What Will Happen When Your Aeration System Is Not Working

Posted by Xylem on December 1st, 2021

Wastewater aeration is very important in any wastewater treatment system. If you have an aerobic septic system, there are high chances that your system alarm has alerted you at some point that your system is not functioning properly. More often than not, the alarm doesn’t indicate your aerator is failing and your system is facing possible failure. More often, the alarm signals that there is something wrong with your system. Sometimes, this alarm alerts you that there is trouble with your aerator. Here are a few ways to decipher what your aerator is trying to tell you. 

Know how aerators work 

Before you understand when your aerator is not working properly, it is important to start by understanding how the aerator works. Aerators speed up the process of solid breakdown in your wastewater treatment system by adding oxygen. This fosters the growth of bacteria that digests the wastewater in the holding tank. A higher concentration of this natural bacteria in your system means that the system will be more efficient and will clean the wastewater faster and thoroughly. An aerobic septic system outputs clean effluent and this means that you will require a smaller secondary treatment system than would be needed for an anaerobic treatment system. 

In case the aerator of your system stops functioning, your system will turn from an aerobic environment to a much slower anaerobic environment. Once your system is functioning anaerobically, the effluent leaving the system will be closer to raw sewage than the odourless and clear effluent your aerobic system can discharge. 

This means that you should ensure your wastewater aeration equipment is functioning properly all the time. If you have a secondary treatment system then this system will become overwhelmed. It will suffer catastrophic failure and this is the reason why it is important to pay close attention to the signs that your wastewater aerator may be failing or has failed. 

If your aerator has failed, you will notice an overwhelming bad smell coming from where your system discharges.

Common aeration system issues 

The first indicator that there is something wrong with your aerator is the sounding of your system alarm. Unfortunately, there are some reasons why your wastewater treatment alarm may sound and it may not be directly related to your aerator.

Loss of power 

This is one of the easiest problems to fix. This is often caused by a burned fuse or tripped circuit breaker. If the problems keep recurring then it is a sign of a major electrical problem. You should investigate it immediately. 

Pump failure 

If your sewage pump fails then it will cause the water levels in your system to rise. This will signal your alarm. You can restore the functionality of your pump by replacing or repairing your sewage pump.

Inadequate air pressure 

Enough air pressure is necessary for your aerator to function properly. If the air pressure of your system is inadequate, it shows the need to repair or replace your aerator. 

Clogged diffuser 

Your wastewater aeration equipment will not function properly if the diffuser gets clogged. Your system will not discharge the fluids it holds.