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Purchasing a Septic Tank

by Ri Industries

Learn about the process of purchasing a septic tankPurchasing 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.

 

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Where Does Water Come From?

by Ri Industries

How many sources of water do you know? There may be more than you realize, which is why the theme for this years’ National Water Week (19 -25 October 2014) is Water Sources.  The concerns of water shortage in Australia is well known, so it is vital that we understand where our water comes from and how we can make it last.

Here is a basic list of water sources:

  • Surface water – water on the Earth’s surface which can be found in a stream, river, lake, wetland, ocean or a dam.
  • Groundwater – water that occupies the spaces between particles of soil (sand, silt and clay) or rock beneath the earth’s surface.
  • Desalinated water – Desalination is the removal of salt, especially from sea water.
  • Stormwater – rainwater that has run off roads, roofs, paved areas etc. and is usually conveyed by constructed drains.
  • Wastewater – mostly from showers, baths and washing machines. After you’ve used your water, it enters a wastewater pipe, and then into the sewer mains (if you’re on mains) and eventually it reaches a wastewater treatment plant.
  • Groundwater replenishment – an innovative concept where treated wastewater is further treated to drinking water standards and recharged into groundwater supplies. The water is then stored and taken out some time later for further treatment and supply to a drinking water system. This source is currently only available in WA.
  • Recycled water – the use of treated wastewater or appropriately treated drainage water.  Before being recycled, wastewater is treated, according to stringent health regulations, to meet the appropriate standard for its intended use.  When reused for a beneficial purpose, this water is known as recycled. Increasing the amount of water we recycle is vital to maintaining a reliable, safe and sustainable water supply and becoming climate resilient. Recycled water can be used for a range of purposes such as:
  1. Irrigation of sports grounds, golf courses and public open spaces
  2. Industrial processing
  3. Groundwater replenishment
  4. Toilet flushing / clothes washing / garden watering
  5. Environmental benefits (e.g. maintaining wetlands) Irrigation of food crops. Irrigation of non-food crops (e.g. trees, woodlots, turf, flowers)
  6. Construction / dust suppression

Ri-Industries concrete rainwater tanks and Ri-Treat waste water treatment systems are exceptional tools to help reduce water waste. Call us today on 08 8444 8100, to learn more about our products.

 

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Reduce Water Use in the Garden

by Ri Industries

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 the 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.

Our Ri-Treat Waste Water Treatment System is another tool that will help with water use. By using this system, the waste water from your home will be treated and made usable for the garden. Call us to learn about all of our products on 08 8444 8100 and start saving water!

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Why do I need to service my aerobic waste water treatment system?

by Ri Industries

Routine scheduled maintenance is the one thing you need to do to ensure your Ri-Treat Waste water treatment system operates properly.  Aerobic treatment systems are on-site sewage treatment systems that use forced air to treat wastewater and surface application, or drip irrigation, to disperse the treated wastewater. They may also be used to replace subsurface systems that are failing due to high groundwater and/or poor soil.

Servicing

Once the unit has been installed it is the owners/operators responsibility of on-site secondary treatment systems (STS) to ensure the unit is serviced by an accredited service company and to hold a current maintenance and/or service contract for their system. Owners/operators shall ensure that all maintenance and servicing is undertaken by an appropriately trained person. This person must have completed a training course as specified by SA Health.  Servicing must be undertaken in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the conditions of the relevant authority’s approval (eg. Council/SA Health). Service providers must forward a copy of each service record to the relevant authority and notify that authority if they cease to service the system.

General Maintenance Guidelines          

A system that is poorly maintained will not produce properly treated effluent; therefore Ri –Industries recommends owner/operators hire a maintenance service with the experience and knowledge of your system.

You will have best success for a properly working system if you follow these general guidelines:

  •  Aerobic systems are for household wastewater, so be sure to avoid using any form of bleach, antibacterial solutions or toilet cleaners, as these will kill off all of the good bacteria and create an odour in your system.
  • Be diligent in disinfecting your system to reduce the risk of pathogens in the effluent. Disinfection is the primary mechanism for destroying pathogen organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoan cysts.  Disinfection also prevents the spread of waterborne diseases to downstream users and the environment. The most commonly used disinfectant is chlorine. Other disinfection methods include ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ozonation.
  • Check the surface application area; your vegetative cover should not be ignored during maintenance inspections.
  • Clean the equalisation tank every one or two years.  Routine tank inspections during your scheduled maintenance service will help you avoid sludge overflow.
  • Don’t ignore your system alarm.  Most systems are equipped with an alarm to alert you of a system failure.  Inspect the system immediately or call a professional if you are not comfortable managing the issue yourself.

If you have questions about the maintenance of your aerobic treatment system, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions. We are proud to serve the Adelaide and South Australia area with all of your waste water treatment needs.

Ri Treat Aerobic Water Waste System

Introducing Our Latest Video: Ri Treat Aerobic Waste Water System

by Ri Industries

If you live or plan to build in a non-sewered part of South Australia, you’ll need to consider different types of waste water solutions. Unfortunately, the water in your house doesn’t just dissolve into the ether – it needs to be treated and disposed of properly. The engineers at Ri-Industries have studied the best ways to deal with domestic sewage, and they engineered a remarkable solution – the Ri-Treat Aerobic Waste Water System – a state-of-the-art, cost-effective way to reuse household water.

In a nutshell, the Ri-Treat Aerobic Waste Water System processes the household water from your main drainage pipe into clean, odourless water to use for irrigation. It’s a cheaper solution than using mains water to irrigate your lawn and gardens. Check out our video to learn how Ri-Treat takes your domestic sewage and transforms it into usable water:

Fascinating, right? We hope you think so! We are very proud of our Ri-Treat waste water treatment system, and we’ve received many wonderful compliments from homeowners about Ri-Treat. If you’re interested in learning more about this product, please check out our website, or give us a call on 08 8444 8100.