On-Site Wastewater Septic Program

Use and Maintence of Your Septic System

  • Make sure commodes and faucets do not leak or drip. A commode with a bad flapper (shut off mechanism) will add over 300 gallons of water per day to a system that was designed to dispose of 240 gallons per day.
  • Do not wash a large number of loads of clothes in one day. Spread loads evenly throughout the week. Hydraulic overloading causes solids to be carried over into the drainfield.
  • Never pour grease (cooking) into a drain. Place hot grease in a tin can, etc., and allow to solidify, and then dispose of it in household garbage.
  • It is best not to install a dispose-all in your home if you have a septic tank system. If you have one and must use it, plan on pumping the solids out of your septic tank every two to three years.
  • Divert surface water from or around your septic tank and drainfield.
  • All gutter drains should be extended across septic tank and drainfield area.
  • Never drive, park or pave over your system, this compacts the soil, lowers efficiency and shortens the life of the system.
  • Never plant deep root vegetation over any part of the system (grass kept mowed is ideal). Keep large trees and shrubbery away from the system to allow sun and air movement to the area. This will allow a percentage of the effluent in the drainfield to be evaporated or transpired through the soil and vegetation.
  • Use cleaners with bacterial killers as little as possible (clorox, pine sol, ammonia, etc.), as these products destroy the bacteria action in your septic tank. These bacteria break down solids in your tank.
  • Do not flush liners of disposable diapers, plastic applicators from tampons, disposable hypodermic needles or anything that will not decompose in your septic tank system.
  • Products designed to increase bacterial action in the tank do help, but will not prevent failure if the system is abused in some way.
  • Have your septic tank solids pumped out every 3-5 years depending on usage, size of family, etc. This will prevent solids from entering the drainfield and clogging the soils, thus creating a failure.
  • Do not place large amounts of fill material over the system. This causes the system to become septic from lack of oxygen, clogging the soils in the drainfield, and thus lowers the efficiency and life of the system.
  • If there are areas over your drainfield where the soil has settled and water ponds during rain events, fill this area in a turtle back fashion to allow water to run off.
  • If you are building a new home or replacing old plumbing fixtures, consider low flow fixtures throughout the house to reduce water usage.
    • Do not place mulch, pine bark or other non-vegetative materials over drainfield, as these do not allow evaporation or transpiration and only trap water underneath. Insulate water pipes to eliminate the practice of running water to prevent water freezing. This unnecessary water (100’s of gallons) in a 24-hour period can cause drainfield overload and premature failure.

For more information concerning care of your septic system, visit the ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION & SEPTIC SYSTEM INFO WEBSITES