22 Waste Treatment
Sewage pump systems for leisure sites
With the increasing popularity of camping and caravan parks, particularly with staycations at an all-time high, attention is drawn to sewage treatment and storage requirements. Submersible pump specialist, Pump Supplies, looks at the options available.
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ith COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on international travel, it seems that most people still tried to get away in the UK for a well-earned break over the last year. The birth of the ‘staycation’ has seen caravan and camping sites grow exponentially over the last two years, with many of them now staying open all year round. Equally, many sites have increased their ground space or decreased their pitch sizes to accommodate the growing number of people wanting to holiday with their friends and family in the great outdoors. This increase in footfall will undoubtedly put pressure on the sites’ water supply, wastewater drainage and sewage pump systems, and sometimes, if increased demand is placed on such systems, they can simply break down. No one wants to use a campsite with blocked toilets, broken showers or flooded fields. Customers’ expectations wouldn’t be met, which would be extremely detrimental to the site owner’s business. Campsites and caravan parks are very often set in rural communities away from main sewage networks. Therefore, their owners must be fully up to date with the rules and regulations set by the Environment Agency as they could face significant fines if they don’t comply. There are strict compliance regulations for ammonia, phosphorus, nitrogen and Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). It is particularly important for sewage to be treated and stored to avoid treated effluent leaking into the local environment, reservoirs or estuaries. In these examples, there are three options available: Quarter 4 2021
SEWAGE PUMP SYSTEMS This is the best way to handle wastewater by installing an on-site sewage treatment pump system. These effectively pump the waste and effluent to the main drainage sewers, allowing the site owner to dispose of the effluent without paying for its removal from a septic tank or cesspit. The systems are enclosed and treat the effluent, which means that treated water from the sewage plant can flow into a running watercourse, groundwater soakaway or in some instances, a storm drain. Furthermore, sewage treatment pumping systems are by far the most environmentally friendly option for campsites and caravan parks. Most pump supply companies will survey the site and develop a system that’s appropriate for the size of the ground and the demand placed on its services. After installation, they will manage the system and be on call if, heaven forbid, anything went wrong.
The biggest issue with septic tanks is that they produce a biproduct called hydrogen sulphide, which produces a foul-smelling odour around the tank. So much so that many authorities in the UK and Ireland have prohibited their use. CESSPITS Cesspits are the worst option of all. They are pretty basic, comprising of a large holding tank with an inlet but no outlet. The effluent isn’t treated, and the contents have to be removed by licenced waste carrier companies using a vacuum tanker. The size of the tank will have to be enormous on a campsite or caravan site because it needs to hold a tremendous amount of effluent as it doesn’t break down. In conclusion, with the increase in demand as more people are using camping sites and caravan parks, sewage removal systems must be fit for purpose and robust enough to cope with the extra demand. chevron-circle-right
It is particularly important for sewage to be treated and stored to avoid treated effluent leaking into the local environment.
SEPTIC TANKS This type of waste system partially treats the effluent because it only treats the waste at the top of the tank. The process is mainly anaerobic and is much slower than a complete sewage treatment plant to break down the effluent.
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