What does desludging a septic tank mean?

Many homes in Queensland manage sewage by having a septic system but do you know how to maintain your septic tank properly? While the initial investment is expensive, properly maintaining it through desludging - also known as ‘pumping out’ - could help you keep your septic tank at peak performance and maximise its longevity.

What is sludge?

Every year, your wastewater treatment system accumulates two layers in its primary septic tank that need to be pumped out: “sludge” and “scum”.

The sludge is composed of solids that settle at the bottom of the tank; whereas the fats and oils that travel into the tank, along with the wastewater, form the scum later at the top.

Desludging involves using a vacuum truck to pump out both through the access lid and into the truck for removal.

Why is desludging so important?

Protect your septic system from unnecessary stress with regular desludging! Letting solids accumulate or allowing scum to back up into important parts of the tank can cause major issues and decrease its efficiency in the long run. Prevent problems now for a healthier, happier septic system later.

Failure to regularly desludge your septic system can lead to:

Solids blocking up your sewer drain, which can lead to raw sewage blockages and overflow
Storage room for effluent is reduced as the layers of sludge and scum increase
Large amounts of suspended solids can block up filters and damage pumps
The quality of the effluent released into the drainage field will be considerably lower; causing the field to deteriorate over time.

How often does desludging need to be done?

The regularity with which your tank is desludged is generally calculated on the capacity of your septic tank and the number of people that are living in your home.

As a rule of thumb, the following can be used as a general guideline:

1-3 people living in the home = desludging every 4-6 years

3-6 people living in the home = desludging every 3-5 years

6-10 people living in the home = desludging every 2-4 years

Other factors which can vary the frequency of desludging include, but are not limited to:

Bleach and chlorine based cleaning products
Cooking grease and fats and food scraps
Tampons and sanitary pads
High volume of grey water

What are the warning signs that your septic tank needs desludging?

If you notice any of the following warning signs, it’s time to call your wastewaters experts at Express Wastewater:

Pooling water around your septic tank or in absorption field
Slow drainage from your toilets, bath or sinks
Toilets or drains backing up
Foul odours from your septic tank or the drains in your home
Grass that is extra green around your septic tank or in the absorption field

Don't take any chances with your septic system. Our wastewater experts can help you diagnose an issue over the phone, and provide advice on a solution, whether it requires pumping out or is more easily resolved with treatments or activation of other measures.

When looking for signs that something might not be functioning correctly, multiple indicators may present themselves but don't necessarily require desludging yet to resolve them.

Let our highly trained and experienced technicians advise you on what's best in each situation so that you can make an educated decision about how to handle your wastewater issues. Call our team today on 1300 770 597 or complete our online enquiry form.