From septic tank to decentralised sanitation.

What happens where there is no sewer?

A rural home, a hotel, a gated community or a small community without a sewer connection: in South America this is not the exception. The Inter-American Development Bank estimates that 435 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean lack safely managed sanitation services, and it names rural areas as one of the biggest gaps.

The region has treatment plants, biological processes and experienced companies. But where the sewer does not reach, the solution is usually a septic tank or another individual system. In Argentina, according to the 2022 Census, around 15% of households drain only into a cesspit, with no prior treatment at all.

What happens after treatment?

Even where a plant treats the water, the job is not done once the water is clean. Where does it go? Is it discharged, infiltrated into the ground or reused? Does it need additional disinfection? What happens to the sludge, and who does the maintenance?

These questions determine which technology makes sense and which authorisation is needed. In most countries, even the regulations depend on where the treated water goes.

The price over the years

A sanitation solution cannot be judged by its installation price alone. Over 15 to 20 years, energy, additives, maintenance, emptying, and the transport and disposal of sludge all add up, for as long as the installation keeps running.

With a septic tank, the recurring cost is mainly the sludge: it builds up, is pumped out, transported and disposed of. A biological plant adds electricity for aeration, but produces less sludge.

What AQUATO does differently

AQUATO treats wastewater biologically, right where it is produced. Microorganisms break down the organic matter with oxygen from the aeration. The tank stops being a pit that receives wastewater and becomes the place where treatment happens. The incoming flow keeps the process going, and there is no need to top up the tank with water.

AQUATO needs no chemicals for biological treatment. The sludge is stabilised aerobically in the same process, so less of it is produced. With PUMP, STABI-KOM and ORKA, with a suitable tank and correct operation, emptying can be postponed for years. If the water is to be reused, there is a UV stage, also without chemicals.

AQUATO is not free of operating costs either: electricity, one maintenance visit a year and occasional checks are part of it. The aim is to keep interventions and costs to a minimum over its service life.

The project first, then the plant

That is why AQUATO does not start with a quote, but with questions: Where is the project? How many people will use the installation? Is there a sewer? What is the site like? And above all: what do you want to do with the treated water?

We gather what applies in your country, with sources, on one page per country. There is no single plant that is identical for every project. We study the project and look for the right solution.