The suburban area of Brisbane in which I am building, is unsewered. My block is just over 600sqm. The depth, width and distance between trenches required by the council means that it is desirable to save as much length of trenching as possible so it can be fitted on the block. A septic system requires exactly twice the length of trenching per bedroom as a system that incorporates a treatment system. My preference would have been to have a composting toilet going into a septic system (required by council) but I can't fit enough metres of trenching on my block for a septic system, so have to have a treatment plant. It is very difficult to get information about various systems apart from on sellers' websites.
The most commonly fitted treatment plants in the area require electrical and mechanical aeration before water capable of watering gardens at subsurface level emerges from the system. However council will not allow this (watering the garden), so the water has to be run into trenches. These treatment plants require inspection and servicing three monthly. I hate the thought of having to have constant electricity use, moving parts in a pretty dodgy environment and 4 times yearly inspections and so was initially attracted by the biolytix system.
As far as I can tell it is a good system - but not suitable for me because I will not live permanently in my house and may be away for months at a time. If this is the case, the organisms in the biolytix system will die and a new "starter kit" is required. I only found this out by accident but when I asked the biolytix company about it they confirmed that, yes, this is the case.
The other system I have found which seems to fit my needs is the Ecosafe, which introduces aerobic processing of the waste to the same level as above via a passive sand filter rather than aerating via machine. It also requires inspection just once per year. And is OK if not used for months at a time. Does anyone have any experience (particularly long term)of home sewage treatment plants?
