A Home Sewage Treatment Plant (HSTP) operates similarly to a Municipal Sewage Treatment Works but is designed to fit in your backyard. It uses the same proven treatment methods as larger municipal systems to process all your home’s wastewater, including water from toilets, showers, baths, washing machines, and more. The HSTP treats and disinfects this wastewater to such a high standard that the water can be safely reused for irrigation purposes on your lawn. Most people don’t realise a home has its own HSTP, as these systems are low-maintenance and function in the same way as a typical mains or municipal sewer connection – except with the added benefit of being able to reuse your water.
Septic systems have been used to treat wastewater for centuries, but their treatment methods and results are now outdated by modern standards. Traditional septic tanks lack aerobic or equivalent advanced secondary treatment processes, treating only about 20% of the wastewater necessary to make it environmentally safe. This leaves the remaining 80% of treatment to the environment, placing unnecessary strain on natural systems.
Furthermore, septic tanks are designed only to treat a home’s black water (sewage), meaning additional separate tanks for grey water and grease traps are required. In contrast, a Taylex system provides a convenient one-tank solution.
In certain applications, such as remote Country Fire Authority or fire brigade depots, where the system may be unused for extended periods, a septic tank might be the most effective option. Taylex also offers systems designed for these specific situations. However, for 95% of applications, advanced secondary wastewater treatment systems are the optimal choice.
Worm-farm wastewater systems use worms and natural filtration to treat sewage in an aerobic environment. Some models are certified to Australian Standards as secondary treatment systems.
While they can reduce the need for regular pump-outs, they rely heavily on maintaining the right conditions for the worms to survive. Extended periods of low use, overloading, or harsh chemicals can affect performance. These systems still require servicing every few years, and performance depends on proper installation and consistent care.
A sand filter is an additional treatment process fitted to a Septic Tank outlet to process the partially treated effluent from the Septic Tank. Because the All-Waste Septic Tank is incapable of reducing the pollution level in the sewage and sullage that discharges from the home to a level that is safe for humans and the environment, a sand filter is constructed behind the septic tank to receive all the still heavily polluted effluent. The correct grading and placement of the sand, placement of the distribution and under-drains, etc., can greatly affect the successful operation and operating life of the Septic Tank Sand Filter System.
As the sand acts as a mechanical filter for non-treatable matter, the septic tank must be regularly pumped to prevent solids from clogging the sand media. The sand media itself cannot be backwashed or cleaned; it must be removed and replaced with fresh sand at the end of its lifespan. In systems that are poorly designed or constructed, failure can occur within as little as three years, necessitating the removal of the sand by machine, transport to a noxious disposal site, and the replacement with several truckloads of fresh sand.
Both the Taylex concrete and lightweight wastewater treatment systems are six-stage aerated wastewater treatment systems that exceed national standards and are certified across all Australian states and territories. So why offer both options if they essentially perform the same function?
Our concrete ABS systems are suitable for 90% of domestic installations. Taylex polymer tanks, on the other hand, are designed for sites where it’s not feasible to crane in a concrete treatment system, such as in areas with steep terrain. Our unique polymer mould uses ‘sandwich closed-cell foam polymer’ to form the compartment walls in a single piece. There are no joins or glued-in compartments, and all partitions extend up to the lid of the tank, giving you the same peace of mind as a Taylex concrete system.
Yes, all Taylex Wastewater Treatment Systems are required to be serviced quarterly as a condition of their State Accreditation Approval and may only be serviced by licensed wastewater service personnel. To get in touch with your local accredited Taylex service agent click here.
Only registered, licensed wastewater service personnel are authorised to service Wastewater Treatment Systems, as specified by Australian and state law. However, there are more compelling reasons to have your system serviced than simply meeting council requirements.
Regular servicing ensures that your Taylex system operates at peak efficiency, producing high-quality water for reuse in your yard and garden. Additionally, if your system is serviced by an accredited Taylex service agent, you’ll receive an extended warranty on all electrical components, providing peace of mind for the ongoing health of your system. To get in touch with your local Taylex service agent, click here.
To help your service agent perform their job effectively, ensure there is clear access to and around your system. Keep the grass mowed and tidy, and make sure the top of the system is free of any obstacles. If safe access is not provided, your service technician may need to reschedule the visit until the issue is resolved.
A generator can be connected to the pump lead, allowing the effluent to be pumped out and enabling you, the homeowner, to use the system.
Whether a generator can be connected depends on the age of your system and when any retrofitting was done. To check, open the box on top of the tank. If you find two female connectors, a generator can be used. If there is only one, a generator connection is not possible.
Bacteria can survive a short time without air. When the power is restored, there might be a bad smell, but it will dissipate when the air returns.
The rising cost of power is becoming a significant issue in our society. At Taylex, we understand the importance of finding cost-effective ways to operate our systems without compromising performance. That’s why we’ve developed the Taylex™ ABS (Advanced Blower System), which can turn off certain parts of the system to conserve power, depending on the system’s usage.
It is impossible for Taylex or any other treatment plant company to provide an exact estimate of annual operating costs for a treatment system. The reason is that the submersible pump, which pumps effluent to the irrigation fields, is the largest consumer of power. The pump’s runtime depends on factors such as the number of people in the household and individual water usage, which can significantly affect its operation. For more details, please refer to the attached document.
All Taylex Wastewater Treatment Systems can be powered by your home’s solar system. For best practices, please consult with your local service technician or specialist. Click here to download the relevant datasheets.
Absolutely! We are constantly exploring new ways to enhance the treatment and energy efficiency of our systems. To ensure your system is operating at peak efficiency, we offer a ‘Retro Upgrade Kit’ compatible with all older Taylex models. Contact us to arrange one for your system. Please note that the Retro Upgrade Kit must be installed by a licensed professional.
Taylex Wastewater Treatment Systems rely on naturally occurring ‘aerobic’ bacteria to treat your home’s wastewater, therefore harsh chemicals and antibacterial can harm and kill these beneficial Aerobic bacteria if they are used in large quantities. To protect the effectiveness of your system, Taylex recommends choosing products with the following characteristics:
While Taylex systems are designed to be robust and can handle small amounts of harmful substances, moderation is key when it comes to what goes down your drain.
Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more information on what you can use safely in your system.
Many people don’t realise that most drain-unblocking products found in supermarkets and hardware stores are harsh, chemical-based, and among the worst things you can pour down your drains.
While these products may help clear drains, they’re no different from pouring a litre of strong acid. We strongly advise against using either, especially if you’re on a septic system. These harsh chemicals are the primary cause of wastewater system odours, blockages, and eventual failure.
Other products we recommended to avoid or limit the use of in your Taylex ABS:
Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more information on what you cannot use safely in your system.
No, current legislation prohibits the internal reuse of water from wastewater treatment systems. At Taylex, we believe that the risks associated with facilitating this, such as unforeseen equipment failure, inadequate or irregular servicing, surge flows, and more, outweigh the limited benefits.
We do not recommend using a garbage disposal with your Taylex system. Putting kitchen scraps directly into your system adds unnecessary strain and introduces higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Additionally, as the food scraps decompose, they can cause unpleasant odours. The best practice is to dispose of food waste directly into the garbage bin for collection or into a compost bin.
Taylex systems use quiet, energy-efficient blowers. Unless you’re standing directly over the system, you should not hear any noise. If you do hear loud sounds coming from your system, there may be an issue, and you should contact your local service technician.
Just as you wouldn’t turn off the aerator in a goldfish bowl or switch off the power to your refrigerator or freezer, you should never turn off the power to your Taylex System. The bacteria naturally regulate their numbers; when no new food matter is introduced from the home, they will gradually die off and their population will be controlled by the remaining available food.
They will still have access to oxygen, and a small number of bacteria will remain viable. These will quickly multiply to previous levels as soon as fresh food is reintroduced. However, if you turn the power off, all the bacteria will begin to die within eight hours, as they will consume all the available dissolved oxygen. The system will become anaerobic, killing off the aerobic bacteria. This can make it very difficult to re-establish a healthy biomass when you turn the system back on, and it will likely produce strong, unpleasant odours for an extended period. In some cases, you may need to pump the system out and restart the process entirely.
You can use a spa bath with your Taylex system. Spa baths typically hold a large volume of water, which is only lightly polluted by body oils, soaps, and similar substances. However, due to the high hydraulic (water) loading, it’s important to avoid surging your system with excessive water.
Free, unrestricted access must always be provided to all access points on top of the system. This is essential to comply with Occupational Health and Safety requirements, ensuring a safe workplace for our service technicians.
The system’s bacteria will be affected but there is no need to pump out the tank at this point, we will make note of it for the service tech to be aware and if they think the levels aren’t within reason it will be their call to advise of a pump out.
There is a green LED light on the right-hand side that remains on, this indicates the system is operating correctly. On the left side, above the mute button, there is an alarm light. If something goes wrong with the system, this light will turn red and flash a specific number of times to indicate the alarm code. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more information on the alarm codes.
1 Flash: This indicates a blown irrigation fuse, usually caused by a pump/aerator overload. If your system is showing this code and the alarm is beeping, please contact Taylex or your local Wastewater Specialist to arrange a service.
3 Flashes: This means the water level is high, often due to a surge of water entering the system. Wait 15 minutes to see if the alarm clears. If it doesn’t, refer to your Owner’s Manual or contact your local wastewater specialist.
5 Flashes: This means there is no airflow in your system, typically caused by a blower issue. We recommend contacting your local Wastewater Specialist.
3 & 5 Flashes: This means a circuit breaker has tripped. Check your Owner’s Manual for instructions on how to reset it. If the issue persists, contact your Wastewater Specialist.
After significant rainfall, it’s not unusual for your tank to trigger a high-water level alarm, indicated by 3 flashes (Code 3). Please monitor the system for 24 hours. If the issue continues beyond that, contact us for further assistance.
Yes, you can still use water during Code 3, but we recommend minimizing usage to reduce strain on the system.
If the weather is hot and the tank is exposed to direct sunlight, it may trigger an alarm. Please monitor the system for 24 hours and contact us if the issue persists.
It takes approximately 4,000 to 5,000 litres of water to fill all four chambers to three-quarters full, up to the PVC pipe junctions. The water will begin in the centre chamber and flow through the system from there.
The spray distance will depend on the design of your system, ranging from 300mm to 2.5 metres.
