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
- Do retain the services of a certified Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner (ROWP) to conduct regular maintenance on your septic system - minimum once per year.
- Do have your septic treatment plant pumped out regularly.
- Do spread automatic washer use over the week rather than many loads in one day.
- 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.
- Do keep records of pump outs and other maintenance work.
- Do use water conserving devices where possible. Low flush toilets and shower heads are commonly available.
- Do have manually cleaned lint traps on your automatic washer.
- Do check any pumps, siphons, or other moving parts of your system regularly.
- Do remove or prevent trees with large root systems growing near the disposal field.
- Do maintain a healthy grass cover over the disposal field to use some of the water and to prevent erosion.
- Do keep surface water from upslope or from roof drains away from the disposal field.
- Do check your interceptor drain regularly to ensure that it is free flowing.
- 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.
- Do check for faulty or running toilets on a regular basis (this is very common & harms septic systems)
DONT'S
- Don’t overload the system with high volumes of water. Faulty/ running toilets are a common issue.
- Don’t connect basement sump pumps to the on-site system.
- Don’t connect backwash from water treatment devices directly to the on-site system without professional advice.
- Don’t allow large amounts of fats, chemicals, or solvents to enter the system.
- Don’t allow any plastics to enter the system.
- 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.
- Don’t enter a septic treatment plant or tank without certification. Sewer gases & confined space entry can be fatal.
- Don’t allow vehicles or heavy equipment to drive over or park on the disposal field.
- Don’t plant anything over the disposal field except GRASS.
- Don’t cover the treatment plant or field with asphalt or concrete or other impermeable material.
- Don’t put in a separate pipe to carry wash waters to a side ditch or woods. These ‘greywaters’ also contain disease carrying organisms.
- 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