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Smelly citerne


muscoka
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Hi

Hope someone can advise me. We have a citerne (I think this is the right word - an old large stone underground water tank.) All the rainwater from the back of the house goes into it. In addition last year we constructed a kitchen which is below the level for mains drainage and on the advice of our builder all the 'grey water' from the kitchen (Just the dishwaher and sink) is now emptied into this reservoir. We intended to pump the water out when it filled up too much in order water the garden. It however does not fill up, i think it must have a built in soakaway. And we don't need to water anything in the garden either. As this would involve buying and fitting a pump as well as running power out etc I would rather not bother.

My problem is it  now gives off a bit of a smell. What would be the best thing to treat the water with. A swimming pool product or a chemical for a fosse perhaps? Any advice or brand name would be much appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation.

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I am not surprised that it stinks - you are adding dirty washing up water including fat and chemicals to a container originally intended for clean rain and groundwater. It might make more sense to filter yr filthy kitchen water before it enters the citerne, there is less to treat that way.  I suspect that yr builder was only making life easier for himself by acting as he did.

Probably not the response you wanted.

John

not

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Thank you for your response. In retrospect probably not the most sensible thing.

Could you or anyone else recommend a suitable filter. I have heard mentioned a grease trap but know not how they work or what they are called in French.

Thanks again.

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You don't want to hear this either but I'm pretty sure what you have is illegal - all grey water must go to your fosse toutes eaux.  In your case this would mean pumping, but this is not usually too difficult.  It would be very advisable to fit a "bac a graisse" as well.

I'm sorry to say I don't think a filter on your present system would prevent the smells.[+o(]

ps Who was your builder (no names, just info ie English/French/registered/insured etc...)[:)]

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Muscoka, it's called a 'bac à graisse' but even if you install one, I wouldn't water the garden with what's left. Our first system was a bit like yours but in addition it collected all the bathroom/loo water[+o(] The system was called a 'fosse étanche' and had to be emptied on a regular basis depending on the size of the fosse and the number of occupants in the house.  It worked well. 

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It gets worse...

\Thanks you caramac.

It all sounded fine using the grey water for the garden etc The citerne is not used for anything else but was originally for a forge that existed on this site.

My builder was English, registered and insured and has been in France for sixteen years... which evidently still did not eliminate his ability to give poor advice.

Any more advice welcome.

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Firstly, you'll not be able to filter away the stuff from the dishwater etc that causes the tank to smell. It's dissolved solids, detergent etc and far too fine for any filter except a large sand filter.

I'm not sure WHAT you could add to it. Maybe something like the "bugs" that go into a fosse?

Personally, I'd get the system changed so that it complies with the law, ie: all water into a fosse tous eaux, then have the tank cleaned and use it to trap rainwater to water the garden, nothing else.

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    Just a quick reminder, the septic tank inspector is going around to make sure they all comply with the latest law, he was due to visit me last week but the man who sold me this house, and incidentally built it as well, intervened and managed to stop him. I smell a rat. Wonder if my fairly new one is all that its supposed to be.

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