The Do's & Dont's of Septic Systems

Here are some basic Do’s and Don’ts for your septic system. Practicing these guidelines will allow your on-site wastewater system to stay in good working condition for a long long time. A well-maintained septic system can run for decades. An abused or neglected system can malfunction or fail tomorrow, costing lots of stress and money.

DO'S

1. Do retain the services of a certified Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner (ROWP) to conduct regular maintenance on your septic system - minimum once per year.
2. Do have your septic treatment plant pumped out regularly.
3. Do spread automatic washer use over the week rather than many loads in one day.
4. Do keep good records of where key parts of your system are located for future maintenance, such as treatment plant pump-outs and / or field repairs.
5. Do keep records of pump outs and other maintenance work.
6. Do use water conserving devices where possible. Low flush toilets and shower heads are commonly available.
7. Do have manually cleaned lint traps on your automatic washer.
8. Do check any pumps, siphons, or other moving parts of your system regularly.
9. Do remove or prevent trees with large root systems growing near the disposal field.
10. Do maintain a healthy grass cover over the disposal field to use some of the water and to prevent erosion.
11. Do keep surface water from upslope or from roof drains away from the disposal field.
12. Do check your interceptor drain regularly to ensure that it is free flowing.
13. Do compost your kitchen waste. A garbage grinder (garborator) should ONLY be installed if the septic treatment plant is over-sized and the treatment plant pumped out often.
14. Do check for faulty or running toilets on a regular basis (this is very common & harms septic systems)

DONT'S

1. Don’t overload the system with high volumes of water. Faulty/ running toilets are a common issue.
2. Don’t connect basement sump pumps to the on-site system.
3. Don’t connect backwash from water treatment devices directly to the on-site system without professional advice.
4. Don’t allow large amounts of fats, chemicals, or solvents to enter the system. 
5. Don’t allow any plastics to enter the system.
6. Don’t rely on septic treatment plant additives. Although beneficial for bacterial growth, it will not eliminate the need for regular septic treatment plant pumping.
7. Don’t enter a septic treatment plant or tank without certification. Sewer gases & confined space entry can be fatal.
8. Don’t allow vehicles or heavy equipment to drive over or park on the disposal field. 
9. Don’t plant anything over the disposal field except GRASS. 
10. Don’t cover the treatment plant or field with asphalt or concrete or other impermeable material.
11. Don’t put in a separate pipe to carry wash waters to a side ditch or woods. These ‘greywaters’ also contain disease carrying organisms.
12. Don’t wait for signs of failure. Check the system regularly. Once per year at minimum. 

DO NOT flush the following:

• coffee grounds - dental floss - paints
• disposable diapers - kitty litter - varnishes
• sanitary napkins - tampons - waste oils
• cigarette butts - condoms - poisons
• fats, grease and oils - paper towels - thinners
• disinfectants - pesticides
• photographic chemicals - other chemical wastes