FAQ

Why should I buy a Super Septic Tank when I can buy a conventional septic tank?

Conventional septic tanks were developed in the 1800's and are not designed to treat wastewater. A conventional septic tank is designed to let the solids in the wastewater settle to the bottom, and the fats, oils and grease (FOG) float to the surface. The "grey" water in the center of the tank flows out to a soil absorption field where the water is actually treated before entering the ground water or being returned to the environment. In essence, the soil performs most of the treatment in a conventional septic system as the "grey" water still contains a large amount of solids, organic material and FOG.

If you happen to have very good soils, your system was installed perfectly, you diligently maintain it, and you don't ever overload it, your conventional septic system will probably provide good service for a number of years. However, not everyone fits this description as most soils in the U.S. are not well suited for septic systems, installation issues are common, most people rarely (or never) service their system, and septic system failures are abundant. In fact, studies have shown up to 25% failures in some states. According to Purdue University, "There are approximately 800,000 septic systems in Indiana, and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) estimates that approximately 200,000 of these residential wastewater disposal systems are inadequate and have failed or are failing to protect human and environmental health".

If you use a conventional septic tank and you have perfect soils, a perfect installation, perfect maintenance, and never overload it (yeah right!), the system will still eventually fail. By using a conventional septic tank you will be continually discharging a large amount of solids, organics, and FOG to your soil absorption field. Over time, this loading will impact the soil and will cause your system to fail. According to Michigan State University, "Most septic systems will fail sometime. These systems are designed to have a lifetime of 20 to 30 years, under the best conditions. Eventually, the soil around the absorption field becomes clogged with organic material, making the system unusable".

If you choose the Super Septic Tank, you will be receiving a true wastewater treatment device. The Super Septic Tank actually treats the wastewater through a simple anaerobic process that removes most of the solids and much of the organic material and FOG. By significantly reducing these pollutants and preventing them from entering your soil absorption field, the soil will last much longer and significantly reduce the chance of failure. Since the soil absorption field is the most expensive and hard to replace part of your onsite system, you will save many times the slight additional cost of the Super Septic Tank.

How does a Super Septic Tank work and how is it different from a conventional septic tank?

As described above, a conventional septic tank provides little wastewater treatment. It is essentially a box divided into one or two compartments with an inlet and outlet pipe. Wastewater flows into the tank carrying nasty stuff from your home. As the wastewater enters the large tank the flow velocity slows considerably and gravity causes the nasty stuff to settle to the bottom or float to the top before it gets to the outlet pipe and into your soil absorption field. There may be other parts of the system such as baffles, gas deflectors, effluent filters, access openings, risers and lids, but these are accessories and incidental to the basic treatment process.

The Super Septic Tank is also a two compartment tank designed to actually treat the wastewater. Wastewater (and nasty stuff) enters the first compartment which works exactly as a conventional septic tank works, settling the solids and floating the FOG. Water from the first compartment flows through an effluent filter and into a special treatment basin in the second compartment. The second treatment compartment is designed as an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) treatment system. This is a fancy description for a simple treatment process (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UASB). The UASB process was developed by Dr. Gatze Lettinga and colleagues in the late 1970's at the Wageningen University (The Netherlands). You can learn more about this (if you're a diehard tech guy like me) at: http://www.uasb.org/discover/agsb.htm#uasb. Wastewater flows through the UASB basin and is treated by the anaerobic process. Before leaving the tank, the wastewater is filtered through a proprietary foam filter developed by Advanced Wastewater Systems. This filter is designed to also treat the wastewater by an anaerobic attached growth process and to filter out any solids left in the wastewater. After passing through the foam filter, the water is much cleaner than that of a conventional septic tank.

How much does a Super Septic Tank cost?

It depends on the size of the Super Septic Tank required for your installation and your location. Our dealers will be happy to quote you a price, and we will post list prices for your region on our web site when they are available. In general, our prices will be a little higher than a conventional septic tank, but much lower than advanced wastewater treatment devices such as aerobic treatment units, sand filters, or constructed wetlands.

If I buy a Super Septic Tank will I still have to pump out my tank?

Yes, all septic tanks require periodic service to remove solids that cannot be biologically digested and excess levels of FOG. With the Super Septic Tank, however only the first compartment of the tank needs to be routinely pumped, which will reduce the cost of servicing the tank. The Super Septic Tank also has more storage volume than a conventional septic tank which allows it to store solids and FOG for longer periods, reducing the overall frequency of pumping and saving you money. Advanced Wastewater Systems' dealers will provide routine service for your Super Septic Tank and offer an annual contract to maintain your system, so you won't have to mess with it. Why not let the professionals handle this and protect your overall property investment for a nominal annual fee.

Where can I buy a Super Septic Tank?

Advanced Wastewater Systems is currently establishing dealers to sell, install and service its Super Septic Tank in selected states. If your state does not have a dealer yet, please contact us via our About AWS page and provide the requested information. We will get back to you and let you know if we can provide you a tank.

Is there a warranty on the Super Septic Tank?

The best in the business! Advanced Wastewater Systems will warrant your Super Septic Tank for life. Ask any other septic tank provider what their warranty is, and see if they offer any. Makes you wonder how good a tank you are buying. Ask your supplier what kind of controls he has in place to assure a high quality product. He'll probably just tell you how cheap his tank is.