Image of a Ri-Industries waste water treatment system being installed underground

Waste Water Treatment; A Look at Many of the Benefits

Saturday, 15 March 2025 by Ri Industries

Waste water treatment provides many benefits, especially to those living in South Australia. Ri-Industries proudly offers the Ri-Treat EP10 and the Ri-Treat EP33 waste water treatment systems as sustainable solutions that are good for homes, businesses, the environment, and our communities.

Water Conservation and Drought Resilience

One of the most significant advantages of waste water treatment is its contribution to water conservation. By recycling and reusing water, we’re reducing the demand for traditional water sources and helping to conserve precious freshwater resources. This is particularly crucial in South Australia, where drought is a recurring challenge. Treated waste water provides an additional and reliable water source, enhancing our region’s drought resilience.

Economic Benefits

Implementing waste water treatment systems can lead to cost savings for homes and businesses. Using reclaimed waste water for non-potable purposes often requires less treatment compared to bringing freshwater to the necessary quality standards. This can result in lower costs and improved efficiency.

Environmental Protection

Waste water treatment plays a vital role in protecting our environment. By treating and reusing waste water, we’re reducing the amount of treated effluent discharged into rivers and other natural water bodies. This minimises potential harm to aquatic ecosystems and helps maintain the health of our waterways.

Supporting Agriculture and Industry

Treated waste water has numerous applications that benefit various sectors:

Agricultural Irrigation: Reclaimed water can be used for crop irrigation, reducing reliance on potable water and contributing to sustainable farming practices.
Industrial Processes: Many industries can use treated waste water for cooling systems, manufacturing, and other non-potable water needs.

As a company committed to sustainability, Ri-Industries is proud to help lead the way in waste water treatment and recycling. By embracing these technologies and practices, we’re not just conserving water – we’re also building a more resilient and sustainable future for South Australia.

image shows sprinkler head watering flowers with reclaimed wastewater

Reclaimed Wastewater Has Many Benefits

Wednesday, 7 February 2024 by Ri Industries

The use of reclaimed wastewater, also known as recycled or treated wastewater, can offer several benefits in South Australia. As a region that faces water scarcity and is focused on sustainable water management, reclaimed wastewater plays a vital role in addressing various challenges. Here are some benefits of using reclaimed wastewater:

Water Conservation:
- Reduces the demand on traditional water sources, helping to conserve precious freshwater resources.
Drought Resilience:
- Provides an additional and reliable water source, enhancing drought resilience for agriculture, industry, and communities that might face water shortages during dry periods.
Agricultural Irrigation:
- Can be used for irrigation in agriculture, reducing the reliance on potable water for crop irrigation. This practice contributes to sustainable farming practices and ensures food security.
Industrial Processes:
- Industries can use reclaimed wastewater for various processes, such as cooling systems, manufacturing, and other non-potable water needs. This helps businesses reduce their reliance on freshwater and promotes more sustainable water usage.
Reduced Discharge to Natural Water Bodies:
- By treating and reusing wastewater, less treated effluent is discharged into rivers and other natural water bodies. This reduces the environmental impact associated with the release of treated wastewater, minimising potential harm to aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental Protection:
- When properly treated, can have lower nutrient levels than untreated wastewater. This reduces the risk of nutrient runoff and associated environmental issues such as algal blooms in rivers and estuaries.
Cost Savings:
- Using reclaimed wastewater for non-potable purposes can lead to cost savings for municipalities, businesses, and agricultural operations. It often requires less treatment compared to bringing freshwater to the necessary quality standards.

Most homes in South Australia use potable (drinking) water for all household needs. What a waste! We can literally treat the wastewater produced in your home (including your toilets) to be clean enough to irrigate your garden. So you don’t have to use potable water for every household task.

The Ri-Treat EP10 and Ri-Treat EP33 reclaim wastewater by recycling and reusing water from homes and buildings. Learn more about our Ri-Treat products and call us at 8444 8100.

Delivery of Waste Water Treatment Systems and Septic Tanks

Tuesday, 1 November 2022 by Ri Industries

Delivery of waste water treatment systems, water tanks and septic tanks requires planning and organising a number of moving pieces. Let’s take a look at how delivery works at Ri-industries.com.au.

Before we talk about the ‘normal’ process, it’s important to mention that rainy and wet conditions can sometimes mean that deliveries are delayed or rescheduled. We will always do our best to deliver our tanks as scheduled but if your property experiences a lot of rain before delivery, this can make access difficult due to the ground become slippy or even boggy for our trucks. We confirm every delivery the day before so if your site is particularly wet please let us know, so we can work out the best course of action with you, to avoid our trucks getting bogged on site.

We take our involvement in the delivery process very seriously and ensure we comply with the compliance and enforcement (C&E) legislation in relation to potential road safety breaches. We exercise due care and take reasonable steps to prevent breaches of road safety law, and we expect our business partners to do the same. This includes ‘third party transport’ collection of goods from our premises. All transport providers collecting goods from our premises will be required to prove compliance or provide details of the relevant person within the business that we are able to contact for compliance details. This ensures all parties within the ‘Chain of Responsibility’ are protected via the reasonable steps defence measure.

Ri-Industries has a fleet of vehicles available for delivery. This includes crane trucks that are modern, clean, and purpose built. Our drivers are professionals who will do their best to help you when delivering the product on-site. We offer a FREE on-site visit inspection regarding delivery.

We will need to assess the best way to unload your tank, taking factors into account such as:

We will need to reverse up to the hole therefore easy access is very important
A clear, level site is required to unload the tank in your excavated area
4.7 metres is needed for the truck to pass under trees and overhead power lines
A minimum height clearance of 8 metres is required when unloading
4 metres clearance is required between gate posts.
Our trucks are 10 metres long and 2.5 metres wide.

We use a ‘Swiftlift’ lifting system for our products, which is approved for use by the regulatory authorities in every state of Australia and New Zealand. It’s a safe and rapid method of lifting and handling precast concrete elements. A specially designed ‘lifting eye’ is also used. It’s designed so that, when properly connected to the head of the embedded anchor, it cannot release whilst the system is under load. The ‘lifting eye’ may be purchased from our office.

Our staff are here to help ensure the delivery process goes smoothly. Please call us at 08 8444 8100 with any questions.

Introducing the EP10 Secondary Treatment System

Tuesday, 23 February 2021 by Ri Industries

Ri-Industries is pleased to announce our new Ri-Treat product called the EP10 Secondary Treatment System which allows you to reclaim your waste water by recycling and reusing water around the home. This product has replaced our previous Ri-Treat units, including the 3250, 4250 and 4500.

Like all our products, the EP10 is guaranteed superior quality and engineer designed. In fact, our customers repeatedly tell us that “Ri-Industries products are the best in South Australia.” What’s particularly exciting is that the EP10 is the only SA-manufactured secondary treatment system that’s been tested, certified and approved to the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 1546.3:2017) for South Australian conditions. After rigorous testing over the last 18 months, it has been approved by SA Health and carries the SAI Global ‘5 ticks’ StandardsMark License.

Choosing the Ri-Treat EP10 gives you a number of advantages:

A mono cast 50 MPa reinforced concrete construction, with no fibreglass or plastic structural components, means that no untreated effluent will escape into the environment.
The high-quality biofilter medium, with the added bonus of bristle filters, enhances the purity of the recycled water.
All irrigation pumps are Lowara stainless steel and are submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate.
The Japanese Mac100 air blower offers the most reliable and efficient aeration and has a 2-year warranty.
Child-proof and vandal-proof lids give you additional peace of mind.
A 15-year warranty on tank construction – longer than comparable products.
The operation of the unit has other unique features, such as automatic sludge and skimmer returns.

Please note, our approvals only cover the manufacture and sale of the unit. Therefore, installation and commissioning are the responsibility of the purchaser and all servicing must be carried out by an authorised service agent.

If you have any additional questions about the EP10, please do not hesitate to contact us at 08 8444 8100. Our expert staff will be happy to assist you. In the meantime please check out the new EP10 website page and EP10 brochure for more information.

How the Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System Works

Wednesday, 7 October 2020 by Ri Industries

If you’re interested in conserving water at home, our Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System can help. It will reclaim your waste water by recycling and reusing water around the home. Here is how it works:

Waste water from your household plumbing fixtures flows into a series of drainage pipes below your home.
The waste water then enters the main drain which is connected to your Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System.
Waste water then flows into the first chamber where it undergoes settlement and digestion for a minimum of 24 hours. This is the anaerobic part of the treatment process.
Settled wastewater then flows from the primary septic chamber into aeration chamber 1 where air is pumped through in fine bubbles providing the distribution of air and turbulence required for effective treatment of the waste water.
Turbulence causes liquids to travel in a circular motion through the bio filter medium which encourages biomass growth.
The biomass incorporates nutrients and oxygen from the water leading to a reduction of impurities as the effluent passes through the system.
Effluent and sludge then pass into the settlement chamber where the sludge settles to the bottom before being returned to the primary chamber along with scum which floats in the settlement chamber.
Settled effluent water passes through the chlorinator into the irrigation chamber where it’s held for irrigation and is pumped out when the chamber is full – approximately 450 litres.
After the household waste from the toilet, kitchen, and laundry have entered the Ri-Treat Waste WaterTreatment System, it is now separated and has digested the solid waste using a natural process to purify the wastewater.
This odorless, clean, disinfected water is then reused through sprinklers in your garden.

The Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System allows you to recycle water all year long, not just when it rains.

If you have questions regarding the Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System or would like information on purchase and installation, please call us at 8444 8100.

Purchasing a Septic Tank

Wednesday, 12 June 2019 by Ri Industries

Purchasing a septic tank is not something one does often in life and may, at first, feel overwhelming. Ri-Industries would like to help ease your mind by explaining how the process works.

There are two circumstances when you might purchase a septic tank: for a new home build or for an existing home. Each circumstance follows its own process.

Purchasing a septic tank for a new home build: Typically speaking, the builder will handle the entire process. They will arrange for a wastewater engineer to determine the size and type of septic tank needed. This may be a STED point, common effluent point, or a soakage bed. They will also arrange for a plumber (installer) to inspect the site for any other concerns that may arise from an installation perspective. However, the homeowner may decide to take the septic tank out of the home build and handle it directly. Therefore, the homeowner will be responsible for arranging the wastewater engineer and plumber. The homeowner may purchase the septic tank directly from Ri-Industries or he/she may instruct the plumber to purchase the septic tank from us.

Purchasing a replacement septic tank: The homeowner can choose to handle the entire process themselves which means they will be responsible to arrange for the wastewater engineer, the plumber/installer, and purchase the septic tank. Or, the homeowner may hire a plumber/installer who will manage all of the other steps for them.

Are you installing a Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System instead of a standard septic tank? If so, these units need to be ‘commissioned’ by a service agent, so you need to contact them two weeks prior to you moving into your new house. Generally, the procedure is to ensure that the tank is ¾ full of water and all pumps are operational. The system should be fully established within two weeks, with clean water discharging to the irrigation system.

If a Ri-Treat unit is replacing an existing septic tank, we will send the unit pre commissioned therefore ready to run and work as soon as the electricity is connected.

Ri-Industries has been in operation since 1947 and we have made it our life’s work to deliver outstanding pre-cast concrete products. We are committed to excellence, not only in our manufacturing techniques and processes but through every interaction we have with our customers. We appreciate the opportunity to speak with you about your septic tank needs. Please call us at 08 8444 8100 to speak with one of our experts.

Wastewater Treatment Systems Help Conserve Water in the Home

Wednesday, 27 February 2019 by Ri Industries

When rainwater is scarce, it’s important we look for ways to conserve. As we stated in our blog Times Are Dry, Adelaide recently reported its driest January since 1957. In that blog we offered helpful tips to conserve water around the home. One additional tip is to install a wastewater treatment system such as the Ri-Treat Wastewater Treatment System.

What is a wastewater treatment system? It is a system designed to treat the wastewater produced in your home to be clean enough to water the garden. Most homes in South Australia use potable (drinking) water for every household task. A wastewater treatment system allows the household to conserve the potable water, at least in terms of what you’d normally use to irrigate the garden.

What makes the Ri-Treat Wastewater Treatment System unique?

A mono cast 50 MPa reinforced concrete construction, with no fibreglass or plastic structural components, means that no untreated effluent will escape into the environment.
The high quality bio filter medium enhances the purity of the recycled water.
All irrigation pumps are submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate.
The Japanese Air Pump offers the most reliable and efficient aeration and has a 2 year warranty.
Ri-Treat tanks come in three sizes, offering maximum flexibility and even allowing for an internal spa bath.
Child-proof and vandal-proof lids give you additional peace of mind.
A high quality irrigation kit for more effective irrigation.
The septic tank is sealed as an additional precaution.
A manufacturers warranty on tank construction.

For homes needing a smaller wastewater treatment system, or where site access is difficult, Ri-Industries is proud to offer FujiClean Fibreglass Tanks. These fibreglass tanks are a lightweight alternative to our Ri-Treat concrete tanks, and offer the following advantages:

Proven design and high performance
Simple maintenance and high energy efficiency
An environmentally friendly design, resulting in lower operational cost
Ease of installation in locations where access is difficult or limited
A warranty of 15 years for tanks and 2 years for electrical components.

If you’d like to learn more about either of the wastewater treatment systems offered by Ri-Industries, please call and speak with one of our experts at 08 8444 8100.

Safe Cleaning Products for Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System

Saturday, 22 December 2018 by Ri Industries

The Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System is an environmentally friendly wastewater treatment system Adelaide guaranteed to be of superior quality. It is designed to reclaim the wastewater produced by your home, recycle it, and re-use it around your home. It is a great conservation tool and a way to save money on your water bill.

As with anything in life, to get the best results you should make sure to take proper care of the system. In addition to caring for the system itself, you should also monitor the substances which make their way into the system. Why is this so important? Substances mixed with wastewater will be reclaimed and recycled and will make their way back into your ecosystem. It is important that they don’t have a harmful effect.

One area which deserves close attention is your choice of household cleaners. You want to avoid putting poisonous materials into your waste water. The following are suitable cleaners:

Vinegar
Bicarbonate of soda
Soap – in the form of washing powder, dishwashing liquid and ordinary body soap
Biodegradable cleaning liquids

Disinfectants should be used sparingly. Bleach, antibacterial solutions or toilet cleaners should NEVER be used. Should any form of bleach enter the system this may cause the system to work inefficiently. The bleach will kill off all the ‘good bacteria’ and can create an odour in the system. In addition, doing two or more loads of washing in a 24-hour period can mean the system may not operate effectively. It is recommended that clothing be washed over a period of time to ensure effective operation of the system.

Ri-Industries is proud to deliver quality products that help residents of South Australia with the important task of conserving water. Please call us, at 08 8444 8100, to learn more about our products.

Garden with Less Water Using the Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System

Monday, 5 November 2018 by Ri Industries

As the weather warms, many of us experience a condition where our thumbs begin to turn green, the outdoors beckons, and the dirt calls us to dig in and get planting. If you love to garden, or simply love to have a green lawn, it’s a given you will spend ample time watering your property.

Did you know that an average Australian household will use 40% of its water in the garden? This makes the garden a prime location for water-saving techniques. Here are a few suggestions:

Install a dripper system and only water during the permitted hours.
Use mulch to prevent water loss through evaporation and prevent soil erosion.
Plant your garden in watering zones. Group plants that require large amounts of water together to reduce your water use.
Choose a drought resistant lawn.
Don’t over water your lawn – train it to use less water by encouraging the roots to grow deeper. Let grass grow longer in summer months which will shade the soil surface and reduce evaporation loss.
Don’t water during windy weather – water will blow away from where it’s needed most.
Instead of hosing, use a broom or rake to clean paths, paved areas and patios.

Another great tool to help reduce water waste is our Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System. The design is unique to Ri-Industries and guaranteed to be of superior quality.

Choosing a Ri-Treat waste water treatment system gives you a number of advantages:

A mono-cast 50 MPa reinforced concrete construction, with no fibreglass or plastic structural components, means that no untreated effluent will escape into the environment.
The high-quality bio-filter medium enhances the purity of the recycled water.
All irrigation pumps are submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate.
The Japanese Air Pump offers the most reliable and efficient aeration and has a 2-year warranty.
Ri-Treat tanks come in three sizes, offering maximum flexibility and even allowing for an internal spa bath.
Child-proof and vandal-proof lids give you additional peace of mind.
A high-quality irrigation kit for more effective irrigation.
The septic tank is sealed as an additional precaution.
A manufacturers warranty on tank construction.

The operation of the unit has other unique features, such as automatic sludge and skimmer returns.

So go ahead and grow a luxurious lawn and lavish garden! Enjoy the fruits of your labour because Ri-Industries can help eliminate any guilt you might feel from the amount of watering needed to keep your garden beautiful. Call us to learn more about the Ri-Treat Waste Water System at 08 8444 8100.

Why Use Pre-Cast Concrete?

Friday, 29 June 2018 by Ri Industries

Ri-Industries has been specialists in pre-cast concrete products since 1947. We think that’s impressive! We’re hoping you will think that too, especially once you fully understand what pre-cast concrete is.

Regular concrete, or insitu or site-cast concrete, is poured on site. In contrast, high quality precast concrete is produced in a controlled factory environment using advanced manufacturing techniques. Reusable, reinforceable, and adjustable moulds are used and they are set up per design specifications before the concrete is poured in. Then the concrete is poured, vibrated, and cured. If specified, architectural finishes (such as honing, polishing or staining) may then be applied while still in the factory. From there, the finished pre-cast elements are transported to the site and craned into position.

By manufacturing the concrete in a factory, we are able to do all the pre-checks before products get delivered to site which gives us increased quality control over insitu concrete. Dimensional accuracy, properties of the hardened concrete and position of reinforcement can all be checked before being sent to site.

Pre-cast concrete is extremely versatile. For example, we use it to make septic tanks, waste water treatment systems and rainwater tanks. It’s also safe for indoor use since it doesn’t require any chemical treatment. We also work regularly with civil engineering and construction companies to provide tailored pre-cast concrete solutions, such as bridge parapets, arch tunnels and retaining wall panels.

One of the great benefits of pre-cast concrete comes at the construction site. Unlike insitu concrete, there are no worries about weather delays. We can avoid a lot of headaches and hassles with this one. Because the tank is already formed in our factory, we can crane it into position during a rainy day just as we can on a sunny day (providing the rain hasn’t caused any access problems for our trucks). By manufacturing pre-cast concrete products in a factory, this also means that you can get the same results each time, as the weather will often affect the outcomes of concrete being poured on site.

On site, precast can be installed immediately, there is no waiting for it to gain strength and the modularity of precast products makes installation go quickly. With the ability to so tightly control the process, from materials to consolidation to curing, you can get extremely durable concrete.

These are just some of the reasons we are proud to be pre-cast concrete specialists. What projects can we complete for you? You can see some of our work on our website , but better yet, give us a call at 08 8444 8100.

Benefits of Ri-Cycle Commercial Wastewater Treatment System

Thursday, 4 January 2018 by Ri Industries

Constructing commercial properties is a huge undertaking. Many factors go into the initial step of choosing locations for building sites. One important consideration is how wastewater will be managed. Are sewage pipes already laid and available for use? If not, is it possible to connect sewage pipes to the area? What will the cost be for off-site wastewater disposal? Is on-site wastewater treatment a possibility?

On-site wastewater treatment can be a major cost saver compared to installing and maintaining sewer pipes. It is also beneficial to the environment. The use of reclaimed water means less consumption of fresh water and when used water is eventually discharged back into natural water sources, it can still have benefits to ecosystems, improving streamflow, nourishing plant life and recharging aquifers, as part of the natural water cycle.

There are a variety of ways reclaimed water can be used for commercial properties. Irrigation of lawns, gardens, sporting facilities, golf courses is a common use. It can be used for road cleaning, soil compaction, concrete making and even dust control.

If the decision is made to use a commercial wastewater treatment system, the Ri-Cycle manufactured by Ri-Industries should be considered. The Ri-Cycle is an aerobic systemand is one of the most effective methods in Australia for dealing with sewage.

With its unique design, the Ri-Cycle wastewater system offers a number of benefits:

Flexible design so they can be tailored to suit your exact requirements
The high quality bio filter medium enhances the purity of the recycled water
All irrigation pumps are stainless steel, submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate. And because of the high quality of effluent being passed through the system the normal manufacturer’s warranty of 12 months is extended to 3 years
A German-manufactured side channel Air Pump offers a reliable and efficient aeration
Three sizes of Ri-Cycle tanks offer maximum flexibility for use in many buildings and sites
Child-proof, vandal-proof and trafficable lids give you additional peace of mind
A manufacturers’ warrantyon tank construction – longer than comparable products

Please call us at 08 8444 8100 to learn more about the Ri-Cycle. Our experts will be happy to assist you.

The Ri-Treat Wastewater Treatment System Helps Conserve Water

Friday, 3 November 2017 by Ri Industries

Waste not, want not!

A proverb:

If you use a commodity or resource carefully and without extravagance, you will never be in need.

Water is definitely a commodity we do NOT want to find ourselves without. Yet, we also know how easy it is to waste water around our homes. There are simple steps we can take to reduce water waste like turning the taps off while brushing teeth, taking shorter showers and watering lawns/gardens in the early morning or evening. Ri-Industries has a simple method to conserve even greater amounts of water in your home: our Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System!Most homes in South Australia use potable (drinking) water for all household needs. What a waste! We can literally treat the wastewater produced in your home to be clean enough to water the garden, do laundry, and more. According to the Your Home government website, here are some advantages of using treated wastewater:

Reduce water bills
Use fewer water resources
Irrigate the garden during drought or water restrictions
Cut down the amount of pollution going into waterways
Help save money on new infrastructure for water supplies and wastewater treatment
Decrease demand on infrastructure for sewage transport, treatment and disposal, allowing it to work better and last longer.

Ri-Treat Wastewater Treatment System

What advantages do you get from installing a Ri-Treat Wastewater System?

A mono cast 50 MPa reinforced concrete construction, with no fibreglass or plastic structural components, means that no untreated effluent will escape into the environment.
The high-quality bio filter medium enhances the purity of the recycled water.
All irrigation pumps are submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate.
The Japanese Air Pump offers the most reliable and efficient aeration and has a 2-year warranty.
Ri-Treat tanks come in three sizes, offering maximum flexibility and even allowing for an internal spa bath.
Child-proof and vandal-proof lids give you additional peace of mind.
A high-quality irrigation kit for more effective irrigation.
The septic tank is sealed as an additional precaution.
A manufacturers’ warranty on tank construction.

For houses needing a smaller treatment system, or where site access is difficult, Ri-Industries also offers a fiberglass waste water treatment alternative: FujiClean.

Our products are reputed to be the best in South Australia and our employees are top experts in the field. Call us on 08 8444 8100 to learn how a wastewater treatment system Adelaide can benefit your home.

Wastewater treatment system