Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Microstation sewage treatment plant cost to run?
A plant such as the Matrix costs about �50 - �60 per annum for a 6-12 person system
Our house is a holiday home, what happens if I turn the tank off whilst we are not in France?
With a Matrix, you can turn the electricity off and the bacteria will take about 1 week to die. Similarly when you return it'll take about 1 week to create new bacteria in the Microstation. However, as mentioned above the annual cost is quite low so it may be worth considering keeping the tank running during periods when the property is not occupied. Other brands have different recommendations - if your house is a holiday home you should discuss that with us.
What happens if there is a power cut?
Most systems will happily go for 2-3 days and usually over 1 week before all the bacteria are die. So as long as there isn't a long term issue with the power supply then there shouldn't be a problem.
How long would it take for a tank to be fully operational with bacteria?
With all tanks, there is a build up period whilst the bacteria grow. Once the tank is operational it takes approximately 1 week for it to work at full capacity and for all the bacteria to be present
Do SPANC have to agree to all installations?
It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain all of the necessary approvals. We can arrange the application to your local SPANC if this is a service you require.
Why don't more people choose a Microstation sewage treatment plant over a traditional septic tank?
We ask ourselves that all the time! Sometimes it is that customers and in particular their installers are unfamiliar with the systems - the ease of installation reduces the installers profit! There is still the belief that sewage treatment plants are costly and expensive to run - in the long run most Microstations are usually cheaper to install and run than the standard septic tank.
How clean is the grey water that exits the Matrix Microstation?
The grey water out of the Matrix has a BOD of 96.2% - that's 2.6% above the EU recommendation. We're proud to distribute such an efficient sewage treatment plant, to see the Matrix certificate please go to the Technical & Certificate and Download page. For other brands, please see the manufacturer's website links provided
How do you install the tank?
All tanks are easy to install - Matrix Microstation for example has a flat bottom. with the Matrix, the tank should be positioned on a concrete base and then backfilled with a lean concrete mix. For full installation details can be found in the Download section on this site.
When does the tank have to be emptied?
All systems have different desludge intervals, set by the manufacture. These usually depends on how much use the system gets - for a full family using the system in a main residence, then the most should be emptied annually. If the system is used infrequently, in a holiday home for example, then every 3 -4 years maybe sufficent.
Should I put extra bacteria inducing sachets into the tank on a regular basis?
There is much debate about this - we think it is usually a good idea to maintain the tank and ensure that there are enough bacteria. If you have an underloaded tank, this can also help enhance the quality of the effluent by boosting the natural bacteria present. We can provide a suitable product, which is based on natural seaweed on request. Similar products are available in French supermarkets.