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Have You Been Told You Need an ATU Septic System?

In certain Florida communities, a recent law mandates the use of a specific type of septic system when installing a new system and, in some cases, when replacing an older one.

Lakeland Septic would like to clear up any confusion about this law and tell you a little about “aerobic treatment units,” including how they differ from standard septic systems and why they’re so important.

ATU system installation in Plant City, FLHow it started

In a push to improve local water quality in certain areas of Florida, the state passed a House bill in 2023 that requires property owners near at-risk water supplies to install special nitrogen-reducing septic systems. This applies to new installations and some replacement systems on properties less than an acre in size.

How it works

Aerobic treatment units, or ATUs, function in most ways like your standard septic system. The key difference is that they have a component that sends large amounts of oxygen into the septic tank to increase the level of waste-eating bacteria.

Oxygen and bacteria have always been part of a septic tank’s operation: “good bacteria” in the tank help to break down solids and certain other nitrogen-based compounds that enter the tank through a home’s drainage system.

As efficient as this process is in a standard septic system, some nitrogen ends up in the local soil after the effluent leaves the drain field. This relatively low nitrogen level isn’t a problem in areas without serious water-quality issues.

But in Florida, areas where tested water doesn’t meet the state’s quality standards require further nitrogen reduction. An ATU system provides the solution by removing up to 75% of the nitrogen that would otherwise enter local groundwater.

What to do if you need an ATU system

If you live in a city or town within the blue-shaded area of the map shown here, you may be required to use an aerobic treatment unit when installing a new or replacement septic system.

Call Lakeland Septic so we can take a look at your property and confirm whether or not you need an ATU system based on state guidelines. If a nitrogen-reducing system is required, we install several top-of-the-line ATUs that can be customized to meet your specific needs.

Remember – you’ll use your ATU system the same way you would use a standard septic system. Some special maintenance will be required, but otherwise it’ll be just like any system you’ve ever used. The big difference is that now you’ll be sending far fewer contaminants into Florida’s water.

Installing septic and atu systems in Haines City & Lakeland, FLThe professional septic services you need

Along with installing specialized aerobic treatment units, Lakeland Septic provides a complete menu of licensed septic services in the greater Lakeland region of Central Florida:

Whatever your septic needs, we’re here for you with scheduled and emergency service year-round. Learn more by giving us a call or using our contact form.