The Septic Tank Do’s
Conserve water to reduce the amount of wastewater that must be treated by your system. Doing laundry over several days will put less stress on your system.
Repair any leaky faucets or toilets. To detect toilet leaks, add several drops of food die to the toilet tank abd see if dye ends up in the bowl.
Divert down spouts and other surface water away from your tank & drainfield. Excessive water keeps the soil from adequately cleansing the wastewater.
Have your septic tank inspected and pumped regularly by a licensed septic tank contractor.* Suggested frequency is 3-5 years.
Keep your septic tank cover accessible for inspections and pumping. Install risers with lids if necessary.
Call your county health department or a registered septic tank contractor whenever you experience problems with or system, or if there are any signs of system failure.
Keep detailed records of repairs, pumpings, inspections, and other maintenance activities. Pass your records along to the next homeowner.
The Septic Tank Don’ts
Don’t drive over your tank & drainfield or compact the soil in any way.
Don’t dig around the tank or drainfield, or build anything over it, and don’t cover it with a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt.
Don’t plant anything near or over the drainfield except grass. Roots from nearby trees and shrubs may clog and damage drain lines.
Don’t use a garbage disposal, or at least limit its usage.Having a garbage disposal can increase the amount of solids going into your tank by about 50%. If you have a disposal plan on pumping your tank twice as often.
Don’t use your toilet as a trash can or posion your system and groundwater by pouring harmful chemicals and cleansers down the drain. Harsh chemicals can kill the bacteria that help purify your wastewater (Click Here for Examples).
Don’t put in a separate pipe to carry wash waters to a side ditch or the woods. This graywater contains germs that can spread disease. Use a laundry system.
Don’t waste water on septic tank additives. The bacteria needed to treat your septic tank is naturally present in sewage. Additives can resuspend solids causing your drainfield to clog. Additives do not eliminate the need for routine pumping of your tank.
Don’t allow backwash from home softeners to enter the septic tank.
Never enter a septic tank. Toxic gases from the tank can kill. If your system develops problems, get advice from your county health department, or get a licensed septic tank contractor.
