When we moved here to the farm, there was an old anaerobic system in place and we learned very quickly that the clay soil underlying the leach field could not handle much waste water, especially when the ground was saturated with moisture. So, if it rained much at all, the soil was not able to absorb any waste water and we very often had sewage back up into our ground floor shower! To say this was repulsive is an understatement.
So, we started checking into an Aerobic system to handle the waste water. Aerobic systems rely on aerobic bacteria to decompose the waste. These bacteria use oxygen to help break down the waste and generally do a much faster, cleaner job of it than anaerobic bacteria. However, they do require oxygen. So, air has to be bubbled through the waste water and this requires electricity to run a small air pump. Here is an above ground picture of our system:
Our system has two underground tanks. The first tank holds the waste water while the aerobic bacteria do their work. As the water rises to the top of the first tank it falls over into the second tank. In doing so, it runs over a stack of chlorine tablets to further purify it. The water in this second tank is clear and odorless. There is a sprinkler system connected to the second tank that is set to come on during the middle of the night and sprinkles the water from the second tank onto the grass at the edge of the yard.
All in all, we've been very happy with our aerobic system.
We're thinking about building a shop with a bathroom/shower in it--so great post!! How do you keep your sprinkler from the 2nd tank from freezing during the winter? Does the sprinkler run every night or are there times when the 2nd tank isn't full enough to run the sprinkler?
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 sprinklers and they are the "pop-up" kind that are forced up by the pressure of the water. We don't normally have to worry about them freezing up unless we have a layer of ice or deep snow covering them. Even on a night when it is below freezing, they will pop up and sprinkle the surrounding area. In the morning you can see where they have sprinkled because there will be a thin layer of ice on the grass around them. The times we've had ice or snow, they seem to try to pop up, but if unable to do so, then they just kind of spew out right there where they are. The sprinkler heads are Rainbird and can be replaced fairly easy. I ran over one with the riding lawn mower set too low one time and Tom had to replace it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. The lines that actually feed the sprinkler heads haven't frozen? Of course this winter I'm sure that hasn't been an issue!
DeleteCara
The lines that feed the sprinkler heads are buried a couple of feet deep. They didn't freeze last winter when it was below zero, so I'm thinking they never will!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this! I have three questions:
ReplyDeleteMay I ask, your land didn't have to "perk" as it does with a conventional anaerobic drainfield?
And also, about how much total land would you say your entire system takes up? I'm looking for something I can install on about an acre of land with pasture and clay soil and wonder how far away your sprinkler system is from the tanks, plus how much space they need to operate?
Did you have to have your old anaerobic/drainfield removed before installing this one?
1) Right. The land does not have to "perk" because the waste water is sprayed out onto the top of the soil through the lawn sprinklers during the night, just as if it were a lawn watering system. The waste water runs through a tube that contains chlorine tablets before it is sprayed out and has no smell after it has been through the aerobic system. Hard to believe, but it is true.
Delete2) An acre should be enough. I think the sprinklers could be arranged in different configurations. Ours has 2 sprinkler heads that are connected in series, one lone line. The first is about 25 feet from the tank and the second is perhaps 50 feet beyond that one. If you have a water well, you would want the sprinklers to be a ways away from that. Pasture land would be ideal.
3) They had to remove part of the old drainfield when digging the line for the sprinkler heads, but other than that, we left the rest of the drainfield in place. Of course, it is not connected to the aerobic system. We just did not want to pay more to have all that dug up and removed.
Good luck with whatever you decide! We've been very happy with our system.
Thank you so much for your thorough reply! It's nice to read about this from real people rather than only the suppliers. I currently have a conventional anaerobic system that's working okay -- 3 tanks right outside my house and a pump in the 3rd tank that takes the effluent 500 feet far away into the wooded section of my property which is the only area that perks. (Needs a pump cuz it's so far away). Over the years, the woods have gotten thick over the drainfield and I realize it would take 1000s of dollars just in excavation to find any problem that occurred out there. I'd love to eventually get an aerobic system closer to my house and stop worrying about that drainfield way out in the woods.
ReplyDeleteAny chance you'd be willing to share the initial price for yours (I realize they would all differ) and the company you used?
Also, do you have a well? I do, and if you have one, I'm wondering how far away you were told the system had to be. Thank you.
We have a Clearstream system and it cost $5500 installed. We do have a water well. When I checked my file to see how much we paid for the system, I noticed there was a DEQ filing that the installer had to file with the DEQ before installing the system. It shows that the water well in 105 feet from the tank and 85 feet from the nearest sprinkler head. It also shows that the first sprinkler head is 100 feet from the tank and the second is 70 feet from the first one. So, I was quite a bit off in my estimate of how far that first sprinkler was from the tank! At any rate, looks like the well being 105 feet from the tank and 85 feet from the sprinkler was sufficient for it to pass inspection. It might be a good idea to check with the local DEQ office in your county and see what the limits are. Hope this helps!
DeleteThanks again. You have been so much help. Really nice of you to have given all those specific facts. As mentioned before, there's just something so helpful about a real person's actual story, even if everyone's situation will of course be different.
ReplyDelete