Soakaway Worms
I have been installing septic tanks and soakaways for over 13 years now.
At this point I would like to explain what a septic tank and soakaway are.
What Is A Septic Tank?
A septic tank is a large holding tank, that is usually buried underground. The sole purpose of a septic tank is to collect and treat any solid household waste (such as excrement, sanitary towels, cotton wool buds e.t.c). The effluent (liquid wastewater) passes through the septic tank and is discharged into the soakaway.
What Is A Soakaway?
A soakaway is an underground drainage field, cinstructed from various materials such as perforated pipes, gravel, crates, rubble e.t.c. The soakaway allows the effluent (liquid wastewater) to naturally drain away into the soil.
Soakaways All Share One Common problem
All soakaways are prone to silting up from heavy particles of fat, grease and other debris.
Why?
Because solid particles (like cholesterol) make their way from the septic tank into the soakaway. With each year that passes, the solid particles eventually build up to such an extent that they clog up the soakaway and stop it from working.
An Illustration
Think of your soakaway like a person who eats loads of chips, crisps, burgers and take-away meals. He will get away with eating junk food for a while, but it's only a matter of time until his heart cries out "I cannot take it anymore" and gives out. Soakaways also meet with the same fate. Because they are subjected to a "bad diet" over the years, they eventuall become blocked. Once the soakaway is clogged up, it will cease to function. A typical soakaway only has a life span of 15 years.
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People often make the mistake that when a soakaway problem develops with their sewage system it is the septic tank. But in 99% of cases it is the soakaway. The soakaway is the most important part of your sewage system. An average household produces around 40,000 litres of liquid effluent each month. Just imagine, each time it rained in your garden the rainwater never soaked away! If that happened, it would not be long before a lake appeared in your garden. The same is true of soakaways. If the liquid effluent does not soakaway, it will just well up in your garden and back up towards the house.
For the last 13 years, I have been installing and repairing septic tanks and soakaways throughout the country. I Have worked on everything from bungalows, terraced, semi and detached houses, farms, golf clubs industrial units and I have done work for Save The Children, Duchy Originals, Davina McCall and the Queen of Jordan to name but a few.
Out of all the jobs I have done, I noticed one very interesting but unusual fact. Certain soakaways, regardless of their age and condition were still working fantastically, as the day the first went into the ground. In many cases some of these soakaways were 80-100 years old, and had survived the septic tank many times over.
Why was this? What made the difference between these soakaways and the many 1000's of soakaways that fail each year?
The answer is they had worms inside them.
But the worms in these soakaways were not any old worm, they were naturally occuring sewage worms.
But this should not come as any suprise. Why? Because worms have been living underground, eating rotten and decaying waste and converting it into clean oprganic matter for millions of years.
When I started doing more research into sewage worms I was amazed to find that they are been used by people throughout the world to incredible ends.
For example in Europe and the USA, people are using these worms to convert dog poo into clean, safe organic matter via small wormies that are situated in the garden. Governments in Australia and New Zeland use sewage worms to great success in sewage treatment plants which convert sewage waste from large cities into clean, organic, environmentally friendly compost. In fact where I grew up in Shropshire, almost everyone who lived in the countryside had naturally occuring worms in their septic tank and never had to repair or replace their soakaway.
Armed with this knowledge and my experience in the sewage industry I saw an opportunity to help people throughout the UK with soakaway problems. So after much research and help from various experts in the field of Oligochaetology 9the study of worms) I developed Soakaway Worms ©. A product that is having amazing results for people up and down the country.
It's true. prevention wins hands down, every time.
People often ring me up, and say that they have had their soakaway for many years and have not experienced any problems with it. I ask them them how many times they get their septic tank emptied each year. In some cases my customers say 3-4 times a year! That equates to spending a minimum of £200-£600 every year to get your tank emptied..
If you soakaway is working properly, you should only have to empty your septic tank once every 1-3 years. Why?
The only reason why people need to get their septic tank emptied is because over time the soilds build up in the septic tank. If you put soakaway worms into your system you will save at least £200-£600 per year on emptying costs. Why?
Because the worms will eat all the soilds.
What Worms Do You Use?
Our worms are a special type of sewage worm, indigenous to the UK and Europe and are bred in wormeries.
Will The Worms Drown?
Contary to popular belief, sewage worms do not drown in water, sludge or silt if there is oxygen present. In the silt, sludge, soil or water of most septic tanks and soakaways there is an anerobic process that takes place. Because of this natural process the worms exist comfortably.
How Long Will The Worms Live?
Inside the soakaway, the worms will breed and multiply comfortably to their surroundings. As some older worms die off, they will be replaced by younger ones. Generally the worms will survive as long as 40-50 years before new stock is introduced.
What Do The Worms Come In?
The worms come in a sealed, breathable bucket. Each bucket contains appoximately 1000 worms, complete with food and bedding materials.
How Long Before The Worms Work?
The worms will adjust to their new surroundings within days, and start the process of cleaning and eating the sludge, silt and debris in your soakaway.
How Do I get The Soakaway Worms Into My Soakaway?
There are 2 very simple ways to get the worms into your soakaway. 1) Simply empty the bucket of worms into your septic tank via the manhole cover. 2) If you have a manhole chamber installed that runs directly into your soakaway, just empty the bucket of worms into it. Either way the soakaway worms will make their way from the drop off point into the soakaway.
