Septic systems treat and disperse relatively small volumes of wastewater from individual and small numbers of homes and commercial buildings. Septic system regulation is usually a state and local responsibility. The EPA provides information to homeowners and assistance to state and local governments to improve the management of septic systems to prevent failures that could harm human health and water quality.
Information for Homeowners: If your septic tank failed, or you know someone whose did, you are not alone. As a homeowner, you are responsible for maintaining your septic system. Proper septic system maintenance will help keep your system from failing and will help maintain your investment in your home. Failing septic systems can contaminate the ground water that you and your neighbors drink and can pollute nearby rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Ten simple steps you can take to keep your septic system working properly:
A typical septic system has four main components: a pipe from the home, a septic tank, a drainfield, and the soil. Microbes in the soil digest and remove most contaminants from wastewater before it eventually reaches groundwater. The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out (forming sludge), and oil and grease to float to the surface (as scum). It also allows partial decomposition of the solid materials. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the septic tank prevent the sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the drainfield area. Screens are also recommended to keep solids from entering the drainfield. The wastewater exits the septic tank and is discharged into the drainfield for further treatment by the soil. Micro-organisms in the soil provide final treatment by removing harmful bacteria, viruses and nutrients. Your septic system is your responsibility! Did you know that, as a homeowner, you’re responsible for maintaining your septic system? Did you know that maintaining your septic system protects your investment in your home? Did you know that you should periodically inspect your system and pump out your septic tank? If properly designed, constructed and maintained, your septic system can provide long-term, effective treatment of household wastewater. If your septic system isn’t maintained, you might need to replace it, costing you thousands of dollars. A malfunctioning system can contaminate groundwater that might be a source of drinking water. And if you sell your home, your septic system must be in good working order. Pump frequently... You should have your septic system inspected at least every three years by a professional, and have your tank pumped as necessary (generally every three to five years). Use water efficiently... Average indoor water use in the typical single-family home is almost 70 gallons per person per day. Dripping faucets can waste about 2,000 gallons of water each year. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons each day. The more water a household conserves, the less water enters the septic system. Flush responsibly... Dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, and other kitchen and bathroom waste can clog and potentially damage septic system components. Flushing household chemicals, gasoline, oil, pesticides, anti-freeze and paint can stress or destroy the biological treatment taking place in the system, as well as contaminate surface waters and groundwater. How do I maintain my septic system?
A key reason to maintain your septic system is to save money! Failing septic systems are expensive to repair or replace, and poor maintenance is often the culprit. Having your septic system inspected (at least every three years) is a bargain when you consider the cost of replacing the entire system. Your system will need pumping every three to five years, depending on how many people live in the house and the size of the system. An unusable septic system or one in disrepair will lower your property’s value and could pose a legal liability. Other good reasons for safe treatment of sewage include preventing the spread of infection and disease, and protecting water resources. Typical pollutants in household wastewater are nitrogen phosphorus, and disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Nitrogen and phosphorus are aquatic plant nutrients that can cause unsightly algae blooms. Excessive nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water can cause pregnancy complications, as well as methemoglobinemia (also known as "blue baby syndrome") in infancy. Pathogens can cause communicable diseases through direct or indirect body contact, or ingestion of contaminated water or shellfish. If a septic system is working properly, it will effectively remove most of these pollutants.
24 Comments
5/10/2017 11:49:40 pm
Periodically pumping your septic tank and having it inspected is excellent advice. If you keep it in good condition, it could help it last longer and prevent unwanted problems. In order to get it done properly, you'd probably want to find a company that specializes in residential septic tank inspections so they'll know how to work with your system.
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7/25/2017 10:54:59 am
Thank you for the tips on keeping a septic tank in top condition, and how to maintain it. I found it interesting when you said that it's important to have the septic tank inspected and pumped every three years to check for any problems that may arise in the interior. By having a regular schedule to septic tank inspections, any problems that may arise can be caught early and be dealt with before it becomes an expensive disaster.
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8/10/2017 09:28:12 am
It's interesting how you recommended having your septic tank inspected at least every three years. There's a lot of sense in making sure that things are working well and that there aren't any cracks of blockages that could end up causing a flood. It would be pretty important to do the same thing if you had a well nearby because it could also lead to a flood in your basement.
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I had no idea that you should not flush dental floss in your septic tank. It is important to remember that taking the time to understand this can help you find the best way to keep your tank in proper working order. We are planning on moving to a house that has a septic tank and we wanted to know how to properly care for it, so I'm glad I found your post.
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I'm glad that you talked about how you should pump frequently when you have a septic tank, and I think that's something that my wife and I should look into. I think that finding some professional septic tank services come to our house would be good, as you also mentioned that we should have someone inspect things for us every three years. I'm going to have to see if we can find some professional septic tank services, and get them out to our home to check on our tank for us! Thanks for the help!
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10/26/2017 09:15:31 pm
Great job pointing out what not to flush down the toilet. I personally am guilty of throwing floss in just because I didn't think it made any difference. I can see how doing it for months at a time though can cause a build up.
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10/30/2017 03:28:30 pm
Thanks for all the great ideas on how to better inspect your septic tank. My family and I just moved into a new home and we have no idea on how to know how full it really is. With that being said, I will make sure to keep in mind to clear it out every two to five years. Thanks again!
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12/6/2017 06:56:22 pm
I never took into account the fact that weight on your tank can cause a lot of damage. My dad is looking to hire septic tank services to get one installed in his backyard. I think I'll talk to him about making sure he keeps weight off of it.
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I like that you mentioned that you should have your septic system inspected at least every three years by a professional. My wife and I are moving into a home that has a septic system, and neither of us knows how to maintain or care for it yet. Having a professional come and inspect and and show us what we should be doing would be great.
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1/30/2018 12:05:19 pm
It's interesting how you said that the soil itself will help to get rid of contaminants from the wastewater. I guess it would be pretty important to ensure that you had the ability to get that wastewater where it needs to go in order to keep it working properly. Having someone come and inspect your septic sytem would be important to keeping things working well.
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2/22/2018 11:57:38 am
Thank you for the tips on keeping a septic tank in top condition, and how to maintain it.
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3/16/2018 09:52:28 am
I really like how you said that a septic system must be taken care of locally. I think it's interesting how you said that they should be managed and cleaned regularly. My husband and I are looking into contractors to insect and clean our septic system when needed.
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3/23/2018 11:58:04 am
I just moved into a home with a septic system. I need all the tips I can get so I know how to properly maintain it and make sure it's working correctly. I'm glad I now know that I shouldn't cover it with any trees or shrubs because it could clog the drains.
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4/23/2018 01:14:01 pm
It's good to know that there are different components of a septic system and where there could be a failure point. I'll have to keep that point in mind with my septic system. Our septic system has been having issues so I'll have to see what the cause is and if I can't figure it out probably call up a professional that can help me point out the area of failure.
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7/27/2018 08:00:58 pm
I didn't realize that floss shouldn't be flushed down the toilet. I have gotten into a bad habit of throwing my floss down the toilet when I am getting ready for bed. Maybe it is time to get a septic inspection to make sure there isn't an issue.
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8/7/2018 02:43:28 am
My brother is having a problem with their septic tank. He told me that they need to use a lot of water before flushing it. I suggested that he should ask for a professional to look after it before the damage gets worst.
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8/8/2018 01:23:55 pm
Thanks for the great advice on doing septic system inspections. I appreciate your suggestion that homeowner should be responsible for their septic tank because backed up tanks can cause contamination to the groundwater and pollute the water for your home and your neighbors. This sounds awful and is a great reason to make sure your tank doesn't fail.
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8/31/2018 10:26:10 am
I really appreciate your tip to avoid letting your sump pump drain into your septic tank. My wife and I recently moved out into a very rural area. I will be sure to check out sump pump as soon as possible!
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It's good to know more about septic system inspections. I had no idea that we should have the tank looked at every three years or so. We just recently moved into a new home that has a septic system and tank, so this is great to know. It hasn't been three years yet, but it's close.
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9/11/2019 01:32:34 pm
I never knew that you should have your septic system inspected every 3 years! My husband and I were talking last week and we decided that we wanted to have one installed and we were wanting to know how to maintain one. Thank you for these tips about septic system inspections!
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1/27/2020 09:24:31 pm
Thank you so much for your advice to use less water by stopping leaks and to make sure that you do not put anything down the drain that could damage the bacteria. About a week ago, I was talking to my sister, and she mentioned that she is thinking of moving out to the countryside where they would need a septic system. I wonder if they should look for repair services they could trust fr when things need to be worked on on the septic system.
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2/4/2020 04:47:04 pm
My toilets at home are not flushing, and I've been thinking that maybe, the septic tank has something to do with this. I'll keep in mind to keep dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, and diapers out of the system. I hope this helps, but even if it does, I'd still look for a septic tank service that can run a thorough inspection of my tank.
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2/11/2020 04:35:06 pm
I'm glad that you talked about how you should pump frequently when you have a septic tank, and I think that's something that my wife and I should look into. I think that finding some professional septic tank services come to our house would be good, as you also mentioned that we should have someone inspect things for us every three years. I'm going to have to see if we can find some professional septic tank services and get them out to our home to check on our tank for us.
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