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Aerobic Septic System Operating Cost
What are the regular expenses: Pump electricity, tablets, supplies?
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about failures & problems in aerobic septic systems
Aerobic septic system or aerobic treatment unit (ATU) failure rates & repair costs: this article discusses Aerobic Septic System Failure Rates & Costs.
This website provides designs and products for aerobic septic treatment units (ATUs) for onsite waste disposal, also called fine bubble aeration systems. We address aerobic septic system design, features, inspection, repair, and maintenance. Product sources are also listed.
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Aerobic Septic System Regular Operating Costs
Here we discuss regular operating costs for an aerobic septic unit or ATU, excluding maintenance and repairs. ATU operating costs include the following:
- Electricity cost to operate the ATU aerator pump
- detailed here - typically between $25 and $250. year depending on electricity rates where you live. - Electricity cost to operate the ATU effluent pump
- also between $25 and $250. year depending on electricity rates where you live. - Aerobic Septic System regular supplies:
such as filters used on some systems, and chlorine tablets - discussed separately at
AEROBIC Septic System Disinfection
Typically Aerobic Septic supplies cost $200-$300 / year to include disinfection tablets and the annualized cost of septic effluent filter replacement. - Aerobic Septic System regular inspection & maintenance costs
are also part of the system's cost, described separately at
AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE COSTS where we give a table of all Aerobic system costs;
besides inspections and occasional filter changes you'll add the cost to pump the septic tank on schedule.
Often the cost of minor repairs and of replacing filters is included in regular maintenance aerobic system inspection fees.
Typically aerobic septic inspections cost between $200 and $800 / year, dependign on where you live and the level of service you require, and whether or not septic tank pumping is required (not an annual expense).
[Click to enlarge any image]
Here are some typical septic system regular operating costs using several eptic system maintenance companys data as well as data from septic authorities in U.S. states [1][2].
Schedule of Aerobic Septic System Regular Operating Costs per Year |
||
| Level of Aerobic Maintenance Plan Services | Annual Cost | Notes |
| Septic system disinfectant costs | $200 - $300 | If not part of your aerobic septic maintenance contract |
| Septic outlet effluent filter cartridge | $5 - $8. (annualized)*. | If your system uses an effluent filter to protect the effluent pumping station, and if not part of the maintenance contract * Assuming a typical septic tank filter life of 3-5 years, we annualized the typical filter cost of $20 - $30. by dividing by 4 |
| Electricity costs for aerator pump | $10-$25 - $200* | Aerating pump * At AEROBIC ATU SEPTIC OPERATING COSTS you'll see that pump costs can be $10-25 / month, not per year, depending on electrical rates where you live. |
| Electricity costs for effluent pump | $4 - $10 - $100* | Pump for effluent discharge or spraying; electrical costs vary by area. The effluent pump does not run continuously and is instead operated by a timer (dosing systems) or by a float that responds to effluent level in the effluent chamber of the aerobic septic tank. |
Notes to the table above
These are regular monthly aerobic septic system operating costs.
Watch out: The complete cost of operating AND maintaining an aerobic septic system has to add to the above the cost of aerobic septic maintenance inspections, minor repairs, and periodic septic tank pumping.
Those are detailed to give a complete cost picture at
AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE COSTS
Watch out: don't skip aerobic septic system maintenance inspections; failure to properly inspect and maintain aerobic septic systems is cited by experts as the number one explanation for costly aerobic septic system failures.
How to Compare Actual with Calculated Septic Pump Operating Cost
On 2020-01-18 by Abe - My pump eats about 40 bucks a month in electricity in Massachusetts. Is that normal?
My aerobic septic system pump eats about 40 bucks a month in electricity in Massachusetts. Is that normal?
On 2020-01-18 by (mod) - What's the operating cost of an aerobic septic pump ?
Thank you Abe for an interesting question: What's the anticipated operating cost of an aerobic septic pump.
Using the Medo Piston LA-80BN Septic Air Pump as an example, its specifications include:
120VAC, 60 Hz, 1.4A, 86 Watts.
So the pump is going to draw 86 watts in continuous operation (as do most aerobic pumps run continuously).
That's 86 watts per hour (less than running a 100W light bulb).
How to Calculate Septic Pump Operating Cost
Septic pump operating cost can be both calculated and possibly - if you have monitoring equipment - actually measured.
Monthly Pump Operation Cost = KWH/month x KWH of pump operation
Here are the steps in that calculation.
Calculate Monthly kWatt Hours or KWH for your pump
Daily operating electrical usage: 86 Watts/Hr x 24 hrs/day = 2,064 Watt-hours/day.
Monthly operating electricity usage: 30 x 2,064 = 61,920 watt hours/month
or 61,920/1000 = about 62 Kwh a month
Convert Watt-Hours to electricity cost for your state or province
in this case Massachusetts
Remember we calculate the total number of watt-hours of your pump then divide by 1000 to get Kilowatt hours or Kwh - as Kwh is how electricity rates are expressed.
Monthly Pump Operating Cost
C$ = Kwh hours/month x $ cost per Kwatt-hour
62Kwh x $0.2257kWh = $13.99 or about $14./month, or abouit 14x12 = about $170. / year, varying by electricity rates where you live.
Compare Actual Pump Electrical Usage & Cost to Pump's Label Data
From this and noting you report your pump is costing $40./ month to run, (how did you figure that out?) your actual cost is about 3 x the calculated cost.
Why is Your Pump Costing More than it Should to Run?
I figure one or more of the following
- You are running more than an aerobic pump, perhaps an aerobic pump (the aerator) AND an effluent distribution pump that adds electrical usage
- Your pump has a higher electricity usage rate in watts than my example (Please LOOK at your pump label and give me the data)
- Your actual electricity rate where you live is higher than the rate I used
- Your pump or control is defective, such as having a bad bearing or other problem that's drawing excessive amps
SO
In addition to looking at your pump's label and posting a photo of it for me or typing out its data for me,
also
Consider measuring or having an expert (so you're not shocked or killed) the actual current draw or AMPS on your aerobic septic system circuit, and compare that to the motor data label for RLA (Running Load Amps)
If the operating actual Amps draw is higher than RLA then yes, something may be wrong with the pump
We discuss converting between pump label data and kWh or horsepower at
ELECTRIC MOTOR HORSEPOWER & CIRCUIT WIRE SIZE
Details about electric motor current draw and data tag deciphering of locked rotor amp ratings and LRA and RLA data tables are given
at TIGHT or SEIZED AC COMPRESSORS
RLA = Rated Load Amps, not Running Load Amp.
If motor is driving the max load it is allowed, it will run at RLA.
Most electric motors will run less than RLA because they are not typically fully loaded.
Residential Electricity Rates in Massachusetts
In terms of cost per kilowatt hour (kWh), Massachusetts can be pricey. As of January 2019, the average retail price of electricity in the residential sector was 22.57 cents per kWh. That puts Massachusetts at the third highest rate in the nation. - Retrieved 2020/10/18 original source: https://providerpower.com/power-to-help/average-electric-bill-rates-consumption-massachusetts/
If you need a new aerobic pump
see AEROBIC SEPTIC AERATOR PUMP SOURCES
See also
AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE COSTS
Watch out: Don't just turn off the aeration pump thinking you'll save on your electricity bill.
It is unlikely that you could simply turn off your aerator on an aerobic system and treat it as a conventional septic: the level of treatment and disposal of effluent would be inadequate.
...
Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above
Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.
Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs
Reader Question: Will monthly use of Rid-X type products benefit the sludge in my aerobic septic system tank?
(June 15, 2014) Gene said:
In a 3 tank aerobic system (sludge, aerator, pump) its my understanding that the sludge tank function is the same as in a conventional (drain field).
It seems to me that monthly use of a rid x type product would be of benefit to add to reduce the sludge build up n increase the pumping interval
true/ false ?
Reply: do not use additives or treatment in septic systems
Except for specially-engineered aerobic treatment septic systems for which the designer and manufacturer specify that a particular chemical is required such as disinfectants
(see AEROBIC SEPTIC DISINFECTANTS - Calcium Hypochlorite),
eptic treatment additives are unnecessary, do not improve the system's function, in some cases can damage the system (such as by breaking up and sending solids out into the absorption system) and the use of at least some such products is actually illegal in many jurisdictions.
Details are at SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
...
Continue reading at AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE COSTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see these
Recommended Articles
- AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS, ATUs - home page for Aerobic Septic Systems
- AEROBIC SEPTIC ALARM SYSTEMS - how to silence & troubleshoot
- AEROBIC SEPTIC FILTER CLOGGING
- AEROBIC ATU SEPTIC FAILURE RATES, COSTS
- AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM ATU SUPPLIERS & MANUALS
- AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE COSTS
- AEROBIC ATU SEPTIC OPERATING COSTS
- AEROBIC ATU SEPTIC PROBLEMS
- AEROBIC ATU SEPTIC MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
- AEROBIC Septic System Disinfection with Calcium Hypochlorite - Use of calcium hypochlorite tablets for aerobic septic systems
- SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- [1] Note 1: NESC Pipelines, Summer 2005, Vol. 16., No. 3, citing an excellent, juried article: "A Survey of Home Aerobic Treatment Systems Operating in Six West Virginia Counties", Sextone, Alan et. al., Small Flows Quarterly, National Environmental Service Center, Fall, 2000, www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/sfqarchiveframe.html - unfortunately the NESC online copy is illegible. Fortunately NESC permits public download of the entire SFQ issue as a PDF, which will permit you to read this excellent article. A more careful reading than the citation above by the NESC is in order.
- [2] Clearstream at Clearstream Wastewater Systems, Inc. , 4899 US Hwy 69 South, Lumberton, Texas 77657, Tel: 800-586-3656, Website: http://www.clearstreamsystems.com.
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.
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