Your septic system is your responsibility!

Did You know...

That as a homeowner you’re responsible for maintaining your septic system?
That maintaining your septic system protects your investment in your home?
That you should periodically inspect and pump out your septic system?

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.

How Does it Work?

A typical septic system has four main components:

1. A Pipe From the House
2. A Septic Tank (Or More)
3. A Drainfield/Leachfield or Drywells
4. Soil

Microbes in the soil digest or remove most contaminants from wastewater before it eventually reaches groundwater. The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, or plastic. 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 sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the drainfield area. Filters 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. 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. Think of this service the same as having the oil & filter changed in your car or cleaning the ash from a wood burning fireplace. The septic tank functions as a filter for separating the liquids from the solids. Having your septic system inspected and pumped every 3 years is a bargain when you consider the cost of replacing the entire 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 (A.K.A. Blue Baby syndrome) in infancy. Pathogens can cause communicable disease 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.