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Immediately after any Build pvc sand filter drinking water system has been installed, the head or "squirt height" of the distribution laterals needs to be determined, recorded in the maintenance record and left on site (usually in the system electrical control box). Measuring the head is done by attaching a graduated length of clear PVC pipe to the end of the sweep elbow accessed by removing the inspection port cover (in a recirculating Build pvc sand filter drinking water, the straight end of the lateral can be accessed by pushing aside the pea stone, and attaching a 90 degree elbow). The pump is turned on, the sweep end opened, and the wastewater height in the clear pipe is measured and recorded.
A minimum of 5 feet of distal head pressure is recommended to discourage orifice clogging. Orifice blockage will occur in all systems. A bottle brush (appropriately sized for the lateral) attached to a plumbers snake is pushed down each lateral to unplug the orifices.
With the bottle brush removed, the pump should be manually engaged and each lateral line can be flushed out through the lateral end onto the Build pvc sand filter drinking water. lternatively, a pressure power washer with appropriately sized tubing can be sent down each lateral to flush accumulated solids.
Usually a Build pvc sand filter drinking water in continuous use will require lateral flushing / bottle brush treatment once a year. Build pvc sand filter drinking waters operating above their daily design flow or systems in need of a septic tank pumpout, may require more frequent lateral flushing; the frequency based upon the results of the distal lateral head pressure test. Seasonally-used Build pvc sand filter drinking waters may not need yearly lateral flushing, but their lateral head (pressure) should be checked once per year, and maintenance performed as needed.
The lateral "squirt height" (which approximates, but is somewhat less than, the head) in recirculating Build pvc sand filter drinking waters can be determined by spreading aside the pea stone surface covering one of the distribution laterals, removing an orifice shield, and measuring the squirt height with a tape measure placed next to the stream. Alternately, a 90 degree elbow can be attached to the lateral end and head visually measured in an attached clear pipe.
The surface of all Build pvc sand filter drinking waters should be kept free of debris. If the Build pvc sand filter drinking water is an
open filter covered with pea stone instead of turf, the Build pvc sand filter drinking water surface should be kept free of weeds and grasses. This surface can be lightly raked to remove leaves, etc. and weeds and grasses should be removed when they first appear.
Once a year all electrical components should be checked for function. All float switches should be activated and timers should be checked against the desired setting. All float switches should be hosed down to prevent scum accumulation. All wiring should be neatly bundled and placed out of the operating path of the float switches.
The septic tank and pump tanks should be measured for sludge and scum accumulation. This should occur every 1-3 years, the frequency depending on household usage and occupancy. More actively-used systems should be placed on the more frequent sludge/scum measurement schedule. This can easily be done as part of the annual maintenance. If sludge and scum levels warrant, have those tanks pumped.
If fiberglass or polyethylene tanks are used, it is important to monitor ground water levels before pumping septage or to schedule pumping of tanks for late Summer or early Fall to avoid tanks floating (this time period may differ depending upon weather conditions). Pumping concrete tanks during periods of high groundwater may also cause tank floatation problems. The yearly inspection process will facilitate the scheduling of tank pumping to avoid emergency pumping situations. All tanks should be filled with tap water immediately after septage pumping is completed.
The effluent filter in the septic tank should be hosed off on a yearly basis, and whenever the septic tank is pumped. Systems operating above their design flows may require more frequent effluent filter cleaning.
Effluent filters located in a recirculation tank should be checked a minimum of every six months for accumulation of slime growth. If the pump is located in a pump vault, this slime growth may necessitate the removal and cleaning of the vault, pump and the effluent filter, if so equipped. If inspections determine that slime growth is not a problem, then this particular inspection item schedule may be reassessed.
If the pump vault is removed, the cleaned vault should be filled with clean water from a garden hose as it is being lowered back into the septic tank. This will prevent the screen from being fouled with solids in the tank and will also make it easier to submerge.
All slime material hosed off of filters, pumps and vaults should be placed into the inlet end of the septic tank, accessible through the tank inlet access riser / manhole.
All tanks should be visually inspected for watertightness and structural soundness when maintenance is performed.
In the event of an audible alarm, the alarm can be silenced by pushing the red button on the outside of the control panel. In most cases the alarm will be due to a temporary high water situation caused by too much water entering the system at a particular time. This will be self-correcting in most cases. If the alarm keeps coming on or if the red light on the outside of the panel stays on for a prolonged period of time after the alarm is silenced there may be a more serious problem such as a clogged effluent filter, "full" septic tank, or mechanical malfunction.
The high water alarm will come on if the volume of water used at a particular time is more than what is accommodated for discharge in the usual dosing process. An alarm may go on if the occupancy or water use of the house or facility is more than typical. These are referred to as "nuisance alarms" and do not mean there is a system problem. If the nuisance alarm persists, the dosing schedule and amounts can be changed to help correct the problem. In some cases, persistent alarms may indicate a more serious problem that needs to be addressed.
At each visit, readings from elapsed run time meters, event counters, and water meters should be recorded on the data cards (usually stored in the electrical control panel).
At each site visit, a sample of the Build pvc sand filter drinking water effluent should be collected to visually check for effluent clarity. This sample should be clear and odor-free.
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