Efficiency of Indonesian Degradation Products in Treating Septic Tank Faecal Sludge

Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Planning, and Geo-Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, 60111, Surabaya, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: soedjono@enviro.its.ac.id

Abstract

Challenges related to desludging septic tanks often stem from the ‘willingness to pay’ and the community’s awareness of sanitation regulations. Moreover, these issues can exacerbate another critical problem: the potential undetected leakage of septic tanks, posing a risk of environmental contamination in the surrounding areas. Indonesia boasts various degradation products that could offer potential solutions to mitigate these concerns. This study examined both liquid and powder-based degradation products, encompassing a range of prices from the most expensive to the cheapest available in the market. Results revealed that within 7 days, Control, Liq-A, Liq-B, Pow-A, and Pow-B degraded 36%, 87%, -5%, 30%, and 69% of MLSS (mg/L), respectively. Additionally, SV30 (mL/L) showed a reduction of 17%, 25%, -4%, 6%, and 7% for Control, Liq-A, Liq-B, Pow-A, and Pow-B. It’s noteworthy that their claim of degrading 100% of septic tank faecal sludge within or under 7 days may require a longer duration for complete degradation.