Why Proper Ventilation Matters for Sewage Treatment Systems
One of the most common causes of complaints about sewage treatment plants isn’t poor treatment performance — it’s poor ventilation.
Even the most advanced system can suffer from odours and pressure issues if air isn’t allowed to move freely through the drainage network.
For MATRIX sewage treatment systems, correct ventilation is not optional — it’s essential to achieving clean, odour-free operation.
What Is Ventilation in a Sewage Treatment System?
Ventilation allows gases produced during wastewater treatment — such as methane — to safely disperse into the atmosphere.
In a correctly designed system, air should:
move freely through pipework and chambers
exit at a high-level, open-ended vent stack
This continuous airflow prevents pressure build-up and stops gases from escaping where they shouldn’t.
Why Poor Ventilation Causes Smells
When ventilation is inadequate, gases have nowhere to go, which leads to:
pressure build-up inside the system
gases escaping through lids, inspection covers, or manholes
persistent odours around the treatment plant
Low-level vents, ridge tile vents, or air admittance valves do not provide continuous airflow and often make the problem worse.
The Correct Ventilation Setup for MATRIX Systems
To ensure MATRIX systems operate as designed, ventilation must include:
✅ A high-level, open-ended soil vent stack
Terminated above eaves or ridge height
Left open to atmosphere
Never fitted with air admittance valves
🚫 What to avoid
Low-level vent pipes
Ridge tile vents
Internal AAVs used as the only vent
Capped or restricted vent pipes
These alternatives restrict airflow and trap gases within the system.
How Proper Ventilation Protects Performance
Correct ventilation doesn’t just prevent smells — it actively improves system operation by:
maintaining stable biological treatment conditions
reducing corrosion risk from trapped gases
lowering the chance of call-backs and complaints
With the right venting in place, MATRIX systems operate cleanly, quietly, and odour-free.
A Small Detail That Makes a Big Difference
Ventilation is often treated as an afterthought during installation, yet it has one of the biggest impacts on customer satisfaction.
By installing a high-level, open-ended soil vent stack, you allow the MATRIX system to do what it was designed to do — treat wastewater efficiently without nuisance or odour.
Final Thoughts
If a sewage treatment plant smells, it’s rarely the plant itself.
More often, it’s the ventilation.
Get the venting right — and your MATRIX system will perform exactly as intended
Learn more about our Matrix Sewage Treatment System by visiting our Matrix page or contact us via email on info@celnviro.co.uk or call us on 01952 676666.