Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are a solution specifically made to treat contaminated water so that it can be reused. They work endlessly to remove contaminated particles from the water and make it reusable.
Sewage treatment plants make use of certain types of anaerobic bacteria to break down the contaminated waste particles and treat water. Requiring minimum human intervention, it can function on its own.
However, there are a few things that one should look out for when it comes to STPs. They require regular maintenance and servicing and need to be emptied out frequently to take care of the waste buildup that occurs inside the filters.
If you own an STP, you should be aware of the common STP issues and their solutions to ensure the health and peak performance of your sewage treatment plant.
Let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
5 Sewage Treatment Plant Problems and How to Fix Them All!
STP Noise Issues
Sewage treatment plants require heavy machinery to properly function, and this machinery is pre-installed inside your plant. However, a common issue that many individuals who own STPs as well as those who reside around a sewage treatment plant face is the amount of noise it produces.
It can not only be disturbing but can also contribute to noise pollution and adversely affect the environment. Some ways in which this can be prevented is by installing an AVR unit inside your STP.
An AVR or Acoustic Vibration Reduction Unit controls and reduces the compressor volume without reducing the air pressure or increasing the back pressure of your compressor. It is easy to install and helps significantly reduce the noise produced by your STP.
STP Maintenance
While it is good advice to regularly clean up your tank, many who own STPs are unaware of how exactly it is done and face countless issues.
If the required servicing and maintenance is not done, there are chances of issues arising in the functioning of your STP. Problems in water quality and the threat of being exposed to various diseases are some of your biggest concerns.
Maintaining a sewage treatment plant requires completely emptying out the tank, checking the health of the bacteria and microbes used to treat the wastewater, checking the air filters, air pipes and air blowers and testing the quality of the final water produced after treatment.
While these are some common maintenance checks that an expert would conduct, it is important for STP owners to have basic knowledge of what their plant requires to function as efficiently as possible.
High Effluent Production
It often happens that sewage treatment plants are overloaded for the purpose of producing more effluent. This is known as overloading. Overloading your STP can result in a drop in the quality of your effluent along with incurring long-term damage to your sewage treatment plant.
A good way to know if you are overloading your STP is to check your effluent, it may appear to be cloudy or greyish in colour. This could expose you to health issues as well as endanger the environment.
Overloading usually occurs if the number of people using the STP system has increased. This is why it is crucial to check the capacity of your STP. You should also check if the surface water is infiltrating your system. Put a stop to it immediately if that’s the case.
Sewage Blower/Pump Issues
Some common issues with STPs are related to the sewage pump or sewage blower. These problems often vary around the sewage pump not turning on or failing to pump air for the aerobic breakdown of waste to take place. This inherently affects the overall efficiency of the STP and can bring the entire system to a complete halt.
If your pump does not turn on when it is supposed to, you should check for overheating of the system, electricity issues or a tripped breaker or if some equipment is defective and needs to be replaced.
If the blower does not pump air, it could possibly be damaged and may need to be replaced. It is also possible that the filters are blocked which could restrict functioning. It is best to call an expert or a servicing company to help you with defective equipment and cleaning.
STP Odour Issues
An STP can cause some problems in the form of unpleasant smells and odours due to its treatment of waste. This is a common issue that many STP owners deal with, but it can be solved.
When dealing with unpleasant smells, you should first check whether your pipework is causing the issue and fix any problematic pipe connection.
Your pipes could be blocked, the bacteria could have been killed due to the use of certain chemicals or there could be issues with the flow of air inside your STP. A maintenance expert should be consulted in this case to help deal with these issues.
Final Thoughts
STPs require proper care and maintenance to ensure efficiency and avoid issues in basic functioning. Most of these problems can be dealt with, with the help of an expert or by taking the necessary steps for maintenance and care.
Keep in mind that if you look after your sewage treatment plant and take proper care, you may be able to avoid most of these problems.
