Every day, each Albertan uses more than 200 litres of water. That’s a lot, especially when you don’t have municipal water services and need to haul water to your home. Plus, there’s also the question of sewage and wastewater collection and disposal. Approximately 10% of Albertans live on a property that uses a septic system. If you’re one of them, hope to be, or are simply interested in the essential role of septic tanks and cisterns in residential properties, keep reading – this article is for you.
Cisterns
Most Albertans get their drinking water from municipal or private fresh water sources like rivers, groundwater wells, or dugouts. However, nearly 2% of Albertans require water hauling services and a potable water holding system known as a cistern. Other rural homeowners also adopt cisterns to hold water from wells and co-op pipelines and to allow for water treatment such as aeration.
In the Edmonton-area, cisterns are large receptacles frequently made of concrete, steel, fibreglass, or polyethylene that is lined with waterproof materials to prevent leaking. The cistern design, materials, and installation must comply with the Canadian Standards Association's (CSA) standards.
The size of cisterns can vary from home to home, but a common size is 15,000 litres. This provides enough water for a 4-person household to drink, cook, wash, and flush toilets for 2 to 3 months. The cistern is then refilled.
A cistern installation Edmonton is often buried. It is placed below the frost line to prevent freezing and has an access opening above ground for refilling by a water-hauling service. Some cisterns can be installed indoors and even in your basement. It is recommended to consult with a professional cistern installation and maintenance company to ensure compliance with regulations, standards, cleaning, and maintenance protocols and guidelines.
Septic Tanks
Septic tanks are similar to cistern installations in that they are often made of the same materials, placed underground, and hold liquid. However, septic tanks receive and hold wastewater not potable water.
Like any cistern installation, a septic system is best installed by a professional who knows how to meet your needs within the parameters of your property. For example, in the Edmonton area and throughout Alberta, septic tanks must not be located within 10m of a water source, water well, or water course, or within 1m of a property line or building.
A septic professional will also assess your soil, site elevations, and wastewater management needs to design a septic system that allows for treatment, filtering, holding, and alarm systems that will detect any system failure. Septic professionals also help you obtain the necessary permits and provide you with septic tank pumping, cleaning, and other maintenance support.
Find Septic and Cistern Professionals in Edmonton & Surrounding Area
Whether you need a septic or cistern installation, repair or maintenance, including septic pumping and potable water delivery, Ardalta Vacuum Truck Service Ltd is your Edmonton area one-stop solution. Contact us today to learn more about our services throughout central Alberta from Ardrossan to Mundare, Fort Saskatchewan to Cooking Lake.