For people who have been used to mains drainage, it sometimes comes as a surprise that such primitive things as cesspools and septic tanks actually exist! The first experience for many is when they learn that an idylic retirement cottage, or even the old country manor house has hidden problems.

There is nothing worse than a sewage disposal system which doesn''t work efficiently.

The ideal solution, recommended by I.H.S. Systems Ltd. in the majority of cases, is the Klargester R.B.C.

This machine directly replaces a septic tank or cesspool, and converts sewage into harmless inert sludge, and water.  The water is clean enough to pass directly into a ditch, stream, or other surface watercourse.  This means that cesspool owners are spared the high cost of emptying thousands of gallons of sewage by road tanker, and septic tank owners do not have to worry about failing soak-aways.

The process relies on the action of bacteria, which are naturally present in sewage, to consume the waste matter and break it down. All the R.B.C. does is provide a suitable environment for these bacteria to thrive.

The bacteria need food and oxygen to survive, and they naturally colonise any areas which provide these elements. The Klargester R.B.C. (Biodisc) is effectively a five star, all inclusive, hotel for 'friendly' bacteria.

Sewage entering the machine passes through three stages.

The first stage is a tank which separates solid matter, and retains it as an inert sludge, to be removed periodically by road tanker.

The second stage treats the liquid sewage and consists of packs of slowly revolving discs, which are ''home'' for the bacteria. The discs are half submerged in liquid sewage, so as they revolve, the bacteria can absorb oxygen from the air for half a revolution, and feed on the sewage nutrients for the other half revolution.

Enhancements to the Klargester machine allow only a measured amount of liquid sewage into the bacteria zone at each revolution. This ensures that all the sewage receives treatment. No other machine uses this ''managed flow'' principle.

After the bacterial treatment, the liquid is passed into a final tank where it is retained long enough to allow any remaining suspended particles to sink to the bottom before it is discharged as clear water into a ditch or surface watercourse.

Klargester Biodisc R.B.C.'s have a very long lifespan. Those installed over thirty years ago are still functioning efficiently, and require  only regular annual service and emptying. They did have a poor reputation in the early years because the original steel rotor bearings used were prone to corrosion and failure, but new composite plastic materials have solved the problem.

The main advantage of an R.B.C. is peace of mind. Its function is comparable to being ''on the mains''.

Technically, the R.B.C. is very cheap to run. The single dwelling version uses only 60 watts of electricity - about the same as an average fluorescent light. It is very easy to maintain - all components are accessible.  It is silent in operation. It does not give off noxious odours. It only needs maintenance and emptying once a year.

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