The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: Foobar on August 15, 2013, 04:08:33 pm
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Does anyone have any rough costs for the installation of a new, simple to install, sewage treatment system, like a Vortex one ?
I'm just after a ball park figure for how much the install might be, excluding the cost of the actual thing itself.
(Assume that its a small one (4-6 people ish) and the ground is easily accessible)
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I've been sourcing info for my plot and the biodisc I was advised to use costs £2750 plus VAT; digging the hole and trench to attach to the soakaway will take about two days I'm told ( I have tame digger up there, so will get mates rates but you can find that out nearer you) If you need a septic tank too that could be between £700 and £1000 depending on size, then you'll need to man power to install and connect it all up. I would say £7 to 10K should cover it.
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Okay, thats helpful thanks. This would be instead of a septic tank, and i dont think there would be a soakaway as such, i think it drains into a ditch (but I might be wrong :)).
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Okay, thats helpful thanks. This would be instead of a septic tank, and i dont think there would be a soakaway as such, i think it drains into a ditch (but I might be wrong :) ).
Yes if you have a treatment plant thing, it can discharge to a water course, whereas a septic tank or cesspool can't and has to go to a soak away.
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We have done one recently and the whole thing including treatment plant worked out at just over £3500, and that is with 120meters of pipe tp point of entry into water course. Due to us having wet ground we had to concrete the thing in tothe ground so that was included.
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Ahh that sounds like more in my price bracket :). Thanks.
Also, for anyone else who is looking for this sort of thing I found some example prices for various systems here:
http://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/sewage_treatment_costs.html (http://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/sewage_treatment_costs.html)
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Can you get Ecoflow systems there? No outflow soakaways so total €6000. Secondary tank has coconut matting in to pick out the particles, which after 20 years can be picked out and composted.
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Yes, the company that I linked to do one, the good thing is that it doesn't need any electricity to power it...a bit more expensive than the vortex system I was looking at but it might be worth it!
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I was told I needed a biodisc type of system - can anyone explain the different systems please?
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The biodisk (obsolete I thought now) or aerator pump systems fall into the category of 'microstations' (tiny sewerage processing plants). They both work in the same way by allowing additional air to get to the sewerage to break it down. The advantage is the outflow contains no unprocessed sewerage so the soakaways never sludge up and here the outflow can be discharged straight into a water course (the manufacturers say you can drink it). The disadvantage is the continuous power consumption, which is about 50 watts. Also they are not suitable for discontinuous operation as they need to 'feed' all the time (or the flora die), so no good for holiday cottages. They are small and need to be emptied regularly. I was advised every 3 -12 months. The air pumps can get noisy very quickly. So a microstation is great for a small plot with poor drainage which is continuously occupied.
A normal septic tank consists of two or more compartments where the sewerage separates under gravity and breaks down somewhat using the air already in the water. A crust forms on the surface and the heavy stuff drops to the bottom. The outflow contains untreated particles which must go to a soak away. The soakaway will gradually sludge up, which takes over 20 years perhaps. The tanks need emptying every 2 -20 years depending on size or use. An improvement is a second tank which further filters or processes the outflow to protect the soakaways or considerably reduce the size necessary. This is the Ecoflow I mentioned earlier which uses coconut matting to trap the fine particles to the extent that 96% are removed. The French allow that system, because of its efficiency, also to discharge to a watercourse.
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I'd try and link in into an existing system and make do.
Fitting new high tech stuff with concrete and huge fibre glass structures for small scales thingies is a waste of time and effort.
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If its overflowing into the field - you get the tank emptitid.