# Lenzyme Bio Products, Packaging, and Marketing

> Manufacturer of  bio-products and specializes in private label packaging

### New Easy tab boxes

This year we introduced our all new 12-pack Easy Dispense Box. Our first print production was completed on the private labeled box and later this year we will have the Lenzyme box available too. The new box has English and Spanish on it. The color has changed as well. The box, packet and educational brochure are now all the same blue color. The easy dispense opens on the face of the box. Your customer will remove the calendar reminder stickers first and then the packets will feed right out. When your customer gets to the last two packets there is a reminder card for them to reorder. The feedback so far is; Customers Love Them! We're sure this is going to increase your annual re-orders. Lastly you will notice the box weighs a little less. With the ever increasing shipping cost we looked at how we could maintain our high quality product and not increase your price at the end of 2010. We accomplished this in two ways. First the box itself is lighter but yet stronger than the older version. The next thing we accomplished was concentrating the bacteria onto less bran flakes. Both of these allowed us to lower our shipping weights and maintain our high quality without having to increase prices. We constantly are looking at ways to be more efficient so we don't have to pass on large increases to you, our distributors.

 

### Lenzyme's Septic Kit

Lenzyme's Septic Kit is designed to help rejuvenate slow sluggish drain fields. Remember, no special equipment is needed to use our Septic Kit. Therefore everyone should be able to add this service to their customer solutions. Septic fields typically fail from 4 problems. (1) A bio-mat buildup   (2) Grease Capping   (3) Sodium binding   (4) Roots. The most common problem is the bio-mat buildup. In short, fields function on a balance of Aerobic bacteria and Anaerobic bacteria. When it gets out of balance the bio-mat continues to thicken until it will not let effluent percolate through. Because of this blockage the effluent rises to the top and back ups or ponds in the yard. Septic Scrub breaks this cycle and breaks down the bio-mat. Once this reaction is done the field bacteria are killed off as well. The DBA (Drainfield Biological Activator) is added back into the field to re-establish the soil bacteria and help break down the organics that were trapped in the bio-mat. Call for more details on how you can add this valuable service to your business, or follow this link  https://lenzyme.com/Septic_Kit.pdf

 

### Compost pile starter

Using 1 packet of Lenzyme is all it takes to start up and boost the microbial action in a compost pile. More heat will be generated with higher counts of bacteria. This will speed up the time it takes to break down the compost.

### Lenzyme Website Very Popular for Septic Drainfield Education & Solutions to Septic Drainfield Problems

Did you know 93% of the page clicks and inquires on our website relate to getting more educated on septic drainfields? Most of the people using our site have drainfield or septic problems and are looking for a solution to their problem. Make sure if you have a website for your business it includes a link to our educational site. Feel free to use our extensive educational webpages to help you build your customer base for your services. The drainfield restoration area of your business could increase substantially if your site comes up at the top of the google searches for drainfield problems. Add a link to our site to help you move up on those google searches. Remember all inquires from our website are turned over to our distributors within a reasonable distance to the customer with the inquiry.

### New Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash

Just Announced and Now Available for you - Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash. This NEW product will fit in perfectly with your business and is another quality service you can do for your customers. It makes the filter cleaning process easier, less time consuming for your drivers, and in most cases there is no need for you to use the customer's garden hose. In addition to cleaning the filter, it also bio coats the filter with the high count LENZYME bacteria along with specialized enzymes. Use the bio filter wash to save your time and efforts, or better yet, offer this high quality filter cleaning service to all your septic tank cleaning customers. See the NEW LENZYME Bio Filter Wash in action with your own eyes at www.lenzyme.com/Video_Bio_Filter_Wash.html. After many years of development and testing our new Bio Filter Wash is ready to be added to your professional septic services. Make it a part of a complete septic system treatment package where you offer your customers the added service of treating their filter with the Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash, treat their drainfield using our Septic Scrub & Drainfield Biological Activitor, and of course treating their system monthly with the Lenzyme Packets.

It's Here - The NEW Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash!
The directions are very simple. Add the gallon of Bio Filter wash into a 3 gallon sprayer and then fill with 2 gallons of water. The sprayer should be enough to do up to 6 Septic Filters. You simply spray the filter with the bio wash and then let is sit while you pump the tank. Finish the process with another quick spray down before you re-install the filter after pumping.

### Marketing Tip - Grass Root Marketing

This year at the Cole Publishing Pumper Show, Lenzyme gave a seminar on Grass Root Marketing. The attendance of this seminar (500 +) was proof enough to us that companies are looking for ways to market their companies at a reasonable cost. We introduced 45 marketing tips at that seminar. One of the tips was "Emotional Marketing". As I spoke to the audience I was watching their reactions. Many of them were shaking their heads up and down, some lit up with smiles about what they were hearing and others (just a few) had the look of the "deer in the headlights". It was after the seminar and the ongoing response we got at our booth that was just overwhelming. Many stopped to order our candy to begin marketing their companies better. Over and over I listened to their personal stories and how they never really thought about how a customer or potential customer feels after they leave. This was the "Emotional Attachment" that was missing in their business. They all understood emotional attachment but never thought about how it affected their business nor how to even make it happen. Now I want to share a true story that demonstrates the true power of emotional marketing. A young friend of mine is a pretty good football player. He wanted to get a shot at the NFL (every college player's dream), we sat down one evening and I asked how do you even get noticed coming from such a small school. His reaction was, You don't! He proceeded to tell me that you send in a DVD with some of your game highlights on it and a letter stating your Name, School, and statistics. That's it, everyone does the same thing! Brian (my football friend) was not going to get a call from anyone in the NFL, I knew it and I think he did too. In fact, he thought they would just throw his information (probably along with many others) right into the garbage can. That is until we decided to step outside the box and market his highlights in a much different way - the emotional marketing way. Brian sent in his letter, DVD and (get ready for this) a bag of candy private labeled with his number one statistic on it. It read "Discover the Kid in Green Bay that has a 4.3 forty". Brian got not just one call, but 3 calls already from NFL & CFL recruiters. They all told him the same thing, "We have been in this business a long time and never received anything like this in the mail". They proceeded to tell him it was one of the most unique things they had ever seen. That folks was Great Marketing and that established an emotional tie. Now at least they will remember Brian. This is what emotional marketing is all about. You or your company are leaving a good lasting impression with the customer or potential customers.

Free Advertising: This was one of the most popular ideas from the seminar and show booth conversations. Contact your local school, scouts, sports, or church fundraising friends. Ask them if they would like to use your candy for raising money. You then order the bag of candy that is private labeled with your company's name on it, along with the organizations name & logo. They in turn sell it to the public and you just got FREE advertising. Lets not forget the goodwill you just built up with your local community. This is a win-win plan for all. Emotional Marketing is a great way to stay ahead of your competition. Plus we have made this easy for you. Customers will remember you when you use an emotional marketing strategy!

### Marketing Tip - The Rule of Repetition

The Rule of Repetition means that any communication is most effective when repeatedly brought to the attention of your target market. Why is repetition so critical? Because
most of your customers won't take action the first few times. There are all kinds of reasons for this. Your customers aren't familiar enough with what you want them to do. Repetition helps build familiarity, which in turn helps build trust and it then builds a routine. Your customers have many distractions in their busy lives, and they also have time-pressures. This causes them to delay action, and they will soon forget all about you. Repetition  reminds them about you, and reminds them to take care of things they have forgotten. Perhaps you haven't encouraged them to take immediate action, or maybe they just haven't yet realized how your services and products can benefit them. Regardless of the cause, the unfortunate result is that they don't (or can't) remember who you are. Start repetition by opening the box and handing your customer the calendar stickers. Ask them to place the stickers on their calendar today, and tell them how important it is for them to treat their system monthly. Follow up with your customers using postcards, phone calls, emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc - all the time stressing the important of monthly treatments. At the same time make them aware of your other services. This will keep you fresh in their minds. If they, or their friends and neighbors, have a problem you will be the first company they remember.

You should conduct business by the Rule of Repetition to the extent possible. You
won't just present your message to prospects one time and then rest on your laurels.
Instead, you'll be persistent and stay in contact with your customers with repetition.
You'll be surprise how fast your business grows by using the Rule of Repetition.

### Marketing Tip - Be the Local Expert

Power of the Press. The job of newspapers, magazines, radio, and even TV is becoming very competitive. Every media outlet is competing for your attention. An example of this competitive media environment can be seen in our local weather coverage. In Green Bay snow during the winter months is very common. But listening to the local news you would think it never happens here! When I was a kid a snow storm did not get mentioned in the news unless it was a foot or more. Today every snow storm is big news and you better listen to the local news or you won't survive. They have to make a big deal out of it just to keep you coming back. On the positive side this competitive media environment is perfect for helping you get your company noticed. You are a professional with extensive expertise in the septic and drain business. If the media knows about you they will seek you out when a topic of interest to the general public is at hand. Provide the local media with a background of yourself and your business. Be sure to include your contact information, experience level, and also provide them with some educational articles. We have plenty of these educational articles which you can reproduce for FREE. Try to get a "meet & greet" with the editor or producer of your local media. The goal of your contact is to be visible to them. That way when something happens and they need expert opinions to help support their coverage you are there to help! Let me tell you about one of our distributors who did this. John from Able Septic provided an educational article to his local newspaper back in March of 2002. In June of 2003 a local resident broke through a rusted out septic lid and broke his leg. John was contacted by the newspaper to give suggestions on how to avoid such problems. His main suggestion was to have risers with safety nets installed. You guessed it, John's business generated huge revenue that year installing risers with safety nets just because of that one mention in the local newspaper.

With regards to the Pumper magazine, we are often asked to provide distributor names for featured articles in their industry magazines. If you would like to be featured in one of their magazines please contact us with your interest. Topics that make for excellent articles are unique experiences in the industry or you fixed a problem for someone with a special twist. If Cole publishing contacts you for a featured article, please touch base with Jerard before the author does your story. Also, we are always looking for testimonials of our distributors who have used our products or marketing ideas in a successful way. Please send your testimonials to lenzymesales@gmail.com. These testimonials help educate the public and result in added sales for you.

 

### Marketing Tip - Ask for referrals

Ask for It. To grow your business the easiest and quickest way you need to ask for referrals. Don't blow a perfectly good opportunity to grow your business by not asking for referrals. Let me pass on to you what one of our distributors does to grow his business. When they take a phone call from any customer to schedule a pump out, at the end of the phone call they use this wording before ending the phone call. "Thank you Mrs. X for using our services, do you know of anyone else in the neighborhood who could benefit from our services?" 3 out of 4 times they will get a name and a phone number from that customer. "May we use your name when contacting them?" Most of the time they will say YES, in addition they often say they will put in a good word for us. "Again thank you so much for your business, we really appreciate you as a customer. We will be sending along a bag of candy with our driver for you to show you how much we appreciate your referrals. Could we ask one more small favor of you. Please go to our website and facebook accounts and click on the Like Us button." Everyone goes to our accounts and likes us because they know we just gave them a FREE bag of candy. Now that is a simple and successful way of growing your business with very little cost. Just think of the excellent word-of-mouth advertising you get from this simple bag of candy and just plain asking for it! Give Jerard a call today to talk about getting started using your very own private labeled candy for your referral marketing efforts. Referrals work when you ask for them, start growing your business today.

One becomes Many with Referrals!

### Marketing Tip - Complete Septic Service

Are you leaving MONEY on the table? Most of you make the bulk of your income doing septic tank cleanings. You are in the septic tank cleaning business and that is what you market your company as. But what if you changed that perception and started marketing your company as a Complete Septic System Service? A lot of our distributors are missing the boat as far as the newest trend in this industry - Complete Septic System Solutions! Let me give you an example of this business concept: Most car dealerships started out as just selling new cars, then they added selling used cars, then they started to do repair services, and now they have added oil changes & tire rotations. A dealership is now marketed as your complete solution for your car, a one stop shopping and continued maintenance services dealership. The same holds true in our industry, your customers want a total solution for their system. You should be offering the following services at a minimum: 1) Septic tank cleaning 2) Septic tank inspection 3) Filter cleaning and inspection, plus now a filter bacteria activation 4) Drainfield treatment 5) Lenzyme monthly applications. All these services and income streams can be done while your driver is onsite at your customer location. They are easy and do not take much time. Best of all your truck and driver are already there, so most of your cost is covered by the septic tank cleaning. Provide your customers the best and most complete services and products!


### EarthBuster Plus

The EarthBuster Plus uses compressed air to break up clogged/compacted soil, restoring the naturalflow of liquids through the soil of your drainfield. The tool breaks up compacted soil and biomat byrepeatedly driving a pneumatic probe up to 6 feet deep into a drainfield. The EarthBuster Plus is arefined machine that incorporates a tank that allows liquids to be added to the machine and is dispersed as the compressed air is breaking up the compacted soil.Lenzyme’s EarthBuster Kit was designed to enhance the success of the project and tackle the biomatat it’s source. The kit includes Lenzyme’s Field & Line Cleaner and Lenzyme’s Drainfield BiologicalActivator. (see below for kit description)Are you experiencing any signs of septic tank problems like:




Wet or soggy soil over your drainfield?



Black or dark gray ooze from the surface of your drainfield?



Foul odors around your drainfield?



Sewage backing up or overflowing into your home?



Gurgling sounds coming from the drains in your home?(Pictured: EarthBuster attached to Bobcat style and Mini Excavator)




All of these signs of septic tank problems are common when your drainfield is lined with sewage biomat and/or when it’s not getting enough subsurface oxygen. EarthBuster Plus can fix all ofyour septic problems, long-term, by de-compacting the absorption soil, breaking up the biomat, simultaneously injecting Lenzyme’s Earthbuster Kit into the cavities and aerating your drainfield safelyand quickly. This alternative solution can save you a lot of money. Replacement drainfields couldcost you anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000 or more, depending on what type of system you have.When a septic drainfield fails, there are no warning lights, it’s just stops working. It’s almost alwaysbecause the soil–not the septic tank or the drain pipes, but the soil itself–is clogged up and compacted with biomat. This keeps the fluids from your septic tank from being able to drain out into the soillike they are supposed to.



The EarthBuster Plus was introduced with an 11 gallon tank, Lenzyme’s EarthBuster Kit can be added directly into the soil to further breakdown the biomat and bring your system back into balance.In combination of de-compaction and Lenzyme’s Earthbuster Kit, this will enhance the success ofyour septic drainfield for years to come.



(Click the link below to see the Lenzyme Earthbuster Kit and Earthbuster in action)











Field & Line Cleaner is a commercial gradesoil conditioner that helps to clean up biomat, sludge and crystallization in the soil. Italso strips away sludge build up thus allowing the oxidizing stage to reach deeper intothe drainfield bed. This is very importantwhen working with clay fields. Cleaning upthe biomat first with the Lenzyme Field &Line Cleaner is important to allow the Drainfield Biological Activator to bring the systemback into balance.



To view the EarthBuster Plus in action, see thisYouTube link:



https://youtu.be/v8p0mGuj-ls





Ask your Septic Pumping professional or authorized Lenzyme Distributor about the EarthBuster Kit





Drainfield Biological Activator is a concentrated special blend of bacteria added to break upbiomat and restore the biological activitywhich is depleted during the reaction process.This brings the system back into balance. Italso attacks left over organics in the drainfield.This product can be added to the septic tankor can be top treated through multiple pilotholes above the field. This product can alsobe added directly into the EarthBuster Plus.





Lenzyme Kit for Biomat, Sludge, and Grease

### Site Map

Lenzyme Bio Products and Packaging and Marketing Experts Contractor



About Us



Contact Us



Lenzyme Liquid EarthBuster Kit



Septic Education



Maintain Your Septic Tank and Drainfield System



Grease Education



Grease Education Clearing the Fog



Grease trap Study



Drainfield Education



Understanding the Microbial Balance of a Drainfield



Other Education



Contractor Information



Video Septic Tank and Drainfield Problem Education



Video Septic System Additives Testimonials



Video Septic System Additives Contractor Information



Video Grease Problem and Restaurant Grease Trap Problems



Video Bio Filter Wash



Video Cat Food Test



Site Map




PDF Resources




pdf – Drainfield Ed – Septic Kit



pdf – Bio-Products Experts



pdf – Packaging Experts



pdf – Marketing Experts



pdf – Septic Kit



pdf – Contractor Information – MSDS – Arcan Septic Scrub



pdf – Bio Filter Wash



pdf – Complete Septic System Service

### Our Worm Farm Operation

Because we are already in the "GREEN" business dealing with wastewater treatment products it was a natural addition for us to get into the Vermiculture business? Most commercial worm farm businesses are successful on a local level and we certainly supply our local markets with both worm castings and fishing bait worms. But we also sell our high quality and all natural worm castings across the United States. Our web site is mostly based on education and to that end this page is split into two sections.

For those of you reaching our web site who are just beginning to research the worm farming business opportunity, or are in business and looking to improve your operation, I will answer a few common questions we have heard over the years running a successful vermiculture business. Please use our contact page if you have questions that are not answered here, we are more than happy to help you out.

Yes worm farming is hard, but like all farming it can be done successfully with good equipment (worm harvester) and a good system of growing the worms. After a great deal of researching we selected the “The UNCO System”. 
The cultured nightcrawlers used in the UNCO Industries system are excellent producers of high quality worm castings and make a super organic fertilizer. Our opinion is that the worm castings produced from our UNCO duplicated system are better than what is made from red worms, and the UNCO cultured nightcrawlers are more prolific producers. You will see plenty of red worms for sale to start a worm farm or for raising fishing worms and even for composting with worms. But worm growing is more than that, you need a business plan and you need to select the right types of worms to start your commercial worm farming business off on the right foot.

You must establish a good market for your products locally to have a successful vermiculture business. It is easy to sell the bait worms locally for fishing worms. Once the word of mouth gets out in your area that you have great bait worms that don’t need to be refrigerated, you will have local fishermen showing up and calling. Ask around for the local organic growers in your area. These are the people who will become your customers the quickest. These organic growers and organic home gardeners are always looking for pure earthworm castings. They want to use all natural organic fertilizers to get the many added benefits of worm manure. You can sell worm tea, compost worms, worm food, garden worms, worm composting bins, worm boxes, and worm bedding.

Start small, know what you are getting yourself into, and talk to worm farmers who are already in business. Get to know worm anatomy, get some worm raising experience, know your worm facts, and worm casting benefits before increasing your worm farm operation. One of the nice things about the worm farming business is that you can always grow bigger when you have the customers and you have some experience under your belt.

Earth worm Castings” need to be produced by the worms and then separated from the worms and other debris.
We have found the best production of worm castings comes from following the UNCO Industries vermiculture business model. Separating and collecting the worm castings can be time consuming and back breaking work.
We suggest you start small and get a feel for what you are doing before shelling out the money for worm sifting machines and equipment. UNCO industries will sell you worm operation equipment in addition to their worm farming system and education. We started by hand, then progressed to used equipment, and then finally purchased new equipment that we still use today. The used equipment we picked up locally from a business using the UNCO system and equipment.

It included a pulverizer, conveyor system, and a used MK-VIII Worm and Casting Harvester (Dual screen automated worm harvesting equipment). We have since junked the old worm harvester and invested in a new “Worm Shi*fter” which we are extremely happy with. It has saved us a lot of headaches and time in our operations. Feel free to check out their web site for more information. http://www.brockwoodfarm.com/wormharvester/

And finally, like any business you need to operate smart to be profitable. Anything that you can do to save time and money is worth checking out. You will find that efficiency is very important in this business. Ultimately, you have to produce high quality worm castings or you will not be in business long!

Our Organic Fertilizer ( Wiggle Worm Soil Builder )

Worm castings are not just a fertilizer, they are much more. The main reason for their use is to enrich the soil. They help to build up the soil structure, boosting its water-holding capacity, and adding to the biodiversity and long-term productivity of your soil. In other words, organic worm castings are an integral part of intelligent soil management. Chemical fertilizers just add nutrients to the soil, they do not help to improve the soil structure.

Worm castings or Earthworm excreta are an excellent soil-conditioning material with a high water holding capacity and a ‘natural time release’ for releasing nitrogen into the soil. They improve drainage minimizing soil erosion and helps stop soluble nitrogen and phosphorus rich runoff. The worm castings form aggregates, which are mineral clusters that combine in such a way that they can withstand water erosion and compaction, and also increase water retention. Chemical fertilizers offer none of these benefits. Our Wiggle Worm Soil Builder worm castings are produced by earthworms eating organic matter, processing those organic materials through digestion, and then excreting the castings. An important feature of worm castings is that during the processing of the organic material by earthworms, many of the nutrients they contain are changed to forms more readily taken up by plants, such as nitrate nitrogen, exchangeable phosphorus and soluble potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They also contain plant growth hormones (Cytokinins and Auxins) that promote a stronger more fibrous root system which allows the plant to uptake more nutrients. Plus they are full of trace minerals like Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Boron. All this is done in a natural way and your plants will love it because it is 100% natural and organic. Chemical fertilizers are produced from petroleum or natural gas and are synthetic.

They can contain a lot of fillers that do nothing for your soil or plants. During the digestion process the worms change the organic wastes in many ways. One of the many benefits of this process is that the worms deodorize and neutralize the organic waste. Part of the earthworm’s digestion process changes the pH of the organic material and the castings come out in a pH range of around 7 (neutral). Therefore, our Wiggle Worm Soil Builder worm castings are a natural soil enhancer and they are naturally odorless (they smell like a forest after rain). In conclusion, chemical fertilizers may be cheaper and more convenient to buy. But if you really want to boost your soil and grow better and healthier plants, make a little extra effort and go organic. In fact, 100% natural and pure worm castings is the best way you can go.

Pure Worm Castings vs Other Organic Compost
Our Wiggle Worm Soil Builder worm castings are a PURE castings product. High quality pure worm castings start with providing the absolute best bedding material. Our worker worms bed in the richest peat humus in the world.
This is the bedding they need to produce the highest quality castings. We then feed our worms specific grains that contribute to the worms protein needs and vitamins that help the worms digest the organic materials better. Then water, and not just any water, we provide 100% well water that has more minerals for the worms. They are produced inside a building with controlled heat and humidity. By comparison, castings from a typical worm farm will not be as pure because there is no way to ensure that ALL of the bedding has passed through the stomach of the worm and if the beds are outdoors, some of the nutrients may have leached out due to rain. Castings that come from Vermicomposting of waste materials like lawn waste and municipal landfills are of lesser quality too.

Those composts are lacking purity, nutrients are usually leached away, and they may contain hot spots (which can burn young plants). Plus there is the potential for chemical residues like pesticides sprayed on lawns and heavy metals from waste. There is also the possibility of bacteria and glass and other garbage materials that can get past the screening process. Our Wiggle Worm Soil Builder earthworm castings provide many special benefits beyond what farmers or gardeners can expect from just manure or compost. In fact, most specialists recommend that castings be used as a top dressing or supplement. In this way, castings help make the most effective use of all your bulk soil amendments. "A little goes a long way" because the benefits of castings are so concentrated. Sure our castings cost a little more than other organic or chemical fertilizers. For that extra money you are getting the following benefits:

It's 100% natural and pure ORGANIC worm castings ~ You just need a little on top of an existing plant

Can add 20% to a potting soil to make your own “Rich” potting soil

Make a worm castings tea and use it to water all your plants and vegetables

Works on any kind of indoor or outdoor plant ~ No Odor so you can use it indoors without worry

Improves soil water retention so you don’t have to water as much ~ Improves soil structure

This is a fantastic product that will produce Fantastic Results! Most popular package comes in 25 lb bags which is excellent for homeowners and can be shipped to you. We also carry larger packaging sizes including a one ton bulk bag. Remember to ask us about FREE private labeling of our worm castings. Private labeling is great for business promotions, fundraising, botanical gift shops, retail sales at organic farms, retail sales at farmer markets, and also retail sales at garden stores. Just contact us for current pricing.

 
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Organic Dirt
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25 Pound Bag of Worm Castings
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1-TON Bulk
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### Other Education

Other Wastewater Treatment Situations:
Here are some examples of other areas of wastewater treatment that we get a lot of inquires on.



Aerobic septic systems. It is not unusual for these aerobic treatment septic systems to have operating problems when someone in the home is taking strong medication for serious illnesses. Because these medications are so deadly to microorganisms they can wreck havoc on all types of septic systems, but aerobic septic systems seem to be more susceptible to this situation. It makes perfect sense to treat problem aerobic septic tanks with high quality septic bacteria and enzymes to help them perform better.



Municipal sludge ponds and settling ponds. These larger wastewater treatment ponds can be struck with unexpected and unwanted chemicals, grease, algae blooms, and solids overloading. These ponds are designed and operated to be self sustaining but deteriorate fast when a hiccup occurs. Once a problem happens it takes a lot of effort and hard work to get these sludge ponds back in balance. Our formulations can help in these situations to bring the ponds back in balance much quicker.



Many campgrounds and RV park owners ask for our help with restoration of their slow and failing septic systems. Campground septic tank problems and drainfield problems are wide spread because of the nature of their business. Many of these campgrounds and RV parks are seasonal operations and their septic systems can easily be overwhelmed by too many solids and chemicals entering the septic systems during periods of full occupancy. The majority of RV and camper holding tank products contain harsh chemicals to keep the odors down. Unfortunately these chemicals find there way into the campground or park septic tanks through dumping stations and public toilet facilities. Many times the septic systems in these campgrounds are just overloaded, especially if they have laundry facilities or a kitchen facility where they cook a lot of greasy foods. Failing septic drainfields or failed campground septic systems create terrible septic odors or drainfield odors and unsightly messy landscapes. Not what your campers want to smell or see when they go to your campground to enjoy nature at it’s best. They won’t be back if you are dealing with these types of campground septic system failures. Here are a few suggestions to help you solve your problem septic system. Many RV park and campground owners encourage the use of environmentally safe products in their laundry facilities. Some articles have been written in campground owners association newsletters encouraging the use of environmentally safe RV holding tank products. If you have a store on site, you should only sell environmentally safe products in your store. Ask us about private labeling RV holding tank products to sell in your store. This helps your septic system by adding good bacteria through the dumping station and helps to promote your campground at the same time. We offer bulk pails of our high quality septic tank and drainfield additives for your system. Prevention is the best medicine, be proactive and jump start the biological activity a month or two before your busiest time of the year. Also make septic system treatments on a regular basis to help keep your system operating at top performance. Work with your septic professional for advice on how often you should have your septic tank cleaned and your septic drainfield inspected and treated. Make sure you have septic tank outlet filters on your system and clean them often. Use proper septic tank care to protect your septic system, they can be very expensive to repair or replace.







Portable Toilets - Usually the goal in a portable toilet is to reduce the smell for the people needing to use them. Breaking down the waste is not important because they are pumped and cleaned so often. Therefore, biological portable treatment products are not the first choice for this situation. However, many areas are now passing laws to prohibit the use of harsh chemicals in portable toilets. This is because much of the waste pumped from portable toilets end up going to some form of municipal treatment plant. In large concentrations this can cause problems for these facilities. If you are in need of natural solutions for your portable toilets we have them available.



Other Products and Services:
Because we specialize in Custom Private Labeling for our professional contractors, we have the ability to private label some of our other products too. This is great for such activities as the following:



Fundraising and Business Promotion - We can private label candy for your organizations fundraising needs. Candy goes over well in any organization and creates an emotional attachment with your donators. See our unique way of adding extra cash to your fundraising efforts. Churches, schools, youth sports, school clubs, bands, and many more types of organizations can benefits from our fundraising ideas and products. Don’t just sell a product to raise money, use this opportunity to raise awareness for your organization in addition to raising money. Promote your organization with private labeled promotional items too.

### Grease Problem and restaurant grease trap problems

Solution to backed up grease traps in restaurants, prisons, correctional institutes, hospitals and other facilities. Smelly grease traps, odors from grease traps, and grease blockages can be improved with grease trap cleaning and grease trap treatments. Trap-Cleer, made by Lenzyme, also helps to control grease problems in lift stations and sewer lines. Trap-Cleer helps to attack grease problems in clogged sewer lines, slow running drain lines, blocked main lines, and backed up household drains.

### Diagnosing Grease Problems in Restaurants and Lift Stations

"Diagnosing grease problems in restaurants and lift stations" is a full time job. Anyone who has worked in restaurants knows first hand the hassles and safety hazards grease can cause. Messy and smelly clean ups from plugged grease traps or backed up drains is a common experience for restaurant employees. Municipalities have full time maintenance crews just to clean and fix equipment damaged by grease build up and grease stoppages. All these types of grease problems can be frustrating and costly to restaurants and government entities."



Restaurant Grease Problems:
Here is a list of the safety hazards and economic damages associated with grease problems at restaurants:







Employee or customer slips and falls from grease build up on tile floors
Lost business from customers being turned off by odors coming from the grease trap or drains
Grease fires from grease building up on kitchen exhaust hoods
Sewer smells, drain flies and drain odors, plus rotten grease odors
Increased city FOG ( Fats, Oils, and Grease ) charges
Down time when the three compartment sink is backed up



Grease problems in restaurants can put you out of business with one lawsuit, or will cost you lost revenues from customers not coming back after seeing dirty floors and black grout stains from grease! Don't let this happen to your restaurant! Fight back with good grease trap maintenance, regular grease exhaust cleanings, and high quality floor cleaners. We recommend a restaurant grease trap use an automatic high quality biological grease trap treatment system to fight grease build up between regular grease trap cleanings. Every restaurant faces fats and grease on a daily basis. Kitchen grease, cooking grease, fry grease, bacon grease, chicken grease, yellow grease, bear grease, goose grease, and even alligator grease can all cause grease problems in your restaurant. You need grease relief or you will go crazy fighting grease problems.







Start by removing grease from your grease trap interceptors to avoid backups. Grease traps are designed to slow the wastewater flow down and let it cool so the grease will be caught by the baffles in the grease interceptor. This grease can be attacked and broken down within the grease trap by grease trap bacteria and enzymes. Even a excellent grease eating bacteria will not be able to consume all the grease flow produced by the average restaurant.







Sooner or later you will need to hire the grease man to bring his grease truck out to pump your grease trap and eliminate grease that has built up in your grease trap. Pumping and cleaning your grease inceptor on a regular schedule is a great way to clean grease or remove grease before it can cause you problems.



Most fats, oils, and greases used in the restaurant are biodegradable grease of one form or the other. Learn how FOG can be broken down and eliminated, thereby reducing your FOG charges ( if you are in an area with grease police and city FOG charges are applicable). Grease solvents are great for exhaust hood cleanings but you don't want to put a grease solvent down the drain or in your grease trap. Also, never put your used fryer grease down the drains. Grease backing up in the three compartment sink, smells or odors from the three compartment sink, or slow running drains are an early sign of grease build up problems. Call your grease trap biological maintenance contractor and schedule a cleaning of your plumbing including the grease trap. If you are like most restaurant managers or owners, you don't want the expense of calling in service professionals or paying for expensive cleaners. I can tell you one thing, no $1 per gallon bleach product or $5 per gallon floor cleaner is going to do a good job of eliminating grease from your restaurant. This is especially true of the grease on your floors. Your daily cleaning routine using cheap soaps dissolve the grease and dirt and then that dirt and grease get stuck in the grout lines during mopping of the floors.







Soaps make the grease soluble and it is just moved from one area of the floor to the next. The combination of the soap residue and the grease can make for a very slippery floor, that is an accident just waiting to happen. Whatever grease and dirt you do manage to pick up is then put down the drain and can cause drain line blockages over time. Help reduce the grease on your floors by using our high quality biological floor cleaner at least once a week. In the grease trap and drains use a high quality "GREASE" attacking biological treatment and apply that treatment when the least amount of water is going to flow through the grease trap and drains.



Bioremediation of the grease trap and drains needs to have retention time to build up bacteria and enzyme biofilms within the grease trap and drain lines. Removing grease from your restaurant operation is nearly impossible if you are not using the correct cleaning products and cleaning services. In fact harsh cleaners like bleach will do a lot of damage to the bacteria and enzymes in your grease trap and drain lines. If the cleaners kill germs, then they also kill the good bacteria and enzymes. Pay close attention to the dishwasher soaps, floor cleaning products, countertop cleaners, exhaust hood cleaners, and general cleaning products to find ones that are environmentally safe. These types of products have come a long way in the past few years and can do a great job of cleaning at a very affordable price.



Lift Station Grease Problems and Other Grease Problem Locations:
In lift stations the grease problems stem from the build up of grease on the floats, pumps, and walls of the pump chambers. Once grease has a hold it will cause grease blockages, grease clogs, and grease pit odors. All this grease builds up to a point where the floats and pumps can not work properly. Sometimes these grease problems cause the pump motors to burn out which results in very expensive repairs or replacements.







Wastewater treatment facilities, sewer manholes, septic system pumping chambers, apartment building main drain lines, strip mall sewer lines, and sludge ponds can all benefit from grease remediation techniques. But first learn how enzymes and bacteria attack grease vs how surfactants and solvents work on grease. The normal approach to solving grease buildup problems is to use high pressure jetting equipment to remove the grease from floats and pumps. But within days the grease starts to accumulate again if not treated properly with a high quality biological and enzyme treatment.







Another area of extreme grease problems is in small to large sludge ponds. When the sludge pond is overloaded with grease it will start a grease capping action on the water surface. Once this starts it will effect the performance of the sludge pond. The greater the grease capping the more oxygen is cut off and a reduction of sunlight will result.







These are both bad for a sludge pond. Soon there will be a terrible odor and things will deteriorate fast. Don't let this happen to you. Be proactive and do regular biological treatments to help maintain a high level of bacterial action within your sludge ponds.



Grease problems in septic tanks and septic drainfield is another area of concern. Specific grease problems can occur in the pump chambers of mound septic systems, grease capping of septic drainfields, and grease problems in aerobic systems. Campground and RV park septic system problems are often related to grease overloading of the wastewater treatment systems. Mobile home parks, small housing communities with shared septic systems can be overloaded quickly as well. Remember to maintain high levels of biological activity in these systems, make sure to have the proper filters installed, and use your septic professional to have regular pump outs and cleanings.

### Grease Trap Study

Comparison of Four Treatment Methods for the Removal of Lipids and Food Waste in a Grease Trap Environment





Introduction



by Scott A. LowryEnvironmental Science DepartmentTexas Christian UniversityFt. Worth, Texas











Bioremediation, as it was first termed, is the degradation of more complex hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide, water, and other simpler products by microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, cyanobacteria, and algae. Bioaugmentation is the addition of bacterial cultural products containing different strains of microorganisms to wastewater with the purpose of providing a sufficient quantity and diversity of microorganisms which can help improve the treatment performance of the wastewater treatment system (Yu and Hung, 1992). The breakdown of hydrocarbons by bacteria was first noted by Claude E. ZoBell in 1946 (Atlas, 1981). Microorganisms use the energy and carbon building blocks of the hydrocarbons to generate more cells. Bacteria also need nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as certain other environmental requirements such as oxygen, water, pH, and suitable temperature to continue cell division (Severn and Adams, 1992). The process of converting the hydrocarbons to biomass and carbon dioxide is an oxidative one and is called mineralization (Atlas, 1984). 



It has been well documented that many different species of bacteria are capable of utilizing hydrocarbons as their sole food source, and that these microorganisms are widely distributed in nature. Microorganisms have been found degrading hydrocarbons in extreme temperatures, such as the Antarctic and in hot springs (Atlas,1981). Most of the knowledge regarding the utilization of fatty acids as sole carbon sources stems from genetic and biochemical studies performed with E. coil (Nunn, 1986). The ability of microorganisms to biodegrade hydrocarbons is determined by contaminant concentration and the bacteria's preexisting exposure to that specific hydrocarbon or group of hydrocarbons (Spain et al., 1980). In other words, when microorganisms are exposed to contaminants over a period of time, they tend to mutate (due to their rapid cell division) to a strain of microorganism that is capable of utilizing the contaminant as an energy source. 



Numerous bioremediation studies, mostly related to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination, have been performed since Zobell's discovery in the mid-1940's. In the past, scientists have given particular interest to terrestrial and ocean hydrocarbon spills (Vance, 1991; Watwood et al, 1991; Song and Bartha, 1990; Bossert et al, 1984; Heitkamp and Cerniglia, 1988; Wiggins et al, 1987). It was not, however, until the Exxon Valdez supertanker spill on Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska in March 1989 that the public became aware of the clean-up possibilities that bioremediation presented during the largest-scale bioremediation project ever conducted (EPA, 1991). 



Although scientists have focused most of their attention on remediation of petroleum-based hydrocarbons in certain environments, there is another relatively new pollution problem to which the science of bioremediation may successfully be applied. This new pollution problem is forcing a strain on older or smaller waste water treatment plants. Many of the treatment facilities today are not capable of keeping up with the increased waste loads that are being produced by rapidly growing industry, specifically restaurants and car washes, or any establishment where food waste, animal waste, or detergents are produced and released into sewer systems. Additionally, ever-changing regulations and directives may make yesterday's process unacceptable today. An area of increasing regulation and tighter enforcement is industrial process wastewater, especially that which is discharged into municipal wastewater treatment plants (Editorial Staff, 1993). Maybe the most promising means of meeting regulated limits is to pretreat wastewater on-site before it is discharged into the sewer. This is especially true for food serving establishments because there are a multitude of them producing large quantities of wastewater that the local wastewater treatment facility has to manage. By reducing BOD, TSS, NH3, NO3- and overall sludge volume reaching the treatment plant, costs to treat the polluted water could be significantly reduced, and the life of the treatment plant extended. Pretreatment utilizing proven bioremediation techniques could also reduce line constriction and clogging, saving cities cleanup costs (Grubbs, 1986). 



The three main components of general organic wastewater are carbohydrates, proteins and lipids (Yu and Hung, 1992). Most of the grease and oil hydrocarbons in a grease trap exists as triglycerides and free fatty adds with carbon chain links 10-18 carbons long, (Grubbs, 1991). The process of mineralization begins when bacteria exude lipase, cleaving individual triglyceride lipid molecules into glycerol and three free fatty acids.











The structural formula of a triglyceride with palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid constituents (Atlas, 1984)



The glycerol molecule can now be metabolized to form products that can enter the metabolic pathway. Via beta-oxidation the fatty add portion of the lipid molecule is broken down two carbons at a time into two-carbon acetyl CoA units that can now enter the Krebs cycle (Atlas, 1984). 



There is a question, however, of what to do with lipids (fats, oil, and grease) and the gray or dirty rinse water leaving restaurants, fast food outlets, hospitals, schools, car washes and any establishment where there is a kitchen and food is served, and where detergents or soaps are released into the sewer system. Today, most cities require that grease traps be installed by the food serving establishment. Grease trap is the general term used to describe a holding tank that separates grease, oil and settleable solids from gray water leaving a restaurant. The volume of effluent leaving the restaurant determines the size and shape of the grease trap. The food particles or settleable solids accumulate on the floor of the trap, while grease and oil coagulate on the top of the water in the first baffled compartment of the grease trap. This allows more clarified water to be discharged out of the trap and into the main sewer line. 



Grease traps work fairly well as long as they are cleaned out in a timely fashion. The problem, however, is that unless someone is checking the trap daily or weekly, one often does not know when to pump the trap. This allows the grease and oil to build up to a point where it begins to spill into the sewer lines, first causing constriction and reduced flow, and eventually clogs and back-ups of the system. Correcting this problem is time consuming and expensive to restaurants and city sewer authorities. If it can be determined who is responsible for the clog, a fine will often be assessed. A surcharge can also be levied against restaurants and car washes. 



The charge is determined based on the metered volume of water the establishment uses, multiplied by the BOD or TSS in pounds, times the BOD or TSS charge (Ford, 1994). Another problem with grease traps is odor. When grease and oil build up over the entire storage compartment, forming a "grease cap", there is limited oxygen in the trap. This allows naturally occurring ubiquitous populations of anaerobic bacteria in the trap to predominate. Anaerobic bacteria produce methane, hydrogen sulfide and other foul-smelling gases. This is not only unpleasant to breathe, but these gasses are flammable and damaging to the trap and sewer-system pipes. 



While frequent pump-outs of the trap can greatly reduce the odor and clogging problems, there is still the problem of disposing of the accumulated waste contents (oil, grease, settled food particles, and gray water) of the trap. Until recently restaurant operators had the contents of the trap pumped into trucks and hauled to landfills, where it was deposited and allowed to degrade over a period of many years. This method, however, simply relocated the problem to the landfill instead of solving the problem. Because of new regulations introduced into law in October 1993, this method of disposal is no longer available in many places of the US. New methods of waste removal and disposal are therefore being investigated. Among them are the use of enzymes and other emulsifiers, solvents, and saponification agents (Molnaa et al., 1988). The problem with these methods is that they break the oil and grease down into intermediate compounds that may recoagulate or deposit in sewer lines (Molnaa et al.,1988). The process of breaking a compound down to CO2 and H20 is very complex, and can only be accomplished by a living organism through many metabolic steps (Grubbs,1991). 



Another possibility for waste removal and disposal is the process of dewatering and reusing the grease and oil to make dog food and cosmetics (All Waste Recycling Co., 1994). However, this process is both time-intensive and expensive when considering the limited amount of grease rendered. The most promising method of treatment for grease traps may be bioremediation. 



There has, however, been some question concerning the ability of bioremediation techniques to treat restaurant grease traps effectively for the removal of oil and grease. The principal issue is whether the microorganisms completely metabolize the oil and grease to CO2 and H20, or only to intermediate organic compounds that still have a substantive BOD. These intermediate organic compounds may be small enough that they do not separate out of the water phase, or they may be large enough that they form soaps which clog the pipes (Grubbs et al., 1991). Studies have shown that bacteria are capable of utilizing lipids as a food source and degrading them to carbon dioxide and water (ES&T, 1979; Grubbs, 1991). The effectiveness of the microorganisms to do this is determined by their retention time in contact with the substrate. In a grease trap environment the retention time is minimal, only about 24 hours. It is questionable, then, whether 24 hours is sufficient time for bacteria to completely metabolize grease, oil and other organic substrates in the grease trap. 



The purpose of this investigation was to compare four different methods of grease trap waste treatments, and to determine the effectiveness of these grease trap treatments, and to determine the effectiveness of these grease trap treatments in reducing lipids and other organic substrates at a site on the Texas Christian University Campus in Ft. Worth, Texas. Treatment methods include, vacuum pumping, bacterial inoculation, aeration, and a combination of both bacterial inoculation and aeration. 



Treatment efficiency or effectiveness is defined as the ability of the treatment to reduce BOD and TSS in the effluent waste water as compared to the original BOD and TSS of the influent waste water. Biochemical oxygen demand was measured as an indicator of the amount of grease, oil and organic matter present in the influent, trap, and effluent. Total suspended solids was measured as an indicator of the amount of organic material in the trap. Influent, trap, and effluent concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate were analyzed as additional indicators of microorganism activity. Additionally, BOD, TSS, ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen were monitored throughout the trap chambers to determine what effects the treatments would have inside the grease trap. Particular attention was paid to the changes occurring in chamber 1 because chamber 1 is where the bulk of the grease, oil, and organic particulates are captured. This is also where most of the microbial activity takes place on the organic substrates. It is because of this that the aeration device was added to chamber 1, the bacteria were added there, and where the most physical changes were observed.



Methods and Materials



Experimental Location
The grease trap studied is located on the southwest corner of the Texas Christian University Brown Lupton Student Center in Ft. Worth Texas. The student center cafeteria is open 7 days per week during the school year which lasts from late August to mid-December, and from mid-January to mid-May, re-opening during the summer sessions from June 15 to July 15 and from July 15 to August 15, when the new fall session begins again on August 31. The restaurant's hours during operation are from 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday, 7 am to 6 pm on Fridays, and 8 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday. During the summer the restaurant is open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday.




Diagram illustrating the effluent pipes from the student cafeteria, one into the grease trap, the other bypassing the trap.



Approximately 18,000 students are served each week during the school year and 1,000 students are served each week during the summer. The wastewater line from the restaurant to the grease trap collects limited garbage disposal waste, and all floor drains are connected. The floor drains have metal grates so most large food particles are kept out. Most of the garbage disposal waste by-passes the grease trap via a line that reconnects at a three way open canal junction that can be seen when a manhole cover is lifted. The three channels form into one large pipe that connects into the main sewer line approximately 150 yards away. 



During Phase I of the study, from 8/13/93 to 8/27/93, the restaurant served 1,000 people per week. During Phase II of the experiment, from 8/27/93 to 9/21/93, restaurant patronage increased to 25,000 people per week and continued to average approximately 20,000 individuals per week through the rest of the experiment, which was terminated on 11/10/93.



Methodology for grease trap sample collection and analysis is divided into three groups:
(1) sample collection and field analysis, (2) laboratory chemical analysis, and (3) trap treatments.



Grease Trap Design
The grease trap studied is a standard 1,000 gallon underground tank that is partitioned by two baffles, the first baffle extending from the top of the trap down to within 12 inches of the bottom of the trap, and the second baffle separated from the first by approximately 4 feet, and extending 4.5 feet upward from the bottom of the trap. This effectively partitions the grease trap into 3 sections, or chambers. From this point, these 3 sections will be referred to as chamber 1, chamber 2, and chamber 3. 



Effluent waste water leaving the restaurant enters the grease trap toward the top of the trap and is immediately forced downward through a pipe at a 90 degree angle. This pipe moves the waste water to a box in the bottom of the trap, approximately 2' x 2' in size, that slows and mixes the gray water before it is released into chamber 1. Here, food particles and other heavy organic waste settles, and the grease and oil float approximately 4.5 feet to the top of the water column, where it accumulates in the chamber 1 compartment. The slightly clarified water moves under the first baffle into chamber 2, where more particles settle out, and oil and grease residue further accumulate, allowing more clarified water to flow over the top of the second baffle into the third, much smaller compartment, chamber 3 where the last of the grease, oil, and particles are collected and held. This allows the final clarified water to pass out of the trap through a 4 inch hole one foot off the bottom of the trap into a pipe at a 45 degree angle that carries the final waste water to the main sewer. 



Residence time in the grease trap was not determined. It is believed, however, that the water takes approximately 24 hours to reach the effluent line of the trap from the influent line (Grubbs, et al 1991). 



Sampling Schedule
A sampling schedule was formulated spanning an 87 day period from August 13 to November 10, 1993. Samples were collected consecutively during the first 51 days and collected once a week for the remainder of the sampling period. A total of 62 samples were collected. All samples were collected once a day at 7 am, + / - 30 minutes.



Results and Discussion



Correlation, multiple regression, and linear regression analyses were run on all sets of data to determine which parameters tested were the best indicators or predictors of BOD. Additionally, BOD, TSS, NO3- and NH3 were used as indicators of microbial activity. The following tables and figures represent the influent and effluent concentrations of BOD, TSS, NO3-, and NH3 for each of the treatment phases. All values are given in mg/l. 



Treatment I - Pumping the trap:
During the fifteen day sampling period of Treatment I, the BOD of the influent averaged 576.2 mg/1, while the effluent averaged 145 mg/1. This represented a 75% reduction in BOD during Treatment I (Table 1). 



Even though BOD fluctuated from day to day in each of the chambers, there was almost always an overall decrease in BOD from chamber 1 to the effluent during the first part of Treatment I. However, on 8/18, grease, oil, and organic matter had built up so much in chamber 3 that this decreasing BOD trend changed. As grease and oil accumulated in chamber 3, the BOD in chamber 3 correspondingly increased to amounts above that in chamber 2. This increase of BOD in chamber 3 gave rise to an increase in BOD in the effluent indicating that the trap was no longer containing the grease and oil.











Table 1. Percent change from influent to effluent for each parameter measured.



Total Suspended Solids in the influent averaged 460 mg/l during the fifteen day sampling period. The effluent had an average TSS of 105 mg/l. Therefore, vacuum pumping treatment showed a 77% decrease in TSS from influent to effluent. Total Suspended Solids experienced a similar rise in the effluent due to the build up in chamber 3. Total Suspended Solids was a good predictor of BOD in this case because it measured the concentration of the organic matter or food sources, so that if more total suspended solids are present in a grease trap environment, more food is available for the bacteria, thus increasing the BOD. This positive relationship between BOD and TSS was confirmed through statistical analysis using multiple regressions and correlations. 



In addition to organic matter, bacteria require nitrogen for the building of cell mass, (Grubbs, 1994). The amount of NH3 and NO3- present in the trap is an indicator of microbial activity. That is, as microbial activity increases, NH3 and NO3- decrease, causing BOD and TSS to decrease. Both NH3 and NO3- showed the same general decreasing trend throughout the trap. During this phase, the NH3 concentration in the influent averaged 3.6 mg/l, and NO3- concentration averaged 4.5 mg/1. In the effluent NH3 concentration averaged 1.8 mg/1, and NO3- averaged 1.6 mg/l, resulting in a 49% decrease in NH3 and a 64% decrease in NO3'. 



Dissolved oxygen levels remained approximately the same in the influent for the fifteen samples obtained. This is because there is a constant amount of dissolved oxygen in the water coming from the kitchens. Wastewater flow leaving the restaurant and entering chamber 1 carried a DO concentration averaging approximately 4.58 mg/1. Chamber 1 had an average DO concentration of approximately 1.5 mg/1. The DO concentration increased steadily through the trap to about 5 mg/1 in the effluent. In chamber 1, however, where most of the organic matter and lipids are retained, a slow decrease in DO over the first four days after the trap was pumped was observed (Figure 6).











Figure 6. Averaged dissolved oxygen concentration (PPM) in the influent and effluent for each treatment.



Also occurring at this time was the build-up of a thick layer of grease and oil over the entire surface of chambers 1 and 2, and a layer of organic particulate matter building up on the floors of chambers 1 and 2. At this point, concentrations of TSS, NH3 and NO3' were extremely high, at 4,310 mg/1, 11.95 mg/1, and 25 mg/1, respectively. On the fifth day after pumping the trap, the DO level fell to 0.85 mg/1. The anaerobic conditions that developed in chamber 1 probably caused a reduction in aerobic microbial populations, thereby decreasing oxygen demand. During the next two days, DO concentration rose to approximately 2 + 0.5 PPM, where it fluctuated around that concentration for the remainder of the sampling period. 



Corresponding to the build-up of the grease cap in chamber 1 and the decline in dissolved oxygen concentration, the odor of hydrogen sulfide and methane became noticeably pungent. During this same period, the grease layer changed from a soft light-yellow colored substance to a clumping, darker tan layer. Also on the fourth day, a dark brown liquid appeared on the top of the grease layer. This brown liquid only remained two days. With the presence of the brown liquid, it was difficult to prevent the more-fluid brown liquid from becoming part of the sample. Therefore, samples obtained from chamber 1 had high BOD concentrations, ranging from approximately 2,900 mg/l to 4,700 mg/1. On the sixth day the grease layer had become lighter in color, and much softer, without the presence of the brown liquid. The BOD concentrations also fell. The liquid had the consistency of emulsified grease or oil. This may indicate that the brown liquid phase was a product of the first stages of grease and oil catabolism, since bacteria begin metabolism outside of the cell by producing surfactants and enzymes that break the larger molecules into smaller ones that can enter the bacteria cell. 



Throughout the fifteen day sampling period of the treatment, temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and chemical oxygen demand were also monitored. Temperature and pH, two very important environmental factors, remained within an expectable range for bacterial life processes. Temperature ranged from a one-day high of 46° C in chamber 1 to a low of 31 degrees in the effluent. Conductivity and TDS followed the same pattern, with almost no fluctuation during the fifteen day sampling period. Phosphate showed a tremendous amount of fluctuation during treatment 1, and appeared to be dependent only on the quantity of oven, dish washing, and floor cleaners the kitchen clean-up crews used each evening. Chemical oxygen demand was monitored, with a general decreasing trend from influent to effluent. 



Treatment II - Bacterial Inoculation:
Coinciding with bacterial inoculation of the trap, the 1993 TCU Fall semester began. Therefore, BOD levels in the influent, and thus in the other chambers of the trap were significantly higher due to the increased amount of food production in the kitchens. With more organic material entering the trap there was an increased demand on the bacteria to metabolize the excess organic material. The average influent BOD had risen to 992 mg/1. Effluent BOD averaged 226 mg/1. This shows an increase in BOD from 576.2 mg/1, from the time the trap was inoculated due to the beginning of the school year. Because the trap was not pumped at the beginning of treatment II, a layer of organic particulates remained on the floors of chambers 1 and 2. Biochemical Oxygen Demand averages between influent and effluent decreased by 77%, still a 2% lower BOD between influent and effluent than that obtained from pumping alone. During this time all five sections of the trap increased in BOD. Inoculation of the trap resulted in an average TSS decrease of 81% between influent and effluent during the twenty-five days of sampling. This was a 4% better reduction in TSS than pumping the trap at two-week intervals. The average influent TSS was 620 mg/1, decreasing to an average effluent TSS of 117 mg/1. TSS also increased in each section of the trap. There appeared to be limited reduction in organic sediment in the trap, and a noticeable cloudiness remained in the samples obtained from chamber 1 and other parts of the trap. During this treatment period the bacteria performed adequately in their reduction of BOD and TSS (Figures 7 and 8).











Figure 7. Averaged biochemical oxygen demand (PPM) in the influent and effluent for each treatment.











Figure 8. Averaged concentration of total suspended solids (PPM) in the influent and effluent for each treatment.



In the influent and effluent, NH3 and NO3- experienced similar trends. NH3 concentration in the influent averaged 3.9 mg/1, while NO3- averaged 5.1 mg/1. Effluent average of NH3 was 1.7 mg/1, while NO3- was 2.8 mg/1. This translated into a 56% decrease in NH3 and a 45% decrease in NO3' from influent to effluent. Between Treatment I - vacuum pumping and treatment II -inoculation, however, NO3- decreased by 19% while NH3 increased by 7% (Figures 9 and 10).











Figure 9. Averaged concentration of ammonia (PPM) in the influent and effluent during each treatment.











Figure 10. Averaged concentration of nitrate (PPM) in the influent and effluent during each treatment.



This increase in NH3 was probably the result of anaerobic bacterial populations producing NH3 during limited DO cycles in chamber 1. Otherwise, a similar decrease in ammonia and nitrate would have been expected. This is because aerobic bacteria take in NH3 and oxidize it to nitrate in the cell. During this treatment, influent DO remained approximately the same as in the previous treatment at 4.58 mg/1 for Treatment I - vacuum pumping and 4.42 mg/1 for Treatment II - bacterial inoculation. The DO level in chamber 1 dropped slightly from the first treatment, from 1.5 mg/1 to 1.1 mg/1. The DO decreased from Treatment I to Treatment II, from 4.95 mg/1 to 4.25 mg/1 in the effluent (Figure 6). While the dissolved oxygen concentration of the influent remained approximately the same as in treatment I, overall dissolved oxygen levels in chamber 1 fell from an average 1.5 mg/1 before inoculation to an average 1.1 mg/1 during the inoculation treatment phase (Figure 6). 



One day after inoculation, the DO concentration in chamber 1 fell to 0.87 mg/l, indicating that the additional bacteria consumed most of the oxygen in the trap. After inoculation, a cycle of high and low DO concentrations became evident. 



Every 2-5 days the DO concentration would drop below 1 PPM, and only reached as high as 1.6 PPM. This cycle may represent the rise and fall of aerobic bacterial populations in chamber 1 working on organic waste in the trap and using the remaining oxygen, only to "crash," allowing influent water to replenish some of the DO concentration before it is used up again. 



Also during this time anaerobic populations must have been working as well, because of the physical changes that took place in chamber 1 during the first few days of the treatment II phase. After only four days the brown liquid reappeared and the heavy, dark brown balls of old grease and oil began to soften and change color back to tan. This may indicate that both aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria were working together to break the grease cap down. Evidence of this was the physical changes in the grease cap and the reduced BOD and TSS. Additional evidence was the slight increase in NH3 and the increase in nitrate. 



The odor had been the strongest yet on the day of inoculation and became only slightly less offensive during this phase of the treatment. Throughout the twenty-five day sampling period of treatment II, temperature, pH, conductivity, and total dissolved solids were also monitored. Chemical oxygen demand was recorded for only 11 days before analysis was terminated due to inconsistencies in the test results. Temperature and pH again remained within an expectable range for bacterial life processes. Temperature ranged from a one-day high of 40°C in chamber 1 to a low of 26 degrees in the effluent. Conductivity and TDS followed the same pattern, with almost no fluctuation during the fifteen day sampling period. Phosphate showed a tremendous amount of fluctuation throughout the trap during treatment II and appeared to be dependent only on the quantity of oven, dish washing, and floor cleaners the kitchen clean up crews used each evening. Chemical oxygen demand was monitored for the first 11 days with some reduction from influent to effluent. 



Treatment III - Aeration:
The trap was neither pumped, nor any new bacteria added during this phase of treatment, but a mechanical aeration device was added. Almost immediately after the addition of the aeration device to chamber 1, several significant changes were observed. During this treatment phase, influent BOD, TSS, NH3 and NO3' all increased dramatically (Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10), due to an additional organic load from the kitchen. The average influent BOD was 1,628 mg/l, while the average effluent BOD was 223 mg/l. This represents an 86% reduction in BOD from the influent to effluent BOD due to aeration of the trap. Chamber 1 BOD and TSS decreased from treatments I and II. In chamber 1 the BOD dropped by 69% from inoculation and by 37% over all. The BOD decreased from influent to effluent by 11% more than treatment I, and by 9% over treatment II. 



Aerating the grease trap beginning September 21 resulted in a reduction of TSS from 922 mg/1 in the influent to 163 mg/1 in the effluent. This represents an 82% decrease in TSS over the nineteen day sampling period. As with BOD, TSS dropped by 61% from inoculation and by 24% from vacuum pumping in chamber 1. The TSS in chamber 1 decreased 5% from treatment I and 1% in treatment II. Physical evidence of this decrease occurred within two days of adding the aeration device. After forty-eight hours, organic sediments on the floors of chambers 1 and 2 had completely disappeared, leaving the water almost clear. These physical changes accompanying the aeration of the grease trap significantly reduced both BOD and TBS in chamber 1. More importantly, the aeration device successfully reduced BOD and TBS in chamber 1 under higher input of organic material by the influent. 



There was a 62% decrease in NH3 between influent and effluent, from a high average of 5.8 mg/1 to a low average of 2.2 mg/1. NO3' averages dropped from a high influent average of 8.5 mg/1 to an effluent average of 3.1 mg/1, resulting in a 64% decrease in NO3'. Ammonia also dropped during this treatment phase, by 55% from inoculation and by 44% from vacuum pumping. Nitrate fell by 28% from inoculation in chamber 1, but increased by 21% overall in chamber 1 (Table 1). 



Ammonia and NO3- levels were also reduced in chamber 1 due to aeration, because bacteria working in an aerobic environment work faster than those in an anaerobic environment. Average effluent BOD concentration fell by only 4 PPM from treatment II, and increased by 78 PPM from treatment I. Effluent TSS increased over both previous treatments by 58 PPM and 46 PPM, respectively. Additionally, BOD and TSS levels in chambers 2 and 3 increased during this phase. The decrease of BOD and TSS levels in chamber 1, and the increased BOD and TSS levels through chambers 2, 3 and the effluent can be explained by the fact that aerobic organisms work on the organic substrates much faster than anaerobic organisms, consequently producing much more cell mass that drifts through the trap, increasing BOD and TSS concentrations. 



The influent DO increased above the first two treatments to 5.3 mg/1 and chamber 1 increased to 3.6 mg/1 from 1.5 mg/1 during Treatment I and 1.12 mg/1 during Treatment II. The effluent dropped to 3.3 mg/1 from 4.95 mg/1 during Treatment I and 4.25 mg/1 during Treatment II. This drop during aeration is another indication of the work and cell production of the bacterial populations. 



Because the grease trap was aerated during this phase, dissolved oxygen concentration increased an average of approximately 2.5 PPM over the first two treatments in chamber 1. The aeration device continually added oxygen to chamber 1, thereby eliminating aerobic/anaerobic cycles. 



Odor problems were completely eliminated during aeration because anaerobic bacteria do not produce H2S and CH4. The smell of hydrogen sulfide was gone within two days of adding the aeration device. Instead, the trap had the odor of kitchen detergents being washed into the trap. The grease layer changed from the hard, dark brown/black grease balls to a light yellow whipped oil. The bacteria were thus breaking down the grease into intermediates that they can take up through the cell membrane, and metabolize to CO2 and water. 



Throughout the twenty day sampling period of treatment III, temperature, pH, conductivity, and total dissolved solids were also monitored. Chemical oxygen demand was not monitored. Temperature and pH again remained within an expected range for bacterial life processes. Temperature ranged from a one-day high of 39°C in chamber 1 to a low of 27°C in the effluent. Conductivity and TDS followed the same pattern, both dropping by half during the twenty day sampling period. Phosphate again showed a tremendous amount of fluctuation throughout the trap during treatment III, but dropped significantly from influent to effluent.



Treatment IV - Aeration and Inoculation:
During treatment IV the same bacteria used for treatment II were re-introduced into the trap, which had been aerating now for 43 days. The average BOD of the influent decreased relative to the third treatment, to 798 mg/l. The average effluent BOD increased relative to all other treatments, to 508 mg/1. This resulted in a much smaller, 64% decrease in BOD (Figure 7). TSS in the influent averaged 895 mg/1, while the effluent averaged 578 mg/1. This resulted in a 35% decrease in TSS from influent to effluent (Figure 8; Table 1). Biochemical Oxygen Demand and TSS fell dramatically by 65% and 71% respectively in chamber 1. In chamber 1, BOD also fell by 44% from aeration alone. As with BOD, chamber 1 TSS fell by an additional 61% from aerating alone, and by 71% when pumping every two weeks. 



Ammonia concentration in the influent averaged 5.3 mg/l, and 4.9 mg/1 in the effluent, yielding a 7.5% decrease. Similarly, a 7.2% decrease in NO3- concentration occurred, from an influent average of 8.3 mg/1 to an effluent average of 7.7 mg/1. When aerating alone, in chamber 1 ammonia fell by 28%. Nitrate also fell by 52%, as compared to a 42% decrease when the trap was vacuum pumped alone (Table 1). 



Ammonia and nitrate also fell significantly by 60% and 42% in chamber 1. These observed sharp drops indicate a tremendous amount of microbial activity in chamber 1. As expected, large amounts of cell mass were produced and pushed through the trap into the effluent, thus registering as increased BOD, TSS, NO3-, and NH3. Because the bacteria oxidized the NH3 to NO3-, there was a 16% higher concentration of NO3' than NH3in the effluent. 



The DO in the influent increased again to 5.5 mg/1 and the DO in chamber 1 dropped slightly to 3.0 mg/1. The DO concentration in the effluent fell again to 2.4 mg/1. Dissolved oxygen decreased in the effluent by 26% due to the higher amounts of the above parameters (Figure 6). In chamber 1, dissolved oxygen levels decreased by 19% due to increased catabolism and metabolism of organic substrates in chamber 1. 



Odor was eliminated in chamber 1 due to inoculation and aeration of the trap. A very soft, much smaller grease layer remained in chamber 1 throughout this treatment phase. The water in chamber 1 remained clear until the last sampling day, when it appeared only slightly cloudy. A strong odor, however, was evident in chamber 3 and the effluent. This odor, reminiscent of sewer water or a park restroom, was accompanied by a thicker "grease like layer" in chamber 3, and a very dark gray water phase with black precipitate in the effluent sample. These unusual results are probably due to a purging or "flushing" of the grease trap system, (Grubbs, 1994). By adding so much bacteria, as well as aerating the trap, recalcitrant substances that had probably been depositing in the trap since it was installed ten years ago were dislodged and moved down line. Decomposition of amines, diamines, mercaptans, sulfides, and the chemical oxidation of grease probably produced the black precipitate and "toilet water" odor characteristic of this phase of treatment, (Grubbs, 1994). The black suspended material found in the first two effluent samples disappeared by the third sample several days later, because the purging of the system was complete. Also by the third sample odor was completely gone and clarity returned.



Conclusion



It was determined that TSS and NH3 were the two best predictors of BOD in the grease trap, and that ammonia and nitrate were good indicators of microbial activity. It should be noted that while effluent BOD, TSS and other parameters are important to track, it is also important to monitor percent change between influent and effluent when comparing methods of treatment. Treatment I - pumping the trap showed the lowest effluent parameters. However, treatment II (bacterial inoculation) and treatment III (microbubble-aeration) both resulted in a larger percent change or decrease between influent and effluent in all of the important tests. This was a significant finding because it proved the effectiveness of these treatments as legitimate methods for the removal of BOD, TSS and nitrogen in the grease trap environment. Even with the slower-working anaerobic bacteria in treatment II there was still a significant removal rate that was comparable to having a grease trap pumped every two weeks. This is also important since many restaurants wait three months or more to have their traps pumped. 



Treatment III - Aeration, resulted in the largest reduction of all parameters measured. Aeration increased oxygen and ubiquitous aerobic bacterial populations, and softened and greatly reduced the grease cap, thus completely eliminating odor and clarifying the water. Aerating the grease trap created a mini-waste water treatment plant environment. The results show that this type of treatment works extremely well in eliminating BOD, TSS, NO3' and NH3, which are important contributors to water pollution (Vesilind, et al., 1990). However, it is not a passive system. That is, aeration of the trap requires wiring the aeration unit from the trap to an electrical source. This is, however, a negligible requirement when considering the greater elimination of BOD, TSS, NO3-, and NH3 that an Aerob-A-Jet aeration system provides, and thus the greater benefit to the local waste water treatment facilities and city authorities. 



Treatment IV showed less percent reduction in all the parameters measured as well as higher effluent measurements. However, given the results of aeration and inoculation alone, keeping in mind that the higher effluent readings were due to purging or "flushing" of the system and increased cell production, it can be assumed that a combination of both aeration and bacterial inoculation treatments, with smaller bacterial inoculations of appropriate bacterial species, can significantly reduce the loads on local waste-water treatment facilities. (Grubbs 1994) demonstrated that bioaugmentation of a grease trap is an effective means of eliminating grease and oil. In bioaugmentation, a dominant bacterial species that has a distinct affinity for the substrate in the trap was added to an environment in which it will out-compete other bacteria. It was first added in higher dosages to give it a competitive advantage over other species, then in smaller amounts as it becomes the dominant species. The bacteria added may or may not be a naturally occurring species in a particular grease trap. In this method, it was therefore not only the number of bacteria added, but also the quality of the bacteria.



Before this research began, there had been clogs in both the grease trap effluent line and the restaurant effluent line that bypassed the grease trap (King, 1993). These clogs occurred approximately every few months. During the four treatments of this study, clogs continued to occur in the effluent bypass line, but not in the trap effluent line. This further demonstrated the effectiveness of each of the four treatments in The above results illustrate the fact that there is sufficient retention time in the grease trap environment for bioremediation to be effective when the trap environment is augmented using aeration and specific bacteria. Water cycles through the trap every 24 hours, washing most of the bacteria out of the environment. This short retention time poses a problem for anaerobic bacteria that require more time to metabolize organic material retained in chamber 1. Aerobic bacteria in an oxygenated environment, on the other hand, are able to sufficiently metabolize organic matter within a 24 hour period. Aeration of the trap, combined with a mechanism that allows both a longer retention time of the aerobic bacteria in the trap, as well as plating the bacteria in direct contact with the organic material, would be an increased benefit because the aerobic bacteria would be capable of metabolizing even more of the organic matter much more efficiently and effectively. This type of wastewater pretreatment translates into lower BOD, TSS, NH3, and NO3' concentrations in the restaurant grease trap effluent, and greatly reduces the organic load that the waste water treatment authorities have to manage. This therefore decreases energy usage and costs to the treatment plant and increases the life of the treatment facility. 



Finally, the results of treatment IV raises the question of whether increased BOD or TSS levels are always undesirable. Without question, dumping organic matter with high BOD and TSS levels into a receiving water can have adverse consequences. However, if the BOD and TSS is the result of increased cell mass moving down a sewer line, this may only serve to increase the amount of time the organisms have to work on the substrate in the water phase, as well as on the inside of the sewer lines before it reaches the wastewater treatment facility.

### Enzyme Education

Clearing the "FOG"
Enzymes help cut through fats, oils
and greases in septic tank, drain line
and sewer applications.
By Glenn Gajeski 
Published in the “Pumper Magazine” - April


Fats, oils and greases, collectively they are called FOG. To wastewater treatment professionals, they usually mean trouble. There are many misconceptions in the marketplace about methods and products for dealing with FOG. A better understanding of biological treatment versus chemical treatment can help you make wise decisions on behalf of your customers and your business. The main reason FOG is troublesome is that it is not water-soluble, it eventually separates from water. Grease is lighter than water, so it floats to the top. If not treated, grease molecules combine to form a hard grease layer. Or, worse yet, the grease combines with other materials such as soap residue, paper, and solids. When this happens in a septic tank, a very hard crust can form on the surface of the water in the tank. If left untreated it could flow out to the drainfield and cause drainfield backups. In a plumbing system, grease traps, drain lines, and sewers can become clogged. Usually, an overload of FOG is what causes stoppages in flow.

Understanding Enzymes:
Enzymes are one kind of remedy for FOG problems. An enzyme is a catalyst (something that makes a chemical reaction go faster). They are not living cells like bacteria. Instead, they are a special kind of protein, and in a way, they behave like energy. Consider a cornfield. As corn grows into a mature plant, it produces corn oil and sugars. It does this by taking carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil, then putting them together with the help of the sun's energy, in a complex process called photosynthesis. The sugars and oil become food products, which people consume almost daily. Eventually, the materials end up in the septic tank. How does nature convert the sugar and oil back into carbon dioxide and water? With enzymes. The reverse biological process happens with the enzymes providing impetus. Enzymes are not consumed in chemical reactions, they simply help the reactions along. For example, the starch digesting enzyme amylase, from barley malt, is used in the fermentation of beer. The fermentation process lasts for days, and the enzyme is active throughout. At the same time, an enzyme is slowly depleted as the reactions proceed, just as a battery in a flashlight wears down each time the switch is turned on. Batteries come in many sizes and strengths, and the same is true of enzymes. Some last just minutes, some last for days.

The Anatomy of Grease:
Enzymes can work effectively on grease. To see how, it helps to understand how grease molecules are put together. Fats, oils, and grease are in the group of chemical substances called lipids or triglycerides.

They are composed of three parts fatty acid to one part glycerol. Of course molecules are tiny, one triglyceride molecule does not do much on its own. One fan sitting in Lambeau Field (home of the Green Bay Packers) would look inconsequential. But add 75,000 fans doing “the wave,” and you have what seems like one big living object. So it is with triglycerides. Once they begin to attach to each other, they can become a big grease clog. Service professionals report finding grease chunks the size of boulders in some larger grease traps. Fat molecules keep attaching to each other until something disrupts the process. For example, if hot water is poured on a chunk of grease in a drain, some of the outer molecules will dissolve off and become free-flowing again.

But as the temperature falls farther down the line, the grease molecules come back together. The grease has not been reduced only repositioned. Many things can cause grease to break apart. Chemical drain openers cause reactions that can increase the temperature. Other chemicals, called solvents and surfactants, can actually dissolve grease molecules. But once these chemicals wear off, or the temperature drops, the grease molecules combine again.

How Enzymes Attack:
Enzymes attack grease in a much different way. The enzyme lipase actually attacks the grease molecule and destroys the connections between its components. The lipase enzyme breaks the molecules into the three fatty acid units and the one glyceride unit. These have no way of connecting with other grease molecules to form hard grease deposits. At this point, the bacteria present will start to feed on the fatty acids and the glycerides, converting them back to their basic components of carbon dioxide and water.

Therefore, some of the grease is actually eliminated. How much depends on many factors, pH, temperature, and how long the process goes on. Even if bacteria do not completely consume the fatty acids and glycerides, they will not reform into grease molecules or grease clogs. This is the biggest misconception about enzymes. Many claim that the grease is just pushed further down the line to form a problem elsewhere. Although this may be true with some cleaning methods and chemicals, it is not true of enzyme and bacteria treatments. Once the enzyme lipase has destroyed the connections, the grease will not form again down the line. In fact, the enzymes help the wastewater treatment process by starting biological treatment far upstream. The uneaten fatty acids and glycerides will remain water-soluble and will flow with the wastewater to the final treatment location. This is not to say that enzymes are a cure-all. For example, some wastewater treatment plants cannot handle high loads of water-soluble fatty acids and glycerides. But most treatment plants would rather have those substances than untreated FOG. This bioremediation process using enzymes and bacteria is done everyday by huge municipal wastewater treatment plants all over the world.

Solvents and Surfactants:
The way enzymes work is far different from the way solvents and surfactants work on grease. In simple terms, a solvent turns hard grease into a liquid state without changing its actual character. It does this by temporarily breaking the bonds of molecules (not the fatty acid and glycerides of the molecules) so they dissolve in water. The water then carries the grease downstream until the solvent wears off, at which point the grease reforms. Surfactants (short for “surface active agents”) emulsify two substances together so that they look like one.

When a surfactant is used on grease in water, it does not break the fat molecules into pieces but instead separates them from each other so that they mix with the water. The best example of this is the Dawn dish soap commercial that starts by showing a thin layer of grease on top of dishwater. When a drop or two of the detergent is added, the grease magically “disappears.” The dish soap is a surfactant. What you don’t see is that the grease layer returns when the surfactant wears off. Wondering what they use to clean waterfowl that have been caught up in oil spills? You guessed it soaps and strong surfactants. One reason restaurants have trouble with grease in their drain lines is because their dish and laundry cleaners are high in surfactants.

The broken up fats in the water are able to bypass the grease trap, move downstream, and cause grease blockages. Solvents and surfactants are not the same as enzymes they only change how the grease looks and feels. Enzymes actually change the character of the grease into water-soluble components, which will never reform as grease anywhere downstream. Surfactants can be beneficial in that they help enzymes work. Enzymes and bacteria only work on the surface of a substance. When a surfactant is used, more surface area is exposed. A surfactant will turn a chunk of grease floating in water into many droplets. This gives the enzymes and bacteria more surface area to attack and digest the grease.

Choose the Right Tool:
There are many methods and many products for dealing with FOG. Each used in the right conditions can do the job correctly. Most wastewater treatment plants use some form of biological treatment to clean the water of organic material, including FOG. Biological treatment involves both enzymes and bacteria. Enzymes help provide the bacteria with food. Although enzymes are not magic, they are biological facts of nature that can be valuable allies in the war against grease.

### Understanding the Microbial Balance of a Drainfield

Understanding how a septic system functions will help you make better decisions on how to care for your system. A traditional anaerobic septic system has a soil absorption area (drainfield) which consists of an area of ground tested for percolation rate, soil type, and other drainage characteristics. These tests will show the location to be suitable for the absorption of a fixed quantity of water per day. Oxygen in the soil is not tested, but may be the most important component of a soil absorption area. Oxygen is also the least understood aspect of a properly operating drainfield. Each component of the drainfield plays a role in a functioning soil absorption area. Proper preparation of the soil, the components which distribute the water, proper depth, and ground cover each play a significant part.







Proper sizing of the septic tank to allow for retention time, baffles, and an outlet filter are also important. In addition, pumping the septic tank on a regular schedule of at least every three years is critical. Cleaning the septic tank filter regularly and maintaining the biological activity in your septic tank can help ensure that the septic system continues to function and absorb water in an environmentally acceptable manner. The soil absorption area is the most expensive component of the septic system.



It is the method to distribute the water from the septic tank to the ground to be absorbed. It must accept water almost every day and dispose of it in order to repeat the process the next day. This soil absorption system is a very complex biological and chemical ecosystem. It is susceptible to upsets and can deteriorate over time. Keeping the right biological balance in the septic drainfield is very important to its health.



A traditional septic drainfield has two types of bacteria present, aerobic (uses oxygen) and anaerobic (doesn’t use oxygen). In this system, when water containing nutrients flows into the soil absorption area, a biologically active film develops. This slime layer (commonly called the “biofilm or bio-mat”) is composed of bacteria and their waste products. This slime is actually a chemical compound secreted by the bacteria to anchor themselves to the bottom and sidewalls of the drainage piping, the aggregate in the absorption bed, the soil interface, and to each other to prevent being washed away by the water flow through the septic system. The bacteria serve a vital purpose in a septic system by absorbing the organic waste, removing pathogens, and breaking it down into soluble byproducts. Without these beneficial bacteria, the septic system would not work. If your septic system is not working properly it has a very high potential of polluting the groundwater and possibly your own drinking water.



This film grows by adding aerobic bacteria to the outside of the film and the inside of the film has anaerobic bacteria. The water coming from the septic tank has already been depleted of oxygen and is thus an anaerobic environment. It is oxygen from the soil that allows the activity of the aerobic bacteria. This aerobic activity is important to the digestion of waste from the septic tank. Aerobic bacteria digest waste faster and more efficiently than anaerobic bacteria. Recent evidence has shown that the biofilm is composed of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. As the biofilm thickens, which results from use of the system, the anaerobic bacteria can grow underneath the aerobic bacteria. This protects them from oxygen, which would kill them off.







These anaerobic bacteria use the sulfur from the waste as their source of energy. The byproducts of these bacteria include a form of sulfur called sulfides. One of the characteristics of sulfides is the “rotten egg smell” which we associate with septic or sewer systems. Sulfides also have a characteristic in which they react with metals, mostly iron in soil and water, to a form a black, very insoluble, and very sticky material which is very detrimental to the environment and health of the septic system. In the presence of oxygen, these sulfides slowly react with oxygen to form soluble sulfates which wash down into the soil. Therefore, a properly functioning drainfield will have a balance of both aerobic and anaerobic conditions present. If oxygen is depleted in the drainfield the anaerobic bacteria take over and build a strong hold. This creates a situation in the drainfield where a black slime will grow. This black material is mainly iron sulfide.



The buildup of this black slime is the number one reason of a slow draining system. The more the buildup, the slower the water transferring through it. If left unchecked it will build up to a point where the drainfield will not accept any more wastewater and the soil absorption area will fail. Causing major problems for the system owner such as messy and smelly backups. At the point of failure the system will need to be cleaned to reduce the biofilm or worse yet be replaced at substantial cost to the septic system owner.



Why does the rate of water absorption change with use? What may cause the long term water absorption rate to be less than the initial percolation test rate and then continue to decrease over time? The answers to these questions lie in the characteristics of the soil, the oxygen requirements of the waste from the septic tank, and the amount of water added to the system. If you notice the soil above your septic system is constantly moist, there is a problem. The long term acceptance rate of the soil was tested by a percolation test before the system was installed. But we all know wet soil does not absorb water as fast as new soil or soil that has been dry for a period of time. The wet soil above your system is probably due to more anaerobic biological activity within the bio-mat and the resulting insoluble slime and clogging by-products. At this point your system is out of balance. There is a thicker layer of anaerobic bacteria than aerobic bacteria.







Since this activity can slow the absorption of water, this is one reason why a drainfield should be larger than what might be assumed from a percolation test alone. What can affect the drainage of water into the soil? The availability of oxygen is the main reason affecting the long term water absorption properties of a drainfield. Why is this important? Oxygen is used in several ways in the drainfield. One way is to provide essential oxygen demanded by the aerobic bacteria in the soil. The efficient aerobic bacteria use oxygen in their digestion process to break down the waste.



Remember the biofilm is aerobic on the outside, but below the surface it consists of mostly an anaerobic layer. These anaerobic bacteria use the sulfur from the waste as their source of energy. As we have seen, the byproducts of this bacteria include the form of sulfur called sulfides. Sulfides have a characteristic in which they react with metals, mostly iron in soil and water, to form a black, very insoluble, sticky material which is called iron sulfide.







With an oxygen rich environment, these sulfides slowly react with the oxygen to form the soluble sulfates which wash down into the soil. Demand for oxygen to turn sulfides into the soluble sulfates competes with the aerobic bacteria in the surrounding soil for available oxygen. If the system is in balance, there is oxygen for the aerobic bacteria in both the soil and the drainfield. This allows for the constant removal of the sulfides. This good balance helps determine the long term rate of absorption in the drainfield. Maintaining a oxygen balance in a septic system is crucial for overall function. Bacteria that serve to breakdown the waste depend on oxygen to survive. If the oxygen is depleted in a system, these bacteria will either die off or actually convert to anaerobic bacteria. In addition, the sulfide by-product of the anaerobic bacteria cannot be broken down without oxygen. Therefore, oxygen is required to deal with the anaerobic biofilm and control it’s buildup. It can cause the system to become unbalanced and start to drain slowly or stop working completely.



The removal of available oxygen is the main reason that this occurs. If the waste coming from the septic tank has a high biological oxygen demand, then the oxygen from the soil may not be enough to supply both the aerobic bacteria and the removal of sulfides. This causes the sulfides to build-up with the result being increased anaerobic bacteria activity and more sulfides are then produced. This thickening of this biological film slows the transfer of water and digestion of waste from the septic tank. The system becomes more anaerobic with the build up of more sulfides. These sulfides build up on the bio-mat and at the interface where the drainfield media and the soil meet. This slows the transfer of water into the ground. The characteristics of the soil and plant coverage over a drainfield and depth of the laterals can also affect the amount of oxygen which can penetrate the soil. Many septic owners have more septic tank problems after heavy rain because the total amount of water in the absorption area is flooding the soil pores and reducing the amount of oxygen available to the drainfield.



Another way of producing this situation is to hydraulically overload the system. Hydraulic overloading means adding water faster than the system can dispose of it into the ground. This results in standing water in the aggregate bed, surrounding soil, and eventually it can even come up to the surface above the drainfield. Overloading can be caused by not spacing out your water usage correctly, such as doing all your weekly washing of clothes in a one day period.







Leaky faucets or other plumbing can also cause an overloading of water into your system. Even conditions you have no control over can cause overloading of your absorption area, such as extended periods of rainy weather or local flooding. This overloading of water prevents oxygen from getting to the bio-mat and the ground below. As water stands in the drainfield for a long period of time, anaerobic conditions become predominate. This condition increases the production of sulfides, resulting in thickening of the bio-mat and the buildup of insoluble sticky black sulfides in the aggregate bed and surrounding soil.



Again this moves the septic system into an unbalanced state and is almost entirely an anaerobic environment. As you can see, once this condition starts it multiplies upon itself. It can be corrected, but the best way to avoid it is to be aware of soil conditions and by spreading out your usage of water. How can this condition be fixed? One method is to stop adding water to the system. When a system rests (12 months or more) oxygen in the soil slowly oxidizes the sulfides and allows the clogging mat enough time to decompose. Another method is to reduce the amount of water and waste in the water going to the drainfield. Proper maintenance of the septic tank, a regular pumping schedule, and reducing the organic waste entering the system may help. This organic waste is not only food and human waste, but also soaps, detergents, and things such as shampoo and cream rinses. If the amount of water entering the system is consistently more and faster that can be absorbed into the soil in a period of time, the drainfield will become more anaerobic and develop problems.



What can be done to maintain or improve the water absorption in a drainfield? There are several techniques which can be used. These may be regulated in some states. If the drainfield is flooded, that is standing water above the laterals, soil fracturing may be used in some areas. This technique blasts compressed air into the drainfield to open paths through the clogging mat for the water to flow through. This may help the long term situation because more oxygen may be available and help reduce the sulfide build-up. The system may be rested for a period of time which may be as long as twelve months. This is probably not possible unless the system was installed with alternating drainfields connected by a valve to divert water from one to the other. Some people have enough room in the yard to add another drainfield along with the water diverting plumbing. This would allow them to use the new drainfield right away, but keep the old drainfield as a backup. Another way is to replace the old soil absorption area with a new modern design of drainage piping and new aggregate bed.
















There are companies offering kits to convert the septic system from the traditional anaerobic system to an aerobic system. These kits use some type of air pumping unit to add oxygen to your septic system. This would over time have the effect of changing the chemistry and biology of the drainfield and eliminating the sulfides from the soil absorption area. Unfortunately, each of these methods can be very expensive and can also damage your landscaping. A failed system and the replacement of it will be a high stress situation for you. Cost, headaches, stress, mess, smell, and choosing a method of replacement are difficult. A simpler and less costly alternative is our Lenzyme Septic Kit restorer. It is an environmentally friendly chemical treatment used to oxidize the sulfides and release oxygen into the drainfield. This is essentially the same as letting the system rest for a year or more, except this works much faster. It is not uncommon to see results in the first 2-weeks.







The product is added between the septic tank and the drainfield. With Lenzyme Septic Kit restorer the use of your septic system does not need to be restricted during the treatment. However, the best results are obtained when the drainfield is dewatered down to the soil interface either by resting or by pumping the drainfield. The great thing with Lenzyme Septic Kit is no digging, no expensive equipment is needed, and treatment is usually substantially less than replacement. Lenzyme Septic Kit can be used for seepage pits, cesspools, and traditional drainfields. Lenzyme Septic Kit restorer is excellent for restoring flow to a slowed system or a failed system. In fact it has over an 80% success ratio in restoring fields to their normal capacity.



In addition, Lenzyme Septic Kit can be used in working systems to help prevent the system from building up sulfides to the point that the water absorption is severely slowed. To help maintain this vital balance a system can benefit and should be treated monthly with pre-measured Lenzyme treatments and a bi-annual treatment of the Lenzyme Septic Kit.

### Diagnosing a Septic Tank Drainfield Problem

“Diagnosing a septic field problem” is a hard thing to do. What kind of septic problem do you have? Learn about the septic system parts and how a septic tank works before you try to come up with a septic remedy.
If you think it is a septic tank failure then review that section of our educational web site. The septic drain field is the most expensive component of the septic tank drainage system, and is the highest septic system cost during septic tank construction. The septic drainfield also has the biggest influence on the septic system life expectancy. Unfortunately, it is the hardest and costliest septic system repair if you have a septic drainfield failure.







The most common septic tank failures happen when septic bacteria and septic tank enzymes are killed off in normal septic tanks and aerobic septic tanks by harsh household cleaning chemicals or strong medications homeowners are taking for a serious illness. Another problem area is when septic tank pumps, septic filters, and septic tank aerators break down. All these situations allow septic tank sludge to escape from the septic tank and overload the septic tank drainfield with solids causing the bio-mat to become out of balance.







Here is a list of symptoms associated with septic tank problems or septic drainfield problems:
Septic system odors outside of the building especially above the septic fields or septic tank riser



Slow or sluggish flushing of toilets or drains - septic pipe noises



Wet spots above the septic tank or septic drainfield from septic tank sewage rising to the surface



Actual backups from toilets or other plumbing inside the building



Let your ears be your septic helper - listen for pump or high-level water alarms



Drainfield problems or septic tank problems will result in messy cleanups, inconvenient smells and oders, and possibly costly repairs. You don’t want to have the septic tank pump truck in the driveway when you have family or friends invited over for a big party!



Diagnosing a septic tank drainfield problem is difficult, but here is a list of common problems associated with backed up septic drainfields. See our septic education area for list of common problems of a backed up septic tank.







Sludge overloading causing Bio-mat and or sulfite build up (Drainfield bio-mat balancing problem)



Grease causing grease capping, cutting off oxygen in the septic system drainfield



Not enough septic tank pump out or cleanings



Broken drainfield piping or compacted soil from parking vehicles over the drainfield



Septic systems design outdated causing over capacity issues



Tree roots in the septic distribution box, septic system pumps, septic media filters, and drainfield
















Now we will discuss some possible solutions to your septic drainfield problems. These are general guidelines and solutions which are based on our 35+ years of solving septic and drainfield problems through our professional contractor network. Most drainfield problems can be fixed with proven septic drainfield restoration techniques. These techniques sometimes called “remediation” often use a combination of specialized drainfield equipment and “bioremediation” solutions, including high quality septic treatment products. Sometimes the drainfield problems are so bad that it will require removal of the septic tank, installation of secondary treatment septic systems, or installation of partial above ground septic systems. Diagrams for aeriated septic tanks or mound septic systems can help you understand these types of alternative septic systems. These of course are not home repair septic systems, and should be installed by septic professionals who specialize in these types of alternative septic systems. Get out your septic system diagram to locate your septic tank. All the solutions for your septic drainfield problems start with a septic pumper truck which will be used as your septic system cleaner and will also have all the septic system supplies to do the job right.







Septic drainfield problem: Sludge and other solids leaving the septic tank without proper treatment.
Solution: As you know by now this is a bad thing. The question at this point is “How bad is it?” Well that is hard to know for sure. If it is clogged with pieces of plastics and other non-biodegradable solids from sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, cigarette butts, etc then you are probably looking at replacing the drainfield. Sure there are some things that can be done to prolong the inevitable, but you are throwing good money after bad. Just bite the bullet and get it replaced.



    The good news is most drainfield problems are from bio-degradable solids building up to a point that the drainfield can not handle the volume of water entering the system. This can be corrected and thereby help to extend your septic drainfield life! All is not lost and things can be corrected by using a combination of special equipment and/or products developed for these situations. Make sure to immediately start following the best practices of caring for your septic system because your wastewater needs to be properly treated and purified before reaching the groundwater. If you used cheap septic additives that said you never had to pump your tank again, stop using it and watch the Cat Food Test video to see the difference in quality additives. The goal of repairing a failed drainfield is to remove as many of the solids as possible from within the drainfield drainage piping. Then continue the drainfield restoration process by bioremediation which involves providing enough biological activity, especially septic tank enzymes to breakdown and digest the remaining solids in the piping, seepage bed, and the soil surrounding the drainfield.



 
Septic drainfield problem: Grease capping from too much grease entering the septic system.
Solution: Grease is a problem for plumbing, septic tanks, and drainfields. Septic tank and drainfield systems at federal campgrounds and RV parks, family style campgrounds and RV parks, rural restaurants, and beach front campgrounds are all big problem locations for this type of grease overload. Grease should never be put down the drains leading to your septic system. Because grease is water-soluble it can easily escape the septic tank and build up in the drainfield after it cools and solidifies. This build up is called “grease capping”, and it cuts off any oxygen from reaching the bio-mat. Grease is hard to breakdown but it can be done with the proper biological enzymes. The same solutions we have mentioned for sludge buildup in #1 above will work for grease capping. But you will need a special blend of enzymes and grease eating bacteria to complete the drainfield bioremediation process.







  Septic drainfield problem: Septic did not get enough regular septic tank pump outs and cleanings. Solution: As we talked about in the two previous problems sludge buildup in the drainfield needs to be prevented. The good news, it is correctable at a reasonable cost. The black slime containing the sulfite accumulation needs to be removed and the drainfield bio-mat balancing problem solved. High pressure jetting equipment or drainfield treatments using oxidizers are excellent solutions. A good oxidizer can destroy the anaerobic bacteria causing the drainfield bio-mat balancing problem. Once the black slime is destroyed, the natural biological balance can be restored. The septic tank drainfield will be recovered from the injury, but it has to be maintained from now on to keep it working properly.



Lenzyme Earth Buster Kit. To learn more on this method clink the picture



  Septic drainfield problem: Broken drainfield piping or compacted soil. Solution: Compacted soils can be fixed with special equipment such as “soil fracturing” equipment. This type of equipment fractures the soil and allows more oxygen to reach the drainfield seepage bed. It also will give a jump start to the percolation of the drainfield into the surrounding soils. Another highly successful solution for bio-mat build up and organic overloaded septic fields is the Earth Buster and theLenzyme Earth Buster Kit. Learn more about this by clicking the link below. Know the location of your septic tank and drainfield so that you never park any vehicles or build any structures on top of those areas. The drainfield needs to have evaporation happen on the surface, so only low growing vegetation should be planted above a septic system. Never put a driveway or other non-porous surfaces above the drainfield area.



 
Septic drainfield problem: Old system designs such as cesspools and seepage pits.
Solution: We have come a long way in our understanding of wastewater treatment, and there have been many improvements over the last few decades. Sometimes you are unlucky and have a system that is wore out, or was installed without the proper percolation rates for the usage. A new system will be the answer in most cases. However, if you have an older design using a cesspool or seepage pit you don’t necessarily need replacement. It is common for older cesspools and seepage pits to clog quicker than other types of systems. These can often be saved and continue to work perfectly well by using the same solutions we have mentioned for sludge buildup. A good oxidizer works nicely to unclog the cesspool or seepage pit area of those types of older septic systems. The oxidizer works in between the blocks or bricks and also attacks the solids at the bottom of the pit that the pumper truck can not remove. Cesspools and seepage pits can sometime benefit from high pressure jetting of the walls. Use your septic professional to advise you on what will work best for your cesspool septic system.







 
Septic drainfield problem: Clogged drainfields from tree roots.
Solution: Certain trees like willows can send out roots in every direction and travel long distances to find water. Your septic system and drainfield is the perfect place for them to find the water they are after. Plus the drainfield water is full of nutrients trees and other vegetation love. Of course you can have a tree cutting service come by and cut down the trees affecting your septic system. Root cutting equipment is available to cut the roots off in your drain lines. Another solution is to apply root killing chemicals such as copper sulfate to kill the roots.



 
 
We recommend and supply (Root control like ROOTX) an environmentally safe treatment that can be applied annually to kill the roots back without killing the tree. This is not an area for the do it yourself septic system owner, root cutting equipment is dangerous and environmental laws have to be followed if you are using certain chemicals. Don’t think you can just go to the local store and buy a small bottle of copper sulfate and dump it into the drainfield and think your root problem will be solved. If root killing treatments are used they need to be applied by a professional who knows what he/she is doing. Most treatments require the drainfield to sit for a few hours to a few days, so you should plan accordingly.



 
















We hope this information has helped you understand the wastewater treatment system you have in your yard. Every drainfield problem is different and not all methods of restoration will work for every situation. We provide proven solutions for your drainfield problems, and we have the network of septic and plumbing professionals who can provide expert service for all your septic and drainfield needs.

### Maintain Your Septic Tank and Drainfield System

Maintaining your septic tank and drainfield system properly can be done by educating yourself on septic system designs, how they operate, and how to correctly care for them. Your septic system is your wastewater treatment system for your home or business. It has to operate correctly so that you are not polluting your own backyard. If you do not take care of it, you are in for future headaches and costly septic system repairs or even a septic system replacement.



Why we need Septic Systems:
Back in ancient times, people had no idea what pollution was or how it affected their
environment. In those ancient times city residents were permitted to pile their human waste on the outskirts of the city. The Romans are credited with the development of the first sewer system, but this was primarily for the conveyance of storm water. Even in Roman times it was common for people to dump their chamber pots right out the windows and onto the streets. There were practically no sewage systems in any cities during the Middle Ages. In fact, Medieval Paris was noted for its bad smell. In those days human waste was untreated, and as a result epidemics were common. It was not surprising to have an entire city fall prey to hepatitis and typhoid. Not much was done to treat waste until about the mid 1800’s when London installed a sewage treatment plant. Around 1900 the concept of the septic tank system was introduced by a man named Donald Cameron.







Today we are much more aware of our actions and how they affect the world in which we live. Acid rain, greenhouse effect, massive oil spills, toxic waste, air and water pollution are now common topics of conversation. You hear about these things daily on TV, radio, newspapers, and the internet. They affect all of us in some way and no one is immune to their effects. Therefore, people are much more aware of the dangers human waste can present and the benefits provided by wastewater treatment.



It’s common for cities to have multi-million dollar waste treatment plants. If there are no large scale sewage system and treatment plants present, then small underground sewage treatment (septic tank system) is required. In essence then, septic tank systems are needed to effectively treat human and household wastes where there are no municipal treatment plants. When properly installed, maintained, and operated a septic tank system is very efficient, economical, and environmentally safe method of treating your wastewater.







What Is A Septic System:
What is a septic tank? The term septic tank is an abbreviation for septic sanitation system. As previously stated, the purpose of the septic system is to cleanse and purify human and household wastewater and return the purified water back to our usable groundwater. This is done by utilizing an underground system which is usually made up of a temporary holding compartment (tank) and a drainfield filtering system (absorption area). Because the tank will contain a great deal of disease causing organisms (pathogens) it must be watertight. These pathogens mainly come from human feces.







It is important that these pathogens do not escape into the surrounding soil. Therefore, most tanks are made from concrete or fiberglass material. The tank is where most of the solid waste is treated by enzymes and bacteria. The effluent leaving the tank is mostly liquid and is further treated by the action of the absorption area. The effluent seeps into the soil beneath the drainfield where the enzymes, bacteria, and many other microorganisms within the soil purify the liquid. This liquid eventually reaches an aquifer as clean water fit for human consumption.



As you can see, the septic sanitation system is an excellent way of treating wastewater in rural areas. Large multi-million dollar treatment plants are very expensive to build and operate. They also consume a tremendous amount of our natural resources for energy. These plants use many different types of modern technology in treating the solid wastes. Consider yourself lucky if you are the owner of a septic system. City residents pay monthly for their wastewater treatment and you are getting the benefit of waste treatment for a fraction of the cost.







How a Septic System Works:
The average person uses between 100 and 300 gallons of water per day for drinking, cooking, washing, and toilet flushing. Waste water enters the septic system from toilets, sinks, tubs, and other house drains in the approximate percentage listed in the diagram. This wastewater flows by gravity from the house to the septic tank. The effluent entering the tank is about 99% water and 1% solids. Of these solids, 80% are organic and the remaining 20% are inorganic. The heavily polluted wastewater from the toilet produces most of the organic solids (feces, toilet paper, and urine). Other organic solids come form detergents, pieces of food , and any other non-chemical source. Water softeners, bleaches, paint residue, household cleaners, and other chemical sources make up the inorganic solids.







The purpose of the tank is to slow down the flow of water through the system long enough for the solids to settle. As the wastewater enters the tank, its movement is brought to a standstill. This allows the solid materials to settle to the bottom of the tank where enzymes and bacteria immediately start to digest them. The process begins with the enzymes, which liquefy the organic solids. Once liquefied, bacteria can do their job by absorbing the liquid. In this process of digestion, methane and other gasses are produced as a by-product.



These gases rise to the top of the tank carrying along fine particles. The gases are released through the vent pipe attached to the tank. The fine particles, along with oils and grease form a scum layer at the top of the tank. This is another excellent breeding ground for enzymes and bacteria which also actively digests these organic materials. Enzymes, bacteria, and other microorganisms can only digest organic solids. The inorganic solids together with the other by-products of the digestion process fall to the bottom of the tank to form a sludge layer. This process will continue day after day as long as there is organic food for the enzymes and bacteria to feed on and the conditions within the tank are suitable for their continued life. During this time billions upon billions of microorganisms will multiply (bacteria double approximately every 20 minutes). As this process continues over the life of the tank the sludge layer will keep building up. As this layer builds the tank capacity is decreased by the volume of the sludge layer.







This sludge layer must be removed on a periodic basis so that the tank can operate correctly. If the sludge is not removed, it can build to the point where it will block the outlet pipe and the system will eventually fail. The other important element of the process is the enzyme/bacteria action within the septic tank. As mentioned earlier, proper tank conditions must be maintained for them to keep multiplying. Everyday household cleaners, drain openers, chlorine bleaches, mouthwashes, etc. kill off enzymes and bacteria. If the enzyme/bacteria action is reduced below a proper level the solids and sludge will build up and cause system failure.



Now that the enzymes and bacteria in the tank have done their work of converting the solids to liquid the next process can start. The liquefied effluent now looks like dirty water. This discharge water flows out of the tank and into the filtration system (drainfield). The liquid flows through the drain pipe system, then percolates into the gravel base. From there it is absorbed into the surrounding soil.







As the effluent passes through the soil it is further purified by the many microorganisms within the soil. The enzymes, bacteria, fungi, and the rest of the microscopic creatures of the soil purify the effluent and make it harmless to man and beast. Some of these soil organisms can actually produce antibiotics like penicillin which will destroy pathogens and viruses. They also convert the effluent into nutrients that plants can use for food. The water within the effluent is purified through this process and eventually reaches the groundwater reserves for future use.



The distance the discharge water must percolate through the soil to purify it is based on the type of soil. Course sand is bad because it allows the water to pass too freely. Clay is bad because the water can not percolate quickly enough. Therefore, the location of the drainfield is very important for a properly operating septic system. Almost all septic systems are pre-approved by using percolation tests to determine if the soil will handle the amount of discharge water anticipated for the household.







Although the septic system process appears to be very complex, it really is very simple. It is based on the very nature of how dead organic material is broken down in the environment every day. Dead plant material, dead animal waste, and human produced garbage in landfills are all decomposed by these microscopic creatures. Many of these are the same enzymes and bacteria that are present in your very own septic system. In nature, there are even some specialized microorganisms that actually feed on toxic material. They have been found in oil spill areas, toxic waste dumps, etc. Septic systems can work on this simple and natural process forever if they are properly installed, maintained, and cared for. It is when these systems are abused or highly concentrated that they can cause problems to the environment.



Helpful Advice To Keep Your Septic System Working Efficiently:
1.) The water absorption of the drainfield area is the backbone of the septic system. The better the drainfield absorption, the better the overall system will work. Therefore, the following suggestions have to do with the reduction of water in this area:







Water conservation is one of the easiest things you can do to reduce the amount of water going in the absorption area.
Wash full loads of laundry and dishes instead of several small loads.



Water saving shower heads, faucet aerators, new toilet float valves, toilet tank space-occupiers, or low-flow toilets should be installed.



Repair all leaking faucets quickly.



Put a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. This will reduce the amount of water running when getting a glass of drinking water.



Make sure that non-polluted water such as the roof downspouts, house footing drain tiles, sump pumps and any other non-polluted water does not go into the septic tank. These water sources should also be directed away from the drainfield area.



Be sure the ground surface above the drainfield is graded so that natural rain water runs off the drainfield area as much as possible. The drainfield should be located in a sunny place so that maximum evaporation can take place. Be aware of building shadows and shade from nearby trees.







No heavy equipment should be used above the drainfield, and no buildings should be built above this area because soil compression may occur and drainpipes could break.



Trees and shrubs should not be grown above the drainfield area because their roots could cause blockage and other damage to the drainpipes. Lawn grasses are the only thing that should be grown above this area.



Solids from the septic tank should not be allowed into the drainfield area because they will clog the drainpipes or reduce the ability of the soil to absorb water. If your system does not have an outlet filter you should look into getting one installed. Also your septic tank outlet filter should be cleaned at least once a year.



2.) The septic tank is the support for the whole system. Without the septic tank the whole drainfield area would fail in a very short period of time. The action within the tank is what allows the drainfield to work. The cleaner the effluent entering the drainfield, the better the drainfield will work. Following are a number of suggestions to keep this process working without any interruptions:



The tank must be the proper size for the waste treatment at hand. A small tank used for a two bedroom house occupied by three people will not support the waste generated by six people. Therefore, the tank capacity must match the intended use. Oversized tanks are an advantage because they will allow the solids to settle and liquefy over a longer period of time.







The tank is where solids are liquefied. Therefore, the enzyme/bacteria action must be maintained in the tank so that the solids are liquefied in the normal time period. The more action within the tank the faster the solids will liquefy. The more solids liquefied the cleaner the effluent will be entering the drainfield. Care should be taken to maintain a proper living environment for these microorganisms. This would include having the tank buried deep enough in the ground to maintain a temperature above freezing. The enzymes and bacteria prefer warmer temperatures. Therefore, in colder climates the action will be slower, so the tank capacity should be larger.



The use of a garbage disposal will add extra solids to your septic tank. If you use one make sure the tank capacity can handle this extra waste. You are probably better off not using the garbage disposal and should throw the waste into your garbage instead.



Remember, sludge build up decreases the tank capacity. The sludge layer should never be allowed to reach the level of the outlet pipe. A regular pumping of the tank will allow you to renew the life of your tank. This will also give your pumping professional the opportunity to inspect the tank for any structural problem. The idea is to prevent any harm to the drainfield which is caused by sludge entering it and clogging the absorption capabilities.



Remember, sludge build up decreases the tank capacity. The sludge layer should never be allowed to reach the level of the outlet pipe. A regular pumping of the tank will allow you to renew the life of your tank. This will also gives your pumping professional the opportunity to inspect the tank for any structural problem. The idea is to prevent any harm to the drainfield which is caused by sludge entering it and clogging the absorption capabilities.







3.) Your septic system is a big investment. The payback on this investment comes from operating a very effective wastewater treatment system over a long period of time at a small annual operating cost. Treat your system with care and you will see the benefits of your efforts. But if you don’t treat it with care, you will eventually have problems. If the problems continue and the system fails, it could mean another big investment to replace the system.







Major Problems And Concerns About Your Septic System:
1.) The most well known problem with septic systems is the problem of nitrate contamination in the groundwater. Nitrate is oxidized nitrogen, which can interfere with the human blood’s ability to carry oxygen through the body. It is especially dangerous to infants, and has been reported to cause “blue baby syndrome.” The health effects of nitrate contaminated water is still not fully understood, but they are serious enough to take the following precautions:



If you are using well water be sure your septic tank is located down stream from your well. The tank should be located away from your well.



You should have your well water tested regularly for nitrate-nitrogen to make sure it meets with local health department requirements.



Nitrate contamination usually is caused by poorly maintained septic systems. It may also be caused by a very large concentration of septic systems within a poor quality soil area where the soil is unable to purify the effluent correctly.



2.) Standing effluent above the drainfield can be a very serious health hazard and an odorous problem. The obvious problem is that the leach field (drainfield absorption area) can not absorb all the liquid effluent coming into the drainpipes so the effluent rises to the surface. The reasons for this condition can be many, most of which have been explained earlier. Sludge or solids entered the drainfield and have clogged the drainfield area. Therefore, the drainfield area is overloaded compared to the soil percolation.



3.) When the drains or toilets in the house are blacking up or running slow, a messy cleanup could result. This problem can be the result of the drainfield problems mentioned above in number 2, or it can result from plugged sewer lines to the tank, plugged inlet or outlet pipes, or tank capacity problems.







4.) Septic odors occur in the house, above the tank and drainfield, or escape from the vent pipe. If the system is operating properly there should be very few odors coming from the system. If there are extreme odors, it sometimes can be an early warning sign of septic system problems.



5.) Another source of system malfunction can be in the design of the system or in the construction of the system. Examples of this are soil compaction due to excavation, improperly installed sewer lines, incorrect joints, not enough grade in lines, and broken or crushed system components.



6.) Tree roots have gotten into the septic tank, piping, or are blocking the drainfield area. This can be a very serious problem and should be treated with care. Any septic professional can tell you a story or two of how they have discovered and removed very large roots from a septic system. If chemical removal is the solution make sure your septic professional is using an environmentally safe product which will not kill the tree. Most of the time tree roots are removed by cutting them out on a regular basis and applying a root killing treatment.







None of these problems are good ones, but they can all be corrected with time, money, or both. Do not let these problems persist or they could lead to serious health or environmental problems. Human waste is smelly, vile, and a persistent source of infectious diseases. It is like a poison, and like all poisons it doesn’t take much of it to cause you harm. Before your system can get to such a point where problems occur, you should practice good and proper maintenance and alleviate yourself of those headaches.



Myths And False Facts About Septic Systems:
Over the years septic tanks have been one of the most misunderstood and misconstrued pieces of equipment. Everyone seems to have an opinion about how to care for your septic system. Worse yet, some septic tank owners don’t know or care about their own systems. Now that you know about your system and how it works, we will try to clarify some of the myths that have followed septic tanks. We will also warn you about some of the false facts about septic tank additives.







Some people believe that putting yeast into their septic tanks adds bacteria to the tank and therefore, would prevent problems. Actually, yeast does not produce bacteria, but it does help by breaking down starches within the tank. However, starches make up only a small percentage of the waste in your tank. Therefore, it takes more than yeast to break down the five types of waste (Proteins, Fibers, Greases, Pectins, and Starches) found in the normal septic tank. Enzymes are specific. For example, Cellulase, an enzyme that liquefies fibers (toilet paper), will only liquefy fibers. It has no effect on proteins. Therefore, a protein liquefying enzyme called Protease, must be present to attack the protein based wastes. Bacteria are different than enzymes.



The fact is, there are many different types of bacteria. Some need oxygen to survive and are called aerobic bacteria. Others are actually killed by the presence of oxygen. These bacteria are called anaerobic bacteria. There are good bacteria and there are bad bacteria. Throwing yeast into the tank will add some forms of bacteria, but certainly not enough of the good bacteria to materially help your tank. In conclusion, yeast is helpful to some extent but it is better used for making bread and beer.



People have also believed that putting lime or baking soda in their tanks is helpful. This is true in certain situations because most enzymes and bacteria grow best in a non-acidic environment. By adding lime or baking soda, in the proper amounts, the pH level is brought to a neutral condition. On the other hand, too much lime and baking soda can also be harmful. Acids should never be added to a septic tank.



Some people say that their septic tank has lasted for over 20 years without pumping. When all conditions are right this can happen, but it is a very rare occurrence. Some people win lotteries too! Don’t take someone else’s good fortune as your own. Care for your septic system properly.



The worst septic tank injustice that we see today are phony products making wild claims about “never having to pump your septic tank again.” If you are currently using a retail grade product, or were sold a product over the phone, you likely have a very low quality septic additive. Watch the Cat Food Test video to see the difference in quality of septic system additives. In every industry you will get bad apples. Bad apples in the septic tank additive business are very common because it is so easy to play on the cost of a pump out. Don't be fooled by these false claims. You now know that proper care, including high levels of enzymes and bacteria along with regular pumping, is the way to go. Some products actually do more damage than good. Other low quality products are of limited benefits. It is a shame when a septic system fails, adding to the groundwater and environmental problems.







Cat Food Test Video



What will hurt more, is the cost of repairing you septic system after spending money on useless products, not to mention the many headaches a failed system will bring you in septic smells and mess. However, there are some top quality products that add positive benefits to your septic system. Look for products that add to the natural process of your system. In the long run, maintaining your septic system will cost much less.



Helpful Hints In Caring For Your Septic System:
A failing septic system is not like your car when it is low on oil. No read light will come on to warn you. There are a few signs such as (septic oders, effluent and standing water above the drainfield, and sluggish toilet flushing) that will warn you of future problems. However, the best way to avoid problems is to properly care for your system from day one. The U.S. Department of Health, Public Health Division states; “A septic tank system will serve a home satisfactorily only if it is properly designed, installed, and adequately maintained. Even a good system which does not have proper care and attention may become a nuisance and a burdensome expense. Remember, a septic tank and soil absorption system which does not function properly frequently becomes a neighborhood health hazard. To obtain satisfactory service, the homeowner must know something about the design, operation and maintenance of his own septic tank system.” Proper care means a regular pumping schedule and high levels of enzyme/bacteria action within the septic tank system. Following are some suggestions for proper care of your system:



1.) You should have your septic tank pumped out by a reputable waste hauler on a regular basis. The tank should be pumped out every one to three years depending on the capacity and use of the tank. When the septic tank is pumped out it should be checked for any structural damage which may cause the tank to fail.



2.) Toxic and hazardous chemicals should never be poured down the drains or flushed down the toilet. Chemicals such as paint, varnishes, pesticides, solvents, and caustic drain openers can kill off the enzymes and bacteria within the system and also could contaminate the ground water.



3.) Non-biodegradable material such as cat box litter, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, cigarette butts, and coffee grounds are not attacked by enzymes and bacteria. Therefore, these inorganic materials will decrease the capacity of the tank and must be removed.



4.) Every effort must be made to avoid letting large amounts of grease or oils into the tank. Grease is one of the hardest organic materials to be broken down by naturally occurring septic tank bacteria. Grease and oils also will combine with soap and laundry detergents to form a scum that is very hard to break down and liquefy.



5.) If possible, don’t use garbage disposals because they add extra solids to the tank. These large solids along with other solid wastes such as cigarette butts, paper towels, etc. should be disposed of in the garbage.



6.) Limit, as much as possible, any personal care products that kill enzymes or bacteria. Mouthwash is a good example of this. You have probably heard the commercial stating mouthwash kills germs that cause bad breath. Well, if it kills bad germs (bacteria) that causes bad breath, then it will also kill the good enzymes and bacteria that make your septic tank work. Baking soda mixed with water works fine as a mouthwash. Baking soda does not kill enzymes or bacteria.



7.) The same is true of household products such as chlorine bleaches. Chlorine is one of the best killers of enzymes and bacteria. These types of products should be avoided and alternative products should be use.











Conclusion:
All of us at Lenzyme including our professional distributors, hope this information has given you a better understanding of your septic system and how to care for it properly. When you really sit down and think about it, the cost of proper care is much cheaper than the cost of fixing avoidable problems. We wish you the very best with your system and we sincerely appreciate the time and effort you have taken to become better educated about your system. Remember, you are in control of your septic system and how efficiently it treats the wastewater you generate daily. We hope you care enough about your system and the environment to maintain it in a positive way. Please check out our products:



Monthly Treatment & Drainfield Restoration

### Lenzyme Septic Tank and Drainfield Problem Education

Septic system education including septic tank, septic filter, septic baffle, septic drainfield, drainfield biomat, and septic tank problems after heavy rain. Lenzyme offers solutions for septic tank and drainfield problems. Failed septic systems can be fixed using Lenzyme Septic Kit drainfield restoration professional products.

### Diagnosing Septic Tank Problems

"Diagnosing septic tank problems" is very difficult. There are many variables to be reviewed when trying to diagnose a septic system problem. Do you have a septic tank problem? Or do you have a drainfield problem? Or do you have a problem with a backed up septic system because of mechanical malfunctions. Septic backups could be as simple as clogs in your drain lines running to your septic system, or a clogged septic tank filter. Professional septic advice is recommended when you are septic tank troubleshooting or diagnosing a septic system failure. If you don't know what you are doing a failed septic tank can be a dangerous place. There are plenty of stories about people being overcome by methane gases when dealing with a problem septic tank. Your septic professional has the experience to diagnose a problem septic, and should be the first person you call when you have a failed septic tank or a failed septic system drainfield. Start by calling the septic company you use to have your regularly scheduled septic cleanout and septic field inspections. Before you begin diagnosing septic tank problems you should understand the septic system design and types of septic systems you have. Once you know the septic tank design and septic tank location of your septic system parts, you are ready to start diagnosing septic tank problems based on your system and the various septic parts. Make sure to always keep a copy of your septic system layout in your important papers file. If you don't have one call your septic tank installer, builder, or county where your septic tank permit is filed for a copy of the septic tank diagram. Find out more about how a septic tank works and about septic tank care by watching this video.








Here is a list of the usual symptoms associated with septic tank problems or septic drainfield problems:







Septic tank smells inside building - septic tank odors coming from septic vent pipe



Gurgling sounds when flushing your toilets or slow running drains



Actual septic sewage backups from toilets or other plumbing inside the building



Septic tank gas smell above your septic tank cover, septic tank lid or septic risers



Septic system problems will result in messy cleanups, inconvenient smells and septic system odor in your house, plus possible septic tank replacement. Of course your septic system backup will always happen when you are about to have guests arrive!



Diagnosing septic tank problems is difficult, but here is a list of common problems associated with a backed up septic tank or a backed up septic drainfield.







Septic Tank Problems:
1.)  Sludge build up from not pumping septic tank on a regular schedule
2.)  Broken drain lines or broken septic tank baffles
3.)  Tree roots getting into cracks in the tank or around septic tank cover
4.)  Septic Filter clogging from not having it properly cleaned on a regular basis
5.)  Inadequate septic tank bacteria & septic enzyme populations



Septic Tank Drain Field Problems:
6.) Sludge and other solids leaving the septic tank without proper treatment
7.) Grease capping from too much grease entering the septic system
8.) Bio-mat and or sulfite build up (Drainfield bio-mat balancing problem)
9.) Broken drainfield piping or compacted soil
10.) Clogged drainfields from tree roots
11.) Old septic tank designs and improper location of the drainfield



OK, now on to some possible solutions to your septic system problems. These are general guidelines and solutions which are based on our 50+ years of solving clogged septic systems through our professional septic contractor network. All septic tank problems can be fixed with proven septic system restoration techniques. Some will require very little time and cost, others can amount to a substantial investment of time and money. Again it is best to use a professional who is familiar with septic tank dimensions and septic tank sizes, or at least has some knowledge and experience in diagnosing septic system problems. Better yet, you should be doing everything possible to protect and maintain your septic system. Once your septic system contractor is done diagnosing your septic tank systems problem, follow these solutions to get your failed or backed up septic tank and septic drain fields working properly again.







Septic tank problem: Sludge build up from not following proper septic tank pumping procedures.
Solution: This is the number one reason for most septic tank backups. Please review the proper ways to maintain your septic system so solids don’t buildup unnecessarily in your septic tank and reduce your septic tank capacity. Follow proper septic maintenance by watching what you put in, have high levels of biological activity present, and have it cleaned on a regular schedule. To solve this buildup, have a professional come out and clean your tank. Have them apply our septic tank treatment products to help keep your septic free from sludge overloading. If you are currently using a retail grade product, or were sold a product over the phone, you likely have a very low quality septic additive. Watch the Cat Food Test video to see the difference in quality of septic system additives. You should also ask them to treat your septic drainfield because solids did escape your tank and now are going to build up in your drainfield. If you do not treat the drainfield you will have a drainfield problem in the near future, because of bio-mat and sulfate clogging.



Septic tank problem: Broken drain lines or broken septic tank baffle.
Solution: This septic failure problem is best fixed by a professional with the right equipment. Look for a contractor with camera equipment who can do a complete septic tank inspection to locate the broken drain lines, or other broken septic tank parts. Contractors with backhoe equipment for digging can also use a septic dye to find broken lines. Broken septic tank baffles result from sulfuric acid eating away at concrete baffles or rust eating away at steel baffles. Most septic professionals can handle the replacement of deteriorated baffles. Keep in mind that an early sign of concrete or steel septic tanks failure is baffles having to be replaced. You might want to consider having the whole septic tank ( just the tank, not the drainfield ) replaced with a modern fiberglass septic tank and septic tank filter system.







Septic tank problem: Tree roots getting into cracks in the tank or around septic tank covers and septic tank risers.
Solution: Tree roots can really do a lot of damage to septic systems and make them work slowly or stop working completely. Of course whole trees can be removed and the roots killed by many different types of contractors. Don’t think you are going to pick up a small container of copper sulfate or other root killer at your local store and believe it will solve your root problems. If a root is cut it will grow back in a very short period of time, and it will come back with more vigor. You need a professional who knows the best way to attack your root problem. Treating roots in the septic tank is different then treating roots in the septic drainfield. Also these professionals will know the environmental laws affecting the use of certain root killing chemicals. Our professional contractors use an environmentally safe treatment, sometimes combined with root cutting to attack and treat root problems. This is not an area for the DIY septic system person, use a contractor with the knowledge, experience, and the right equipment for the job.







Septic tank problem: Septic filter clogging from not having it properly cleaned on a regular basis.
Solution: This is a pretty common problem and can easily be corrected with very little effort and cost. One of the best septic products developed was septic tank outlet filters, because they help protect the drainfield from getting overloaded with too many solids. New poly septic tanks, plastic septic tanks, and other modern septic tanks all come with septic tank filters. Most places now have septic tank regulations requiring septic tank filters. Most septic contractors clean and inspect your septic filters while cleaning septic tanks. Some septic filters can be cleaned by the septic owner themselves if you care to do that type of work.



Many contractors use a high quality biological cleaning agent which helps with the washing of the complete septic filter. Do not uses harsh chemical cleaners if you are cleaning the septic filter because it could kill valuable bacteria within the septic tank and drain field.



Simply follow the manufacturers instructions on pulling the filter and then wash it down with your garden hose. Examine the filter while cleaning for signs of potential corrective actions. The filter could be clogged by paper, grease, or untreated solids. These are all signs of problems within the septic tank and you need to take action to restore proper septic tank operation.







See Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash in Action



We hope this information has helped your septic system troubleshooting. Septic problems are a hassle and we know it can be frustrating, but the more you know about your overall septic system the easier it is to make an informed decision when you have a septic tank problem or a drainfield problem. Of course these types of problems can be avoided by following proper maintenance for septic tank systems. Know what should and should not go into your septic system and maintain high levels of biological activity in both the septic tank and septic drainfield. Also remember to have regularly scheduled cleanings of the septic tank, filters, and septic system drainfield.

### Root Control

Diagnosing Tree Root Problems in Septic Systems & Drain lines

Tree roots can cause many problems in your septic system. Some roots can travel up to several hundred feet in search of moisture and nutrients. Tree roots are one of the hardest things to diagnose. Your septic system is not like a car with a warning light on it, if your system gets root bound it will just stop working. Maintaining your system is vital to its operation. If you do not take care of it, you are in for future headaches and costly septic system repairs or even a septic system replacement.

Septic Tank Root Problems: 
Most septic tanks are concrete structures that come in several pieces. 

1. The tank itself is four walls with a bottom on it. 
2. The tank top is a concrete slab with two man holes in it and inspection pipes.
3. There are two risers with concrete caps to cover the man holes.

Tanks are generally buried about two feet below the ground surface. Most new systems installed today have cement risers installed to bring the caps to the surface. Any place there are two surfaces meeting each other there is potential for tree roots in the septic to get into your system. 

Roots in septic tank are normally from the roots growing in under the cement tank top. If the seal between the cement tank top and the tank itself is broken then roots can find the smallest hole and work their way into the tank. Once they find the water they are searching for they continue to grow fast, twisting and twining themselves into a ball.

Some roots in septic system have been known to grow up to several hundred pounds. These root balls are very difficult to remove. Any septic professional can tell you a story or two of how they have discovered and removed very large roots from a septic system. 

This is another reason why it is important to have your septic tank pumped on a regular basis. Your cleaning professional can tell you if you are having any problems before they become major issues.

There are only a few ways to handle root problems in septic tanks, remove and repair where they are entering or cut the roots out and do a root treatment with a high quality product provided by your professional contractor.

Ask your professional for for Lenyzme Root Control (compared to RootX) which has twice the killing power and a unique latex base to hold onto the roots longer for a better longer lasting treatment.
 

Drainfield Root Problems:
Septic systems provide the perfect source for roots in your drain field lines. Once a root finds the drainfield it will continue to grow tiny feeder hairs. These tiny feeder hairs are what supply the plants or trees with their water. They will continue to multiply and start intertwining themselves. They will become so tightly woven that they will stop the effluent water from traveling down the drain field lines (or at the very least, greatly slow it down). 

To diagnose tree roots in a septic system you will need a contractor that uses an inspection camera. This works by the contractor sending a small camera down the lines to see what is in each drain line. If roots are determined to be the problem then there are several courses of action that you can take. Plant roots can be removed by mechanical methods, high pressure jetting or by using a Root Control product.

The last option is complete replacement of the drainfield lines. One thing to understand about roots are; using mechanical or pressure jetting this will be a short term fix. Once roots are cut they will grow back twice as fast and twice as hardy. Therefor, it is highly recommended with this type of removal to use a Root Control treatment. The treatment will stop the roots from actively growing back for up to one year. Treatments should be done annually thereafter.

Your contractor and you can determine the right course of action based on how bad the roots are in your system and how much you want to disturb your landscaping. Once your drain field roots are removed or treated then removing the source of the roots is highly recommended.

Drainline Root Problems:
Where ever there are plants, trees and drain lines there are potential problems. Roots searching for water will find the smallest hole or leak in the line. Any where there is a joint in the line is a potential problem. Once there, they will attack the water source. 

First by getting a feeder root into the pipe line and then multiplying rapidly. Filling the drain line up with tiny hair like roots. The hair like roots will combine together and eventually the flow in the drain line will come to a stop. 

The lowest cost solution of removal is to mechanically remove them and treat with a Root Control.

The treatment will stop the roots from actively growing back. Treatments should be done annually thereafter. The other solution is to replace the pipe line. Once your drain line is free of roots we recommend removing the source of the roots. Contact your local professional for this type of work.

As you can see roots are a very big problem in any septic system, drain field line or drain line. Roots need to be addressed immediately or they will cause bigger problems. Removing roots should be done by a professional as using root removing equipment can be dangerous. Performing a Root Control treatment should be done by a professional at the time of removal.

### About Us

Lenzyme is located just outside Green Bay, Wisconsin (home of the famous Green Bay Packers). The company was founded in 1974 and has grown steadily to meet customer demand ever since.







Our current facility is a state of the art environmentally friendly plant with over 20,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Lenzyme has been featured as an industry leader in the best septic publication available "Cole Publishing Magazines”.







We are also asked to contribute educational articles for many other septic related publications. We exhibit yearly at the Cole Publishing International Environmental Pumper Expo, as well as, many state and association shows. In addition, our executives have provided educational seminars for the Cole Publishing International Environmental Pumper Expo for the past 10 years.



Lenzyme products are distributed throughout the world by professional septic, plumbing and drain cleaning contractors. Within our industry we are considered experts in bio-products, packaging and marketing. Our high quality bio-products are the “Cadillac” of the septic and plumbing industries. Our packaging is unmatched by our competition because we specialize in FREE Custom Private Labeling. Plus we can add benefit to marketing efforts within any business and/or organization. Other products and services provided by Lenzyme go beyond the septic and plumbing industries. We offer products such as organic fertilizers, fundraising products with FREE Custom Private Labeling. Plus we can add benefit to marketing efforts within any business and/or organization. Other products and services provided by Lenzyme go beyond the septic and plumbing industries. We offer products such as organic fertilizers, fundraising products with FREE private labeling, and business promotion gifts with FREE private labeling.







Over the years we have prided ourselves on helping educate people with honest information so that they can make informed decisions. This web site is an extension of that educational goal. Many of our customers are licensed septic and plumbing contractors. If you are a licensed professional contactor please feel free to contact us to see how we can help you grow your business. If you are not a licensed professional, but have an interest in one of our products or services please feel free to contact us with any questions or inquires you may have.



Directions:



Lenzyme is located just 12 miles North of Green Bay off of HWY 41-141.

### Lenzyme septic system additives Testimonials

Wastewater sludge ponds, drainfield remediation, cesspool, seepage pits, and aerobic treatment systems can all benefit from using Lenzyme septic system additives. Campground owners and RV park owners will find solutions for their failed campground septic system.

### Lenzyme septic system additives Contractor Information

Septic contractors, septic companies, drain cleaning contractors, and plumbing professionals will benefit from offering our Lenzyme private label septic products. They can use our private label bacteria septic additive in problem septic systems. Septic tank and drainfield failures can be fixed using Lenzyme Septic Restoration Kit. Lenzyme carries a full line of septic problem solutions, grease problem solutions, drainfield problem solutions. Lenzyme also offers ROOTX and Arcan Septic Scrub.

### Bio Filter Wash Video

Help avoid septic tank backups caused by plugged septic filters, and also activate the septic tank with a high quality bio film using the Lenzyme Bio Filter Wash product. Also helps to protect the septic system drainfield.

### Lenzyme Cat Food Test

See with your own eyes the quality difference of septic tank additives with this simple cat food test. Lenzyme has one of the highest quality bacteria and enzyme septic tank and septic drainfield bio additives in the industry.

### Contractor Information

For 35+ years, Lenzyme has provided septic contractors the best septic solutions - Click Here











Are you providing your customers with septic system
additives?



If not, you are not doing them a complete service and your business is missing out on an excellent opportunity. Most septic system owners want to be involved in keeping their septic system maintained. They frequently go to the local store and purchase septic tank additives for treating their septic tank. Those products are “Retail Grade” and are low quality because everyone in the distribution chain needs to make a profit, so the quality suffers. We can provide a “Retail Grade” formulation if you want. But we would strongly suggest and recommend that you provide our high quality formulations instead. See with your own eyes the difference in quality with our famous cat food test. As a contractor you can buy direct from the manufacturer (Lenzyme) and offer a high quality, industrial strength septic system additive to your customers. Top quality professional services deserve top quality products. Add extra sales to your business, at the same time, help your customers get a high quality septic tank additive at a value to them.











Are you offering the BEST septic system additives and the BEST Septic, Drainfield, Grease Solutions?



Your customers are relying on you to fix any problems they may have with their systems. They also rely on your expert advice to help them maintain their plumbing and septic systems properly. You are the wastewater professional and should have the experience to handle their septic system or plumbing problems and concerns. Just like a doctor wants to have the best equipment and medication to handle their patient’s needs, you also need to have the best products and services available to handle your customer’s needs! Find out why we are considered the Bio-product experts in our industry. We offer a complete line of solutions with many different types of formulations and package sizes. Find out why we are considered the Packaging experts in our industry. We specialize in Custom Private Labeled septic tank products, as well as, Custom Private Labeled marketing and promotion items to help you grow your business. Find out why we are considered the Marketing experts in our industry.







Hear it from a few contractors who know from experience what is working for them. Septic tank and drainfield problems happen everyday, you should be providing the best septic tank and drainfield restoration kit available. Add value to your regular pumping services by offering a complete septic tank and drainfield maintenance service including our Bi-Annual Septic Kit. Our company prides itself on helping you succeed with all possible solutions.



Most solutions are manufactured in our facilities. We are also master distributers for a few other high quality and environmentally safe products. We recommend and can supply you with Lenzyme root control like Rootx for tree root problems (Rootx MSDS sheet), and Arcan Septic Scrub for drainfield oxygenation (Arcan Septic Scrub MSDS sheet). Call or contact us today to join the other winning team in Green Bay!



Your Commercial accounts will benefit with our Lenzyme / Trap-Cleer High Count. This product will help attack major grease problems. It also is used for shock treating commercial applications where you need a faster acting bio solution. High Count is an excellent choice to help eliminate the toughest organic build ups.



Our company prides itself on helping you succeed with all possible solutions. Most solutions are manufactured in our facilities. But we also are master distributers for a few other high quality and environmentally safe products. We recommend and can supply you with Rootx for tree root problems (Rootx MSDS sheet), and Arcan Septic Scrub for drainfield oxygenation (Arcan Septic Scrub MSDS sheet). Call or contact us today to join the other winning team in Green Bay!



Contractors you may be interested in these added High Quality Solutions









Root Control









High Count

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Welcome to Lenzyme, Inc. Est. 1974





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Lenzyme supplies bio-products to help maintain and solve problems with septic systems, grease problems and drainfield problems. We also specialize in private label packaging for contractors. Lenzyme Inc. produces commercial grade septic and drain solutions and are used by professional septic pumpers, plumbers, and drain cleaners. Lenzyme’s solutions can help keep septic systems in balance, help fix septic tank back up, septic system failure, slow draining sinks, septic tank odors, septic system maintenance, drain field issues, septic tank overflowing and septic system troubleshooting. This website is designed for septic system education to help solve septic system problems and drain problems.





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