great option to get our toileting waste minimised and to help the environment at the same time. It's a bit of an adjustment period when you move to a composting toilet so I thought I'd start a blog explaining the process. I hope it will be useful for other people who have septic tanks and are contemplating making the switch.
