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Aerobic Septic Systems: Calcium Hypochlorite for Disinfections In Onsite Aerobic Waste Treatment Septic Systems InspectAPedia®  -     What disinfectants should be used in aerobic septic systems Where to buy aerobic septic system chemicals Use of pool chlorine tablets in aerobic septic systems

Use of proper and approved septic effluent disinfectants (Calcium Hypochlorite) is required for aerobic septic systems. This article, contributed by a company which produces aerobic septic system disinfectants, describes the issue and identifies the proper aerobic septic system disinfectant to be used. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted.

Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers welcomed and are listed at "References." Readers of this page should also see Disinfection of Septic Effluent, Swimming Pool Chemicals for Septic Effluent Discharged from Aerobic Septic Systems. This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Use Calcium Hypochlorite for Disinfections In Onsite Aerobic Waste Treatment Septic Systems

A common concern of owners of onsite aerobic waste treatment septic systems is why they should not use pool chlorine tablets for their systems instead of the proper chemical, calcium hypochlorite. There are three primary reasons pool chlorine tablets should not be used for this purpose - legal requirements, safety issues, and environmental issues.

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) it is unlawful for anyone to use a registered pesticide (includes chlorine tablets) in a manner that is inconsistent with its labeling. For septic systems, enforcement of the law is primarily left with the states. In Texas and some other states enforcement is passed on to the counties.

For onsite aerobic septic systems, use only calcium hypochlorite tablets that have been certified by the EPA for this use. In EPA regulated areas, if the container is not labeled as such, it cannot be used for this purpose. In Texas, the use of swimming pool chlorine in aerobic septic systems carries a fine of about $500 for the first offence, and the fine increases for subsequent violations.

Use of Swimming Pool Chlorine Tablets in Aerobic Septic Systems

Besides legal, there are safety issues that need to be considered. Swimming pools tablets, such as Trichlor (trichloroisocyanuric acid or trichloro-s-triazinetrione), are designed for immersion in water. In an aerobic septic system feeder, the tablets are primarily above the water line. Under this condition the tablets will release nitrogen chloride, an explosive gas.

Under no circumstance should you allow Trichlor to come in contact with calcium hypochlorite or bleach. These chemicals react violently with each other. If you have been using Trichlor, completely remove the tablets from the chlorine feeder. Next, using water, rinse the Trichlor residue completely from the feeder section of the waste treatment system. Only after doing so is it safe to fill the feeder with calcium hypochlorite tablets that are approved for use in domestic wastewater systems. Never operate your system without the proper chlorine tablets such as the ClorMor brand of 2 5/8 inch chlorine tablets approved for use in onsite aerobic waste treatment septic systems.

If you have been using swimming pool tablets for a period of time, you have probably noticed a browning or dying of grass and other plants in the area where the sprinkler system sprays it. The chlorine in pool tablets is stabilized so it doesn't readily breakdown by sunlight as does the chlorine in calcium hypochlorite that is approved for aerobic waste treatment systems. Over an extended period of time, the applications of stabilized chlorine will not only kill the vegetation, but it can kill the beneficial bacterium that is natural to the soil.

Proper aerobic septic system maintenance

Proper maintenance and care of your septic system is essential to keep the system working properly. If you need additional information, you can contact the manufacturer of your aerobic septic system, your local permitting authority, or you may contact the original author of this article.

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• Original Author: sales@aerobicchlorine.com
  Maurice Davis, Product Line Manager
  Water Utility Chemicals, Inc.
  Aerobic Chlorine Division
  PO Box 1057
  Caldwell, TX 77836
  979-567-7960Maurice Davis maurice@wucinc.com
• Contribution via web 6/13/2006, edited by Daniel Friedman 8/23/06 © 2009 All Rights Reserved (C)DJF copyright trap

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Aerobic Septic System Disinfection with Calcium Hypochlorite - Use of calcium hypochlorite tablets for aerobic septic systems
• Aerobic Septic System Disinfection with Chlorine Tablets - US EPA declares use of swimming pool chlorine tablets illegal for septic system disinfection
• Aerobic Septic Systems - A Design Alternative for Difficult Sites
• Design Alternatives for Septic Systems: Alternate Onsite Wastewater Disposal Designs for Septic Systems - design engineers, consultants, products, books for special problem situations, difficult soils, old system repairs. Aerobic septic systems, chemical, composting, incinerating & waterless toilets, Evaporation-Transpiration (ET) Septic Systems, septic media filters, greywater systems, holding tank septic systems, mound septics, raised bed septics, pressure dosing septic systems, sand bed filters, peat beds, constructed wetlands, septic disinfection systems.
• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include

• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
• Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)

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