econo-treat Aerated Wastewater Treatment System Owner’s Manual

econo-treat Aerated Wastewater Treatment System

To the Home Owner

Thank you for choosing an Econotreat System to treat and care for your on-site sewage and wastewater.
Your Econotreat System is fully automatic in operation and requires little owner intervention to ensure years of service. It is useful that the owner/operator of the system understand some of the broad concepts of the system operation. This manual has been written to provide this simple explanation and to serve as a future reference so that you can ensure that the system is operating effectively at all times.
We would encourage you to monitor and care for your Econotreat system with our backing and support and by doing so you will learn how your system works and operates and how to keep it in top working order. Waterflow promises consistent results year after year.
Kind regards,
The Waterflow Team

Warranty

WATERFLOW NZ LTD warrants that the Econotreat System will be free from defects in material and workmanship for the following periods of time from the date of installation as set out in the following conditions:
Concrete Tank 15yrs
Roto-Molded Tanks 15yrs
Nitto Blower 3yrs
Irrigation Pumps 2yrs
Warranty of Operation covers the performance of the Econotreat System as connected to the effluent inflow for which they are designed, and has been installed to the criteria as set out in the relative installation instructions and procedures, and has an assigned Service/Maintenance contract in place with Waterflow NZ Ltd or it’s appointed agent/s.

Warranty excludes defects due to:

A) Failure to use the system in accordance with owner’s manual.
B) A force majeure event outside the reasonable control of WATERFLOW NZ LTD such as (but not limited to) earthquake, fire, flood, soil subsidence, ground water table variations or plumbing fault.
C) Modifications to surrounding landscape contour after installation
D) The actions of a third party
E) The system required to bear loads (either hydraulic or biological) greater than that for which it was designed
F) Any modifications or repairs undertaken without the consent of WATERFLOW NZ LTD
G) Failure, where applicable, to fence and plant disposal field.

How it Works

Primary Chamber / Tank
Influent enters the chamber via the source whereby scum and solids capable of settling are separated from the raw influent. Primary treated effluent flows through a transfer port to the aeration tank. This tank will also act as a storage chamber for sludge returned via the Clarification Chamber.
Aeration Chamber
Water enters via the Primary Chamber. Air is introduced into this chamber via an air blower to create an environment for aerobic bacteria and other helpful organisms to consume the organic matter present. The aeration tank is designed in a manner to help prevent short circuiting of the wastewater to ensure extended aeration. Media is also present in the tank to support the growth of bacteria.
Clarification Chamber
The Clarification chamber is essentially a quiescent zone where suspended particles/solids are settled out of the water. These particles are returned to the Primary chambers via a sludge return which aids in further biological reduction, denitrification and providing a constant food supply rich in microbes supporting the system through periods of limited flows.

Servicing

Your Econotreat System requires annual service and maintenance inspections. This will need to be done by our trained technicians. We will phone to arrange a suitable time to attend to your servicing needs. A record sheet (in duplicate) will be completed by our technician at the time of service. One copy is for you the customer and available upon payment, the other copy will be retained for our records.
Please call our office on the number listed at the back of this manual for the cost of servicing after the initial 12- month period.

Servicing includes:

1. A general inspection of tank area, irrigation and drainage.
2. Inspection of electrical equipment including timer, Low powered Blower, irrigation pump, warning lights and connections.
3. Inspection of Pump-out Chamber and septic tank, checking air lines, adjusting air supply (if necessary), operating de-sludging unit, resetting air control, operating submersible switch, checking bio-mass growth, checking sludge level.
4. Inspection of irrigation including lines, jets and outlets. Between 4 – 9 years the tank will need to be desludged (pumped out) as with any septic tank. We will notify you of this requirement, as the service technicians will be monitoring sludge depth annually.

Holiday Precautions

There are no precautions to take. Your Econotreat can be left to function automatically for 6 to 12 months.
However, if you are likely to be away from home for more than six months you may like to contact our office, so we can make a routine check.

Responsibility

As the owner of the system you are responsible for the correct operation and maintenance and to conform to Councils requirements.
The homeowner needs to clean the outlet filter in the septic tank, and flush the irrigation lines every three months.
It is also the home owners responsibility to ensure the taps on the irrigation are kept clear and accessible for servicing.

Problem Solving

To ensure the most effective operation of your Econotreat System you should familiarize yourself with the contents of this manual. The Econotreat has been designed to include additional safety margins and minor mishaps and normal household usage will not usually affect the operation of the system.
However, if the alarm sounds or strong odors persist, please call your service agent.

levels Listen for the air compressor Check power supply source Clean Septic filter
Water around tank| Irrigation pump not working Irrigation lines blocked or kinked| Check water levels Check irrigation lines and clear sprinklers
Excessive foaming| Too much laundry detergent Too many washes| Use recommended quantities Spread wash loads over different days
Persistent odors| Too much water usage Excessive chemicals in use| Add biologic starter pack Install water saving devices System will recover
Irrigation system not working| Pump failure Irrigation lines blocked| Check water level Clear irrigation lines
Water ponding on irrigation

field

| Irrigation line blocked Excessive water use Broken irrigation pipe| Installation   should  comply with original approval Install water saving devices Repair irrigation pipe

Do not flush baby wipes down toilets

Caring for Your Wastewater System

Components of Your Complete Wastewater Septic System

A typical wastewater septic system has two main components: a Wastewater Treatment System and a Land Application System (or disposal field). This is simply treatment then discharge.

Efficient Water Use – ‘it does make a difference’

Average indoor water use in the typical single-family home is approximately 180ltrs per person per day. The more water a household conserves, the less water enters the septic system. Efficient water use can improve the operation of the wastewater system and reduce any risk of disposal field overload.

High-efficiency toilets

Toilet use accounts for 25 to 30 percent of household water use.
Do you know how many liters of water your toilet uses to flush? Most older homes have toilets with 11+ liter reservoirs, while newer high-efficiency dual flush toilets use 6.3/5.5ltrs or down to 4.5/3ltrs of water per flush. N.B. Did you know leaky toilets can waste as much as 700ltrs each day.
Consider reducing the volume of water in the toilet tank with a volume displacer (fancy name for a brick, stone etc!) if you don’t have a high- efficiency model or replacing your existing toilets with high efficiency models. Check to make sure your toilet’s reservoir isn’t leaking into the bowl. Add five drops of liquid food coloring to the reservoir before bed. If the dye is in the bowl the next morning, the reservoir is leaking, and repairs are needed.

Water fixtures

A small drip from a faucet may add many liters of unnecessary water to your system every day. To see how much a leak adds to your water usage, place a cup under the drip for 10 minutes. Multiply the amount of water in the cup by 144 (the number of minutes in 24 hours, divided by 10). This is the total amount of clean water travelling to your septic system each day from that little leak.

Faucet aerators and high efficiency showerheads

Faucet aerators help reduce water use and the volume of water entering your septic system. High-efficiency showerheads also reduce water use.

Washing machines

By selecting the proper load size, you’ll reduce wastewater. Washing small loads of laundry on the large-load cycle wastes precious water and energy. If you can’t select load size, run only full loads of laundry. N.B. A new Energy Star washing machine uses 35 percent less energy and 50 percent less water than a standard model.

Watch your drains!

What goes down the drain can have a major impact on how well your wastewater system works.

What shouldn’t you flush down your toilet?

Dental floss, feminine hygiene products, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, cat litter, and other kitchen and bathroom items that can clog and potentially damage septic system components if they become trapped. Flushing household chemicals, gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint can also stress or destroy the biological treatment taking place in the system or might contaminate surface or ground waters.

Care for your Land Application System

Your land application system is an important part of your wastewater system. Here are a few things you should do to maintain it:

• Flush driplines regularly – every 3 months recommended
• Plant only recommended wetland plants over and near your wastewater system. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs might clog and damage the drain field
• Don’t drive or park vehicles on any part of your wastewater system, doing so can compact the soil
• in your drain field or damage the pipes, tank, or other septic system components
• Do not build any structures over it or seal it with concrete, asphalt etc.
• Keep roof drains, basement sump pump drains, and other rainwater or surface water drainage systems away from the drain field. Flooding the drain field with excessive water slows down or stops treatment processes and can cause plumbing fixtures to back up
• Trees with very aggressive roots, such as willows, should be kept well away from the disposal system, see page 11 for list of recommended planting
• A soggy drain field won’t absorb and neutralize liquid waste. Plan landscaping, roof gutters and foundation drains so that excess water is diverted away from the Land Application System

If in doubt contact the experts on 0800 628 356 or sales@waterflow.co.nz

Household Cleaning Chemicals

Effects on Wastewater and Disposal System Receiving Environments
Use of many cleaning chemicals in facilities served by on-site disposal systems, can result in high concentrations of the constituents in those cleaning agents being discharged into the receiving soils. These chemicals and constituents can have a massive impact on the quality and condition of the receiving soils over time.
Many of the chemicals can disrupt soil structure and decrease hydraulic conductivity while others can act as bactericides, destroying the essential micro-organisms required to achieve the high level of biodegradation in the treatment and disposal systems.
The following matters need to be considered when using cleaning agents in a domestic situation:

• Laundry powders are often extremely high in sodium which will destroy the salt balance in the soils. Check the labels for low sodium and phosphorous contents.
• Wastewater flow from dishwashing machines can have an impact on wastewater treatment systems, in terms of the strong cleaning chemicals used, so check labels for low sodium products
• Highly corrosive cleaners (such as toilet and drain cleaners) that have precautionary labels warning users to minimize direct contact, are an indication that they can adversely affect the wastewater treatment system. Up to 1 cup of bactericides such as bleach can be sufficient to impact on all the microorganisms/bugs in a septic system.

Recommended Cleaning Brands:

See our website: www.waterflow.co.nz

Cleaning Substitutes

Substitutes for Household Cleaning Chemicals (Ref TP58)
Use of the following readily biodegradable substitutes for common potentially harmful household cleaning chemicals will reduce the stress on any wastewater system, significantly enhance the performance of the whole system and increase the life of the land application system, while reducing the potential effects of the receiving soils.
General Cleaners
Use soft soap cleaners and bio-degradable cleaners and those low in chlorine levels.
Ammonia-Based Cleaners
Instead sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge.
Disinfectants
In preference use Borax (sold in most Bin Inn stores): ½ cup in 4-litres of water.
Drain De-Cloggers
Avoid using de-clogging chemicals. Instead use a plunger or metal snake or remove and clean trap.
Scouring Cleaners and Powders
Instead sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge or add 4-Tbs baking soda to 1-Litre warm water. It’s cheaper and won’t scratch.
Toilet Cleaners
Sprinkle on baking soda, then scrub with toilet brush.
Laundry Detergent
Choose one with a zero-phosphate content and low in alkaline salts (in particular, a low sodium level) and no chlorine.
Oven Cleaners
Sprinkle salt on drips, then scrub. Use baking soda and scouring pads on older spills.

In a Nutshell

Because your system is fully automatic there is no need for the owner to be concerned. However, there are some simple precautions to observe:

DO

• Avoid using strong acids, alkalis, oils and chemicals in your toilet, bathroom, laundry and kitchen (too much can kill off the working “bugs”).
• Limit the use of water in the dwelling.
• Try to spread wash loads over different days.
• Try to avoid using the washing machine and shower at the same time.
• Front loader washing machines reduce water usage.
• If your system requires power supply make sure this remains on continuously, unless system is being serviced.
• Check faucets and toilets for leaks; make repairs if necessary.
• Use low flush toilets where possible.
• Use a ‘displacer’ to reduce the amount of water needed to flush older toilets.
• Use aerators on faucets and flow reducer nozzles on showers to help lower water consumption.
• Reduce water levels for small loads of laundry.
• Wait until the dishwasher is full to run it.
• Densely plant your field to maximize transpiration.
• Perform regular monthly visual checks of your system and field.
• Grass should be mowed or trimmed regularly to optimize growth and prevent the grass from becoming rank.
• Use signs, fences and/or plantings to prevent any vehicle or stock access.
• Keep records of all maintenance undertaken on the wastewater systems.
• Monitor and care for your Wastewater System as per instructions in the home owner’s manual.

DON’T

• Switch off power unless servicing
• Use chlorine-based disinfectant & cleaning products in the toilets or kitchen sink (Cleaners high in chlorine, phosphorous or ammonia must not be used)
• Over use heavy cleaners that kill beneficial bacteria in the septic system
• Pour any toxic/strong chemicals (paint, oil, grease, paint thinners or pesticides) down any drains
• Flush down your toilet – Dental floss, feminine hygiene products, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, cat litter, and other kitchen and bathroom items
• Discard any drugs down the sink or toilet
• Alter or add any part of your system without Waterflow NZ LTD’s approval
• Never turn the system off, even when away on holidays.

Call us today to discuss your needs
0800 628 356
Or for more information www.waterflow.co.nz

CUSTOMER SERVICES

Head Office
PO Box 24, 1160 State Highway 12,
Maungaturoto 0547, New Zealand
P. 09 431 0042
Waipapa Branch
166 Waipapa Road,
Kerikeri, New Zealand
P. 09 407 8323
sales@waterflow.co.nz
experts on 0800 628 356 or sales@waterflow.co.nz Head Office
PO Box 24, 1160 State Highway 12,
Maungaturoto 0547, New Zealand
P. 09 431 0042
Waipapa Branch
166 Waipapa Road,
Kerikeri, New Zealand
P. 09 407 8323
sales@waterflow.co.nz
www.waterflow.co.nz

References

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