This article will cover how plastics and nylons from laundry water can clog a seepage pit. A seepage pit is seen as an assistant to your septic system. It receives only the fluid from the septic tank. It is not supposed to collect solid particles such as plastics and nylons. The septic tank, as you know, takes care of breaking down the solid waste particles with the help of the anaerobic bacteria. If only organic materials enter the septic tank, the effluent that enters the seepage pit will be set for purification by the biomat. Wastewater has blackwater and greywater. Greywater is from the drain, shower, dishwasher and washing machine. Blackwater is from the toilet. The seepage pit purifies the effluent and then slowly distributes it to the surrounding soil absorption system.
The seepage pit, drywell, cistern, and cesspool are often confused with one another. Here are the differences among them:
- The cistern is situated below or above the ground. It is a storage equipment for clean water.
- Cesspool is like a septic system with perforated sides that collects and treats the wastewater from your household.
- The drywell is a compartment dug underground that receives both sewage and non-sewage water.
- The seepage pit is a hole dug in the ground that receives the collected and pretreated septic effluent from the septic tank.
The seepage pit, like your septic tank, also comes in many types of materials, shapes, sizes, and capacities. If you choose to have this in your property to help your septic system, you should know how plastics and nylons from laundry water clog a seepage pit. As you know, plastics and nylons are non-biodegradable. They enter the septic system through the laundry water. Plastic is used as fabric to make more style variations. Washing machines have processes that loosen up the fabric connections and some of the plastic and nylons end up in the septic tank. These bits cannot be broken down by the anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. They stay in the tank and clog the process. When the plastic bits enter the seepage pit, it won’t be able to properly purify the effluent.
Using harsh chemicals to melt away the plastic and nylons is a bad move because the harsh chemicals such as strong acids will kill off the bacteria in the septic tank and in the seepage pit. If bacteria are killed off, the biomat will proliferate too much and when this happens, the seepage pit will be releasing harmful contaminants into the surrounding environment.
Aside from preventing plastic and nylons from entering the seepage pit, the following are some of the safety tips you should also consider in caring for the seepage pits:
- Do not walk over the seepage pit because a collapse could happen at any time. Make sure that you keep your children and pets away from the seepage pit area.
- See to it that the seepage pit has a secure cover. Concrete or steel covers are better than those wooden covers. These wooden ones just rot away and give out.
Knowing how plastics and nylons from laundry water can clog a seepage pit can help extend your seepage system’s life. It would help a lot if you install filters in the inflow and outflow pipes of the septic tank. It would also be helpful if filters are installed into the seepage pit itself. The lint filter would prevent solid waste particles and fibers from clogging the seepage pit so that the effluent could be purified and dispersed into the surrounding soil absorption system. Clogging the seepage pit will lead to the failure of the entire septic system.
Being environmentally conscious doesn’t only mean segregating garbage in the trash. It also means segregating these non-biodegradable materials in your septic tank and seepage pit. This will really make your household a very safe and healthy environment for your family, guests, and pets. All you have to do is consult with your septic expert and learn how to maintain your seepage pit properly.