It is due for maintenance
The manufacturer's operation and maintenance manual sets the schedule. Arizona's rule lists the tasks: pumping residues, cleaning filters, screens, pump switches, and floats, and checking tanks and seals.
Service first; new ATU installations case by case
Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU) and Alternative Septic System Service
Aerobic treatment units and other alternative septic systems have pumps, filters, controls, and aeration equipment that a standard tank does not. We pump, inspect, clean, and repair them, following the maintenance tasks in the system's operation and maintenance manual. New installations are taken case by case.
Watch for these signs
When an aerobic septic system needs service
- An alarm on the system's control panel is sounding
- The aerator or pump has stopped or sounds different
- Odors, ponding, or soggy ground appear near the system
- Scheduled maintenance or filter cleaning is due
- You bought a home with an aerobic or alternative system and have no service records
Our services
What we handle
- Pumping accumulated solids from treatment and pump tanks
- Effluent filter and screen cleaning or replacement
- Pump, float, and switch inspection and cleaning
- Tank, port, seal, and piping checks
- Pump, float, and control repair
- Service records for the property file
Your options
Routine service, a repair, or a new system?
An aerobic system needs more upkeep than a conventional tank. What the visit covers depends on what the system is doing.
A component failed
An alarm, a stopped pump, or a float that no longer switches can be traced to one part. The failed pump, float, or control is repaired once it is confirmed as the cause.
The system needs replacing
In Maricopa County a new alternative system must be designed by an Arizona-registered professional engineer and permitted by the county. We take new installations case by case.
Around the Valley
What Arizona's rule asks of an aerobic system
A.A.C. R18-9-E315 defines an aerobic system as a treatment unit that mechanically introduces oxygen to wastewater, typically clarifies it after aeration, and conveys the treated wastewater to the disposal works. The permittee follows the operation and maintenance tasks in R18-9-A313(B) and makes sure filters are cleaned and replaced as necessary.
Planning the work
What affects the price
- How many tanks and chambers need pumping
- Whether lids and access ports are buried
- Which parts need cleaning or replacing, such as filters, floats, and pumps
- Whether the manufacturer's operation and maintenance manual is available
- Truck and hose access to the system
What makes an aerobic system different
Maricopa County calls any septic system other than a tank that sends effluent by gravity to trenches, beds, chambers, or pits an alternative system. Its list of typical alternatives includes aerobic systems, sand-lined trenches, intermittent sand filters, mounds, peat and textile filters, pressure distribution, and subsurface drip irrigation.
The EPA describes aerobic treatment units as using many of the same processes as a municipal sewage plant on a smaller scale: oxygen is injected into the treatment tank to increase bacterial activity, and some units add a final treatment tank with disinfection. Arizona's aerobic system rule lets an applicant use one when soil or site conditions are not adequate for a standard septic tank and disposal works, when wastewater with a high organic content needs more treatment, or when highly treated wastewater or nitrogen removal is needed. The EPA adds that regular maintenance should be expected for the life of an ATU.
Aerobic septic maintenance tasks
Arizona rule R18-9-A313(B) lists the operation and maintenance tasks for systems built under the state's general permits, as each applies to the system. For an aerobic unit, they include:
- Pump accumulated residues and inspect and clean the treatment and distribution components.
- Clean, backwash, or replace effluent filters according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Inspect and clean the effluent baffle screen and the pump tank.
- Clean the dosing tank effluent screen, pump switches, and floats.
- Inspect and clean pump inlets and controls.
- Inspect tanks, liners, ports, seals, and piping for watertightness.
- Take corrective measures if unusual ponding, dryness, noise, odor, or settling is observed.
Keep the manual and the maintenance agreement
Maricopa County's maintenance guidance says additional treatment components come with an Operation and Maintenance Agreement that should have been established and followed, and that maintenance records belong with the permit and the as-built plan and pass to the next owner. Arizona's aerobic system rule has the applicant submit the manufacturer's warranty and its operation and maintenance recommendations for a 20-year operational life with the permit application.
Share the manual, the agreement, and past service records when you book. They tell us the manufacturer's schedule and what each visit should cover.
What happens next
A straightforward service process
- 1
We collect the system type, the manufacturer's manual, the permit, and service records you have.
- 2
Tanks, access ports, and equipment are located.
- 3
The system is pumped, cleaned, inspected, or repaired as the visit calls for.
- 4
You receive findings and the next maintenance step.
Common questions
Before you schedule
Do you service aerobic septic systems?
Yes. We pump, inspect, clean, and repair aerobic treatment units and other alternative systems. Tell us the manufacturer and model if you know them, since the manufacturer's operation and maintenance instructions shape what each visit includes.
Do you install aerobic treatment units?
New installations, including aerobic and other alternative systems, are taken case by case. Our focus is service. In Maricopa County an alternative system must be designed and sealed by an Arizona-registered professional engineer and goes through the county's permit process; tell us about the property and project and we will say whether we can take it on.
How often should an aerobic system be serviced?
Follow the schedule in the system's operation and maintenance manual. The EPA recommends that alternative systems with electrical float switches, pumps, or mechanical components be inspected more often than conventional systems, generally once a year.
Is an advanced treatment unit the same as an aerobic treatment unit?
Not always. Arizona's rule calls an aerobic unit an aerobic system, and the EPA calls it an aerobic treatment unit (ATU). Maricopa County lists aerobic systems among several kinds of alternative systems, so tell us the make and model and we will confirm what you have.
Does an aerobic system need an inspection when the home is sold?
Yes. Arizona's transfer inspection rule covers alternative systems as well as conventional ones. We perform the transfer inspection and prepare the report; our transfer inspection guide covers the rest of the process.
Sources
- Ariz. Admin. Code R18-9-E315, General Permit: Aerobic System (Cornell LII)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R18-9-A313, Facility Installation, Operation, and Maintenance (Cornell LII)
- Maricopa County: Onsite Wastewater (Septic) Systems FAQs
- Maricopa County Environmental Services: Operation and Maintenance Recommendations for an Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility
- U.S. EPA SepticSmart: Types of Septic Systems
- U.S. EPA SepticSmart: How to Care for Your Septic System
Related services
Related services and guides
Get help
Request aerobic and alternative system service
Tell us what is happening and our team will be in touch.