3118 Septic tanks

[QUOTE=Tony Procter]Has anybody had a Reed Bed Filter fitted to the outfall of their Septic Tank ?[/QUOTE]
I've been reading about alternative waste disposal systems etc v.interesting.
too late for us anyway as we already have a tank the eventual drain off of water is in a 40 metre long trench filled with gravel with a dispertion tube in it.
There are however laws concerning these things and have discoveredin some regions ,circumstances permitting you can in fact avoid a tank almost completely using certain kinds of trees plants etc but not everywhere i'd be interested to hear the outcome if you have a geometra he'd know about these things.

[QUOTE=Sebastiano]I've been reading about alternative waste disposal systems etc v.interesting.
too late for us anyway as we already have a tank the eventual drain off of water is in a 40 metre long trench filled with gravel with a dispertion tube in it.
There are however laws concerning these things and have discoveredin some regions ,circumstances permitting you can in fact avoid a tank almost completely using certain kinds of trees plants etc but not everywhere i'd be interested to hear the outcome if you have a geometra he'd know about these things.[/QUOTE]

Quite an interesting topic, in a 'nerdy' sort of way. Reed bed filtration is not new. I have seen a industrial size filtration system at work on an organic farm and was amazed at the results. This well known farm in Berkshire had, at the time, a water usage of about 150,000 litres per day ! The water entering the system was filthy. Using reed bed filters in various stages and natural aeration, the water eventually went into 2 lakes at the bottom of a natural slope, one lake you could swim in and the other was destined to have edible fish in it to serve in the restaurant at the Visitors Centre. I shall be installing 2 Reed Beds at the outfall of my own septic tank installation to clean up the water. Should anybody be intersted, I have all the info to hand.

Hi All

I have 2 huge septic tanks in a large commercial property. We discharge the foul water into the surrounding land (we discharge into shale which "soaks away" all water within minutes.

I have been told that within 50 metres all of the microbes in the soil and shale have cleansed the "grey water" so it is perfectly drinkable at that 50m stage.

Building regulations where I live ideally look for 100m separation between wells and "soakaways"

Therefore reed beds are a nice touch when (a) the rock below the soil cannot take the grey water away. & (b) it is also nice to see it perfectly clean on the surface before it goes elsewhere.

I personally don't think it makes much difference at the end of the day! One way you see it, the other you don't!!

Just my experience!! - SicilyNewbie

Hi Tony,

I'm just looking in this kind of reed bed filtering and would be interested to hear from your experience.

tx

Ronald

Just remember the mosquito...

Our Geometra (our 'ruin' is in Ripe San Ginesio) who is coincidentally also called Sebastiano suggested a reed bed filtration systrem which I had never heard of. However, Marche (at leat where our house is) has soil with a very high clay content which causes 'soakaways' major problems as the salts etc in effluent react with the clay particles to create, over time, a hard waterproof impenetrable barrier causing the system to back up. This means the whokle bed would need to be replaced on a regular basis which is a costly exercise. The only other option would be a cesspit requiring regular emptying. These reed bed systems require, I believe far less area than conventional soakaways as the water is far cleaner so the bacteria breakdown in the soil around the perforated pipes is not as critical as the reed bed has already done much of the work through the plants. i am not sure they replace the septic tank though as you still need separation of solids from the liquid effluent. I think the bed actually adds a stage between the tank and the soakaway drainfield.

The type of Reed Beds I will install consist of purpose made containers filled with clay granules. The reeds are planted in the clay granules and 'feed' on the nitrates etc in the discharge water. usually the containers are about 2m by 1m by 60cm deep. 1 or more may be required in the septic tank outfall. I have very good product information if anybody is interested. I am also putting in a system to recycle the rainwater.