Waste treatment of all sorts is important to protect the environment. Most people don’t realize the importance of companies that treat cesspools, septic tanks and grease traps. The various waste collection systems need to be inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. However, many are left untreated because it is up to the owners to do it. The EPA says sewer pipe blockages are the main cause of sewer overflows. Further, grease is the main cause of blockages.
Cesspools are covered holes in the ground used to contain sewage and waste. They were used before people had municipal sewer systems and septic tanks. How do they work? A pit is lined with bricks or stone, creating a large underground tank. Afterwards, people dump sewage into the pit. People delay the cleaning by building a leaching cesspool, and liquid leaks out into the ground. The untreated liquid may cause health problems if it gets into the ground water. sewage treatment in Maui is important because the area still has cesspools. Individual homes in rural communities were built with cesspools until the government banned them in 1991. However, existing cesspools must be maintained.
Valley Isle Pumping has been in the business for years. The owners say cesspools should be pumped as often as septic tanks. A septic tank is a large container buried under the ground. Sewage from the home flows through pipes into the tank. The tank holds about a thousand gallons of waste and is designed to separate liquid from solids. Solid waste floats to the bottom of the tank where bacteria breaks it down into gases, water and more bacteria.
Treated water leaves the tank and flows into the leach field. The leach field is made out of dirt and gravel that filters pathogens out of the liquid waste. Therefore, the ground water is not contaminated. The Hawaiian government mandated strict rules for sewage treatment in Maui. Cesspool owners need to make sure the system is inspected twice a year. Water usage should also be limited, and there should be no more than six people using a cesspool. Politicians want to protect the environment and prevent citizens from getting sick.