Smelly wastewater treatment unit

aquarius10

We built a new 2 storey house with a wastewater treatment unit & pump and moved in June 2013. After 6 -8 months or so we noticed a very strong smell of sewerage from the area around the percolation unit & pump, so we waited to see if the smell would settle but it didn't.

The area is only 15 feet away from our patio so any day your out in the garden you notice the smell.

We had it de- sludged in April and the smell went away but now in the past week the smell is back !

Any ideas on what's gone wrong ?

Please help

esox28

Call your supplier of treatment system, it ahouldent be smelly at all. Plus the system needs to be 7mtrs from house min.

aquarius10

Thanks for replying esox28 - we did phone a few times at the start but the lady at the company was no help - just fobbed us off - will phone again today & see what happens

Sir Arthur Daley

Have you ponding developing in the percolation area of the lawn, i.e ground wetter than the rest of the lawn?

aquarius10

No ponding that we can see ?

After phoning the installers again today we have been advised to check all the pipes in the system, and to inspect the tank to see if there is a foam scum on top of the surface water in the tank - which there isn't - which means the bacteria are dead and the system is not working and again told to stop using domestos, bloo blocks, any Milton or anything that could kill the bacteria needed for the system to work correctly. I had always been careful not to use too many detergents or domestos but seriously we can't live without some small amount either ?

We found a company online that sell active enzymes & bacteria which we will add to the tank & should help regenerate the system, will stop using fairy, domestos, bloo blocks and see how it goes over the next few weeks. We bought ecover products today and will use them in the meantime - hopefully the smell will improve. According to the husband the tank is around 9 metres from the patio but the smell is still noticeable. Oh the joys of country living

Sir Arthur Daley

Do you have an airater pump on the sewage unit and is the percolation area the one level?

A very cheap way of getting active enzymes & bacteria is a dead animal, a bird would do.

aquarius10

We have a pump and yes the percolation area is level. We'll try the tub of enzymes first before resorting to dead animals

Someone else had mentioned the dead animal before but I'm sure that would smell just as bad ?

Sir Arthur Daley

aquarius10 wrote: »

Someone else had mentioned the dead animal before but I'm sure that would smell just as bad ?

No would not smell at all, i would question if a tank that would be not breaking down the waste be the total reason for the smell.
Where is the storm water drains going to do you know?

aquarius10

Our rainwater and storm water from down pipes is being diverted to a nearby stream in the opposite direction of percolation area.

aquarius10

Update : we got a tub of enzymes called septa clean for €30. We dose it once a month and so far it seems to be working. The odour disappears after a day or 2 so hopefully it will sort itself out now.

We have also stopped using bloo blocks, domestos and fairy liquid. Now using ecover products instead to aid the recovery of the unit.