Septic Tank Cleaning
There’s more to septic tanks than meets the eye! Get your septic tank cleaning & maintenance done properly to ensure a long life for your system.
In addition to cleaning your septic tank, Environment First will do the following:
- Dispose of all septic tank contents at a council approved treatment location so you can be sure you’re being kind to the environment.
- Repair septic tank lids, inlet and outlet tees, if necessary, to maintain the efficiency of your septic tank.
- Advise you about your responsibilities when constructing or changing your septic system. We offer free advice on:
- Permissions and discharge permits needed,
- Regional rates which vary between councils.
- Give helpful maintenance advice on how to promote “good bacteria” in your tank and tips to reduce the load on your tank system.
- Give health and safety tips to keep your family safe around the septic tank system.
Watch out for the warning signs!
Remember, your septic tank needs regular cleaning to ensure a long, trouble-free life for your system. Give us a call immediately if you notice any of these tell-tale signs your system is struggling:
- Slow sink drainage
- Water rising in the toilet bowl
- Smell from the septic tank vent
- Or (worse) visual signs.
What’s going on in your sewage system?
So you’ve flushed the toilet, or pulled the plug in the kitchen sink, where does that stuff go?
For most of us not on a reticulated town sewer, everything that disappears down the drain goes to a septic tank. Liquid passes through the tank and into the soakage treatment area.
The tank and the soakage treatment area are both important parts of a sewage treatment system. If sewage isn’t treated properly it can harm you and the environment.
Germs in sewage, enough to make you sick!
People can come into contact with germs in sewage by:
- Handling soil around a soakage treatment area, for example, when gardening.
- Stroking and cuddling pets that have rolled around on a wet soakage treatment area.
- Drinking water, especially shallow groundwater, that is near a poorly designed soakage treatment area.
- Swimming, paddling and splashing around in rivers, lakes and the sea (if soakage treatment areas leak into them).
Sewage can contain all sorts of germs.
Here’s what they are, and what they can do.
Viruses are the smallest kind of germ but probably cause the most sickness in New Zealand. There are hundreds of kinds of viruses. The flu, coughs and colds, and more serious diseases like hepatitis are all caused by different sorts of virus.
Bacteria are another common germ. Some kinds of bacteria can cause skin infections. Others, like campylobacter and salmonella, can cause serious diarrhoea and vomiting.
Protozoa are bigger than bacteria or viruses, and harder to kill. Giardia is a kind of protozoa that can make you very sick for a long time.
Helminths are worms, like roundworm, that live in your intestine.
Where Do We Service Septic Tanks?
We can clean and service your septic tank whether you live in the Manawatu area or the Horowhenua area.
Not sure if our septic tank cleaning covers your area? Give us a call!