Septic Tank Aeration Process Explained

A septic tank aeration system is much like a regular septic tank. Both of these types of sewage treatment systems hold the waste water and solids from a household or business. As such they both filter out the liquid from the solids and then disperse it into a leach field for filtering and assimilation back into the soil. Many homeowners do not understand how the septic tank aeration differs from that of a normal septic tank system. This short guide will help to make better sense of this aeration system.

Biggest Difference

For the most part, both of the sewage treatment systems are generally alike. However, there is one glaring difference. This is in the cost. The tank aeration system is costly to install, operate, and maintain. This tank aeration system works through electrical power. This means that it is always using electricity from your home in order to keep the septic tank functioning properly. This can add up to large dollars each year.

The septic tank aeration system also requires service technicians to maintain it make any necessary repairs. There is also the initial cost of the system. It can cost 50 to 70 percent more than a traditional septic tank system.

Basic Septic Tank Aeration Information

The system is built around the large holding tank. There are three different compartments as opposed to two in a normal tank system. Each of the separate containers have an opening near the top so that the waste water can flow and leave the solids behind. There is a filter in place that keeps the solid material from entering the other chambers. Contained within the second chamber is an electrical aerator. It is accessible by a hatch above it for maintenance and repairs. For the aerator to work properly the floor in the third compartment is sloped for the liquids to be able to flow back into the second compartment.

How It All Works

As the waste flows into the tank it is divided into waste and liquid. The solids drop to the bottom of the first chamber. From this first chamber the liquid goes into the second where the aerator is housed. This machine then forces oxygen bubbles into the water to speed up the growth of bacteria. This bacteria then works at breaking down the solids which minimizes the times the tank needs to be pumped out. As the waste flows into the third chamber it is forced into the second compartment again for more treatment.

Benefits of Tank Aeration

While the cost of operating a tank aeration sewage system is costly there are some major advantages of it. The first one being that the solid wastes are broken down much faster and do not need to be pumped out as often. This means less is found being dumped into ponds and rivers.

Disadvantage of System

The entire tank aeration is built on the center aerator that does the work. If the power goes out for a long length of time, then it can mean a back up of waste into the drains and home. However, adding a generator for this scenario is highly recommended.