A1 Wastewater Services

Phone: (409) 385-0061
Toll Free: (800) 410-0061
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Maintenance Tips

On-Site Sewage Facilities Maintenance Information

Question: What type of chlorine should I use for wastewater disinfection?

Answer: When disinfection of secondarily treated wastewater effluent is required and you are using chlorine tablets, it is important that you use a chlorine tablet that is made from calcium hypochlorite and is certified for wastewater disinfection by EPA. They are very reactive and will kill 99% of the bacteria present in the effluent within 10 minutes. Follow all warning and precaution statements of the chlorine tablet manufacturer to protect yourself and the system equipment.

WARNING: DO NOT use swimming pool chlorine tablets in your disinfection system. The chlorine in these tablets are made from trichlorisocyanuric acid. Swimming pool tablets dissolve more slowly than calcium hypochlorite and do not thoroughly disinfect the effluent. Additionally, there is a danger of explosion using swimming pool tablets since the tablets will release an explosive gas called nitrogen chloride due to the fact that they are not totally immersed in water at all times while in use. They are not approved by EPA for wastewater effluent disinfection.

On-Site Sewage Facility Maintenance

Ongoing maintenance contracts are required for systems that use secondary treatment systems, non-standard treatment systems, drip irrigation, and surface application disposal. However, in counties with a population of less than 40,000 the owners of single-family residences can maintain their own aerobic treatment unit provided they receive training from the manufacture.
 
Question: What does the maintenance company do?
The maintenance company is responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the maintenance contract.

• Install a tag, or some other form of identification, on the system at the beginning of each maintenance contract

• The identification shall either be punched or marked at the time of each visit, including responses to owner complaints, to provide the owner with a record of the visit

• Inspect components of the system and note whether or not every component is working during each site visit

• If an item is inoperative, the property owner must have the item repaired

• Test the system as required in 30 TAC §28591(4);

• Submit a report to the permitting authority and owner at least once every four months

*You may report once every six months if you use an electronic monitor and automatic radio or telephone to notify the maintenance company of system or component failure and to monitor the amount of disinfection in the system

* The maintenance company is responsible for ensuring that the electronic monitoring and automatic radio or telephone access systems are working properly

*Your report must include all responses to property owner complaints and electronic monitoring notices

* Your report must be submitted within 14 days after the test is performed