Top 10 Questions from the Field: Part 1
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Our most recent webinar took on the format of a panel discussion as opposed to our traditional speaker and slides method. This webinar gave us the opportunity to address the top ten questions that are asked of our technical team on a daily basis. Let’s take a look at the first half of this list.
What is Biomat?
Biomat is a layer of both living and dead anaerobic bacteria, accompanied by effluent solids, mineral precipitates, and the byproducts of decomposition. Biomat is an important component to a healthy septic system that develops over time. This blog post gives a more thorough explanation of biomat.
What is the Difference Between a Gravel and Gravelless System?
A leachfield for an onsite wastewater treatment system can consist of gravel and pipe or a manufactured product like the Infiltrator chamber that offers an open void space for treatment. This blog post offers the benefits of installing gravelless onsite wastewater treatment systems.
Read: Five Benefits of Gravelless Onsite Wastewater Treatment Infiltration Systems
Can I Drive Over a Septic System? H-10 vs H-20?
The number following the “H” refers to the tons of weight the system can tolerate. A septic system utilizing H-20 chambers can tolerate 20 tons or a truck with an axle loading of 32,000 pounds which permits driving over the properly covered system. H-10 chambers are not designed to tolerate vehicular traffic.
What is High Strength Waste?
The exact definition of high strength waste (HSW) varies depending on local code. Some localities define HSW based on the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) or Total Suspended Solids (TSS) levels. But in general, the industry has loosely defined HSW as anything greater than residential waste strength. This blog post offers system design tips for high strength waste.
Read: Six Best Practices for High Strength Waste Designs
When do you Use Gravity vs. LPP?
Gravity septic systems utilize the full infiltrative surface over time whereas low pressure pipe (LPP) systems use the entire infiltrative surface from day one. Gravity systems are passive and less expensive to install than an LPP system but a LPP system allows for installation in difficult soils, pump up elevation, and equal distribution. LPP systems do require mechanical components and power, which contributes to the added expense.
Stay tuned for a future blog post where we'll review the other half of our top 10 questions from the field. You may also view the entire recording of our webinar here.
Webinar Wednesday's Top 10 Questions from the Field