DO learn the location of your septic tank and drain field. Keep a sketch of it handy with your maintenance record for service visits.

DO have your septic system inspected annually.

DO call a professional whenever you experience problems with your system, or if there are any signs of system failure.

DO keep a detailed record of repairs, pumping, inspections, permits issued, and other maintenance activities.

DO conserve water to avoid overloading the system. Be sure to repair any leaky faucets or toilets.

DO divert other sources of water, like roof drains, house footing drains, and sump pumps, away from the septic system. Excessive water keeps the soil in the drain field from naturally cleansing the wastewater.

DON’T allow anyone to drive or park over any part of the system.

DON’T plant anything over or near the drain field except grass. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs may clog and damage the drain lines.

DON’T dig in your drain field of build anything over it, and don’t cover the drain field with a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt. The area over the drain field should have only a grass cover. The grass will not only prevent erosion, but will help remove excess water.

DON’T make or allow repairs to your septic system without obtaining the required health department permit. Use professional licensed septic contractors when needed.

DON’T use your toilet as a trash can or poison your septic system and the groundwater by pouring harmful chemicals and cleaners down the drain. Harsh chemicals can kill the beneficial bacteria that treat your wastewater.

DON’T use a garbage disposal without checking with your local regulatory agency to make sure that your septic system can accommodate this additional waste.

DON’T allow backwash from home water softeners to enter the septic system

Waste water leaves the house and enters the septic tank.  The septic tank performs two functions.  First, it acts as a holding tank and allows the solids to settle-out.  The heavier solids sink to the bottom forming the sludge layer, the lighter solids, fats, oils, grease, etc., rise to the surface and form the scum layer.  The relatively clear layer in the middle is called effluent.  Second, naturally occurring anaerobic bacteria begin breaking down the solids in size and destroying the pathogens.

After the treatment process is started in the septic tank the effluent enters the soil treatment phase of the process (baffles prevent the larger floating solids from entering the drainfield).  The soil treatment system, more commonly called the drainfield, is comprised of distribution pipe laid in a trench partially filled with gravel and covered with topsoil.

As the effluent enters the drainfield it percolates through the gravel bed where a large portion of the pathogens are destroyed.  Pockets of oxygen created by the uneven shape of the gravel allow the more efficient aerobic bacteria to exist.  As the effluent exits the drainfield the natural soil completes the treatment process. By the time the effluent has traveled 2-3 feet through the soil all the remaining pathogens have been destroyed and water is drinking quality.  The cleaning process continues as the water migrates through the soil.

Phosphorus and nitrogen are utilized by the vegetative life covering the drainfield and chemically changed in the soil.  A large portion of the moisture is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation (evapotranspiration).

Contrary to what most people and community leaders believe, septic systems are one of the best choices for treating household wastewater, in most cases they are a better option financially and environmentally than a sewage treatment facility.  But as with anything they must be used correctly and properly maintained.

The mound is a drainfield that is raised above the natural soil surface in a specific sand fill material.  Within the sand fill is a gravel-filled bed with a network of small diameter pipes.  Septic tank effluent is pumped through the pipes in controlled doses to insure uniform distribution throughout the bed.  The effluent leaves the pipes under low pressure through small diameter holes, and trickles downward through the gravel and into the sand.  Treatment of the effluent occurs as it moves through the sand and into the natural soil.

Every new mound is required to have a designated replacement area.  This area is similar to the size of your existing mound.  It must be maintained should the existing system need an addition or repair.

 

Proper Care Includes:

1. Knowing where your system and replacement area are located and protecting them.  Before you plant a garden, construct a building, or install a pool, check the location of your system and replacement area.

 

2. Practing water conservation and balancing your water use throughout the week to keep from overloading the system.  The more wastewater you produce, the more the mound must treat and dispose.

 

3. Diverting water from surfaces such as roofs, driveways, or patios away from the mound and replacement area.  The entire mound is graded to provide for runoff.  Place structures, ditches, and driveways far enough away so that water movement from the mound is not disrupted.

 

4. Keeping traffic, such as vehicles, heavy equipment, or livestock off your mound and replacement area.  The pressure can compact the soil or damage pipes.

 

5. Landscaping your mound properly.  Do not place impermeable materials over your mound or replacement area.  Materials such as concrete or plastic reduce evaporation and the supply of oxygen to the soil needed for proper effluent treatment.  Grass is the best cover for the mound.

 

6. Inspecting the mound and downslope areas for odors, wet spots, or surfacing sewage periodically.  Check your system’s inspection pipes regularly to see if there is a liquid level continually over 6 inches.  This may be an early indication of a problem.  Call your local Health Agency for assistance.