Overflowing ConSept aka Failed Soakaway

17 August 2020

What was the problem?

The customer's ConSept had overflowed in the distribution chamber, and the distribution chamber (downstream of the ConSept in the Klargester Septic Tank) was overflowing onto the lawn. From the pictures below, you can see that there had been a plant/weed of some kind floating in the chamber. It turned out to be a bunch of roots filling the chamber, but they only filled in the top metre or so. It was a very deep chamber, approximately 4m deep, so the root ball was not impacting the soakaway.

How did it happen?

The cause of the blockage was simple. All Septic Tank Soakaways, and all the soil below and above it eventually get blocked with organic matter. That dirty water we see carries 65% of the solids from what enters the tank. A new soakaway may be needed.

Because the ConSept can both clean the water and lift it to the surface, a new soakaway would not need to be as long or as deep as the old one. Because the old soakaway is still taking most of the water we can consider a really short additional soakaway, one that could be done by hand digging.

ConSept chamber - Allerton Sewage Treatment

The above photo shows the distribution chamber full of roots completely occupying the top metre!

 

tumbleweed - Allerton Sewage Treatment

The weeds placed in the bin bag are long and of the same thickness.

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