Private sewage management at a conversion near Horsham

Background

Moody Sewage were invited to help assist in the identification of existing sewage treatment facilities and the feasibility of new sewage facilities for a farmhouse and a property conversion. The two properties were neighbours in the Horsham area.

As with all investigations Moody Sewage started with a feasibility study to allow a full understanding of the current methods of managing sewage, the available assets, the amount of pipework installed, its condition, and any locations of any existing sewage discharges into the surrounding watercourses.

All options were considered including pumping from the bungalow into the existing Klargester Biodisc with a view that the maximum population in both properties could not exceed 10 to 12 people. Another alternative was to install completely new facilities making the Klargester Biodisc redundant, the facilities being large enough for a population equivalent flow of up to 18 people. The final solution involved overhauling the existing klargester biodisc and installing sewage facilities to treat a population equivalent flow of no more than 6 people in full time residency for the bungalow. Taking all into consideration it was decided that overhauling the Klargester Biodisc and installing separate facilities for the bungalow would not only be a more economical solution , but if proper were to change hands in the future, the systems would be independent from each other.

Environmental Permit

The Klargester Biodisc would not require an environmental permit as it should meet the vernal binding rules for small sewage discharges. This is also a historical discharge point that significantly pre dates 2015. The installation of the new sewage facilities for the bungalow required a full environmental permit which was duly obtained from the Environment Agency. Moody Sewage completed the necessary paperwork, submitted the permit and the application process took approximately 10 weeks.

The Farmhouse – Solutions

The Klargester Biodisc at the farmhouse was cleared of all debris and overgrown material, the electrical box removed and the system accessed. The system was de-sludged as the amount of heavy solids within the system were excessive and had clearly not been emptied for a very long time. The system was also jetted through so that the media was clean and could be re used once overhauled. A heavy duty lifting frame was erected up over the Klargester Biodisc, the motor removed, and the bearing unlocked.

The Rotor was lifted from the unit and dismantled into its key components removing both the shaft and the peripheral drive cog. A new shaft and peripheral drive cog were fitted to the media bales and where necessary new angle and U bolts were fitted where the old ones had become so heavy corroded. The new rotor was lowered back into the Klargester Biodisc together with new drive bearings and a new motor with a new pinion and nylon rollers installed. New electrics were installed onto the system and the system returned back to normal operation.

Property 2 – The Bungalow

The bungalow was inspected to confirm that some sewers had been installed from the main building through to inspection chambers located out and into the garden where the pipe simply terminated. The pipework was constructed from 110mm UPVC and there were no further facilities located anywhere in the garden. The bungalow had no management system in place at all.

The Bungalow, at the start of the installation of the new sewage facilities, was under construction. Moody Sewage worked alongside the construction team on site to be able to supply and install a bespoke activated sludge plant, which was selected by the client, to manage the sewage from the property. The system itself comprises of 2 modules, a balancing tank and a reactor tank.

The management system treats sewage on a batch processing method called SBR, this unit being known as a SABRE V2800. This method of biologically processing sewage provides not only a robust method of biological digestion which can respond somewhat quicker than standard contact biological digestion or extend filtration, the system cannot be overloaded or suffer from serge flows due to the way in which the sewage is treated in batches. One of the significant advantages of this type of sewage treatment facility is that there is very minimal aesthetic impact within any garden or sensitive location of installation.

The sewers from the bungalow were also extended through to the sewage treatment plant and then discharge from the sewage treatment plant passed across the rear field and into the same pipe passing down and into the stream. Each system has its own independent sample point for monitoring. Power for the system was taken back to the bungalow and connected onto a supplied fuse spur from the contraction works.

Service and Maintenance

Both systems are being serviced and maintained regularly to ensure that small insignificant problems do not escalate into larger more expensive ones. They are also both de-sludged at least once a year to remove the build up of heavy solids from the bottom of the primary settlement tanks. All of the works has now been completed and both systems produce a high quality effluent in line with environmental law.