If the sludge is going septic, what action should be taken?

When sludge is going septic, it indicates that anaerobic bacteria are thriving, leading to the breakdown of organic matter without sufficient oxygen. This condition can result in foul odors, decreased treatment efficiency, and the potential release of harmful gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide.

Increasing sludge pumping is the appropriate action in this scenario. By doing so, you can remove the septic sludge from the tank or treatment system, which helps to minimize the problems associated with septic conditions. This removal promotes the introduction of fresher, less stabilized sludge and allows for improved aeration and biological activity to return, which are critical for effective treatment processes.

In contrast, reducing pumping would retain the septic conditions, leaving the sludge in place to continue degrading anaerobically, which is undesirable. Simply doing nothing would also allow the problem to persist and potentially worsen. Changing the sludge type is typically not a practical solution when addressing septic conditions, as it does not directly resolve the underlying issues associated with the existing sludge.