Frequently Asked Questions

No – even if your property doesn't slope enough to be completely passive, the pump we use is silent and will only turn on when the system collects approximately 300 litres of water to disperse, making it extremely energy efficient too!

Testing in the industry on vermaculture worm systems has found that after a nine-month period of the system not being used, the worms will go into a hibernation mode by laying eggs. When the system is used again, the miracle of nature happens – the eggs will hatch and the whole system will self-start again!

Not much changes for the worms! Even if your system is pumped, the tank has emergency storage space for 2,400 litres of treated water. On average, this would be enough for a 3-bedroom house sleeping 6 people for approximately 3 days. If your section is sloping enough for a passive system, it works entirely with gravity and no electric pump is needed.

Never! The worms recycle your waste so effectively that there is no requirement for costly pump-outs.

One of our customers’ favourite things about Wormsmart systems is how little maintenance they need. Related costs are therefore also very minimal. Visit our maintenance page for full details.

By working with nature to clean your wastewater to a high quality, Wormsmart systems actually improve their surrounding area. The nutrient-rich water and worm castings dispersed through your irrigation field act as rich natural fertilisers. Worm eggs are also discharged, with the worms keeping the soil aerated, the soakage fields can last indefinitely. One couldn’t ask for anything better than nature looking after itself!

The Wormsmart system has an incredibly large surface area, and since the medication is diluted with other wastewater, it is not a problem for the worms. In fact, recent research has found that worms can actually process toxic waste!

Yes, our systems performed extremely well during the rigorous industry tests known as the OSET trials. Wormsmart received an A rating and is now approved throughout New Zealand. After 20 years of development, installations, maintenance and ongoing research, we are so confident in Wormsmart's robustness and reliability that we offer a 15-year comprehensive warranty with every system.

Most councils will require a registered drainlayer to do the installation. We are happy to work with you and your drainlayer to make sure the system is installed correctly.

Yes, in most cases a council consent is required and we are happy to help with this whole process - from initial design schematics through to final sign-off.

We endeavour to leave an aesthetically pleasing finish on all installations. In most cases, tanks are buried underground, resulting in minimal visual impact. Each tank has a round access lid approximately 1.8m in diameter. These have a structural load of 550kg so can easily support a layer of mulch that blends with the natural environment.

Yes – the Wormsmart system loves garbage grinders! This is a very easy way to dispose of unwanted food scraps. Interestingly, we have noticed that the worm activity is very impressive in systems connected to insinkerators.

Standard household cleaners are fine for the Wormsmart system, however we do encourage eco-friendly products as any septic system would prefer, rather than harsh chemicals. It all helps to protect our environment for future generations.

OSET - On-Site Effluent Treatment. During the rigorous industry tests, Wormsmart received an A rating.