Septic system facts and myths

[marnee]

What are the actual facts about properly maintaining a septic system and what are myths?

The two biggest I hear are:

Don't use a garbage disposal because it puts too much junk into the system vs
Garbage disposals are fine and can actually help the health of the system.

Septic systems don't need any extra bacteria added to them because they have enough already and adding more can make it worse vs Add extra bacteria to make sure everything is functioning properly.

What is true and what isn't (about these two and about other myths/facts too)?

[rideaway]

I work with the local county sanitarian. I'll ask her tomorrow and let you know her opinion...

[Dawgus]

We'll be at this place 10 years this May, and have had zero problems with our septic system. We had to have it checked and tested when we bought the house, and it passed just fine, even though it was installed in '62. We've only had it pumped twice since then, and still no problems. The company that did ours told us that those additives are a waste of money and that the sytems do just fine without them. He did tell me that some laundry detergents have harsh chemicals that can kill the active enzymes in the sytem and slow down the process.

Nearly everyone in my family, and everyone where I grew up has had septic forever, and generally have no problems other than the rare plugged or crushed outlet pipe. I don't know about disposals, neither of us has ever had one, and even if we did, any scraps go right in the compost.

It may be worth the time to just call a local company or two and ask questions.

[CatherineID]

Same here. We've been in this house 9.5 years. Finally pumped the 1500 gallon tank this month. No problems. Guy said we timed it just right (although they recommend every 2 to 3 years.) Three people live in this house which has 3 full bathrooms. However, one of those people is a small kid and the other adult isn't here much (he travels for work.)

We have a garbage disposal and I do use it. Don't put down meat or grease. I only use Dawn because it is a grease cutter. Grease will ruin the leach field. Egg shells aren't good for the septic system but that is okay because they go in the garden.

I don't use bleach much. If I need to use it, I spread it out so the system can recover or I dispose of the waste water in the yard. Bleach can be found in detergents and cleansers, so check the ingredient list.

Don't flush tampons, diaper liners or wet wipes. That is just asking for trouble. Since we also have a well, we're pretty careful about what goes into the septic - no funny chemicals, old medications, etc. I'm even reluctant to use heavy-duty toilet cleaners. We have a water softener which I think helps me to not have to use the really harsh stuff.

We have a basement (one bathroom down there as was the laundryroom) so the septic tank is at least 12 feet below ground with the leach field that deep, too. We don't have a sump pump. Don't need one.

At our house previous we were hooked up to the public sewer and water system. I got tired of it because the cockroaches and rats walked right up the pipes. Now that we have a septic and well we have a 'closed system' so that isn't an issue anymore. I love it.

[Catalpa]

Build it right, maintain it, and you will have years of trouble-free use of your septic system. Don't cut corners with the installation -ever - because from then on it will never function properly, and it will contaminate the groundwater.

1. NEVER use any additives. There's more than enough bacteria 'naturally deposited' into the tank to break down the solids. I've seen what happens with addititives; they partially break down the greases and fats into a grey jelly-like substance which clogs up the drainfield. Very ugly, expensive mess.

2. DO NOT use a garbage disposal. Feed the dog, the compost bin, and the chickens. A garbage disposal just adds too much and stresses the system.

3. DO NOT FLUSH EXTRAS. No tampon applicators, cigarette butts, etc.

4. PUMP THE TANK. Every three to five years if you have a large family; seven to ten if there's not much water use.

5. DO NOT PARK OR DRIVE ON THE SYSTEM. Or build a shed, or set up a pool, etc. The system has to breathe, and large vehicles can crush the pipes.

6. DO NOT ALLOW EXTRA WATER IN. Do not plumb the water softener discharge (very bad, that can allow contamination into the water supply) or the sump pump into the septic. Keep the downspouts aimed away from the system, and provide drainage so that rainwater will not build up over the system.

7. Refrain from excess use of antibacterial cleaners. They can cause an imbalance in the tank, and they also lead to antibiotic resistant bugs. Very nasty.

8. DO NOT flush old medications. It is an established fact that our groundwater supplies are becoming contaminated by drugs. In some parts of the country, there are no more boy frogs or boy fish in the streams, because waste water treatment plants do not remove estrogen from the waste stream before discharging to the environment. Drugs, potions, and lotions are not removed by the standard methods use to clean sewage and release the resultant water back into the environment.

An on-site septic will last for many years by following these rules; and with your own system, you're not vulnerable to back-ups from entire neighborhoods like folks on city sewers are.

[ChoochCharlie]

As a PSMA septic inspector, I have to ditto Catalpa's post. Well put.

[rideaway]

My sanitarian at work (well, she's not mine, but ;D) said the same as Catalpa basically...no additives, don't put extra stuff into it from garbage disposals, etc. Even said to be careful running a lot of blood down a sink?? like from butchering as that can cause problems...

Pump regularly ! Hee hee

[snake]

Build it right, maintain it, and you will have years of trouble-free use of your septic system. *Don't cut corners with the installation -ever - because from then on it will never function properly, and it will contaminate the groundwater.

1. *NEVER use any additives. *There's more than enough bacteria 'naturally deposited' into the tank to break down the solids. *I've seen what happens with addititives; they partially break down the greases and fats into a grey jelly-like substance which clogs up the drainfield. *Very ugly, expensive mess.

2. *DO NOT use a garbage disposal. *Feed the dog, the compost bin, and the chickens. *A garbage disposal just adds too much and stresses the system.

3. *DO NOT FLUSH EXTRAS. *No tampon applicators, cigarette butts, etc. *

4. *PUMP THE TANK. *Every three to five years if you have a large family; seven to ten if there's not much water use.

5. *DO NOT PARK OR DRIVE ON THE SYSTEM. *Or build a shed, or set up a pool, etc. *The system has to breathe, and large vehicles can crush the pipes.

6. *DO NOT ALLOW EXTRA WATER IN. *Do not plumb the water softener discharge (very bad, that can allow contamination into the water supply) or the sump pump into the septic. *Keep the downspouts aimed away from the system, and provide drainage so that rainwater will not build up over the system.

7. *Refrain from excess use of antibacterial cleaners. *They can cause an imbalance in the tank, and they also lead to antibiotic resistant bugs. *Very nasty.

8. DO NOT flush old medications. *It is an established fact that our groundwater supplies are becoming contaminated by drugs. *In some parts of the country, there are no more boy frogs or boy fish in the streams, because waste water treatment plants do not remove estrogen from the waste stream before discharging to the environment. *Drugs, potions, and lotions are not removed by the standard methods use to clean sewage and release the resultant water back into the environment.

An on-site septic will last for many years by following these rules; and with your own system, you're not vulnerable to back-ups from entire neighborhoods like folks on city sewers are.
Great post! Thanks for the reminder. Tough to remember "all the stuf, all of the time".

[12vman]

Keep trees or bushes from growing near or around the discharge line from the house to the septic. If there are any leaks, the roots will clog the line.

If you have this problem, Find a point where the waste leaves the house. (clean out) Take a few pieces of bare copper wire and insert them into the line so all of the water that leaves the house can flow over the copper. Attach them so they don't go down the line or catch anything. Roots don't like copper and they will avoid it like the plague. If you have copper plumbing, this helps also.

[Catalpa]

Good point, Don. Another option is a neat idea one guy came up with when installing a second septic tank for his system. (Large house, lots of kids, needed more holding capacity.) He placed a clean out on the outlet line between the tank and the drain field, and set it so the screw cap is just below the sod level in the yard. He can mow right over it, but it's easily accessible. Once a month he adds some copper sulfate solution through that clean out. That way it doesn't change the pH in the tank, and is more evenly distributed through the drain field. He has fairly sandy soil, and a lot of trees, and hasn't had any problems with roots since he started this regimen.

[DavidOH]

Good advice Catalpa.
Is there an on-line reference you could provide us with?

I was planning to use my septic field as a croquet course, or like a friend of mine a putting green. ;D

[Catalpa]

David, I'll see if I can find a link to a reputable site...everything I said was from experience.

A croquet course, a putting green, even a volleyball court is ok, so long as you know EXACTLY where the trenches are, and AVOID them when you sink the cup or the wickets or the net poles or whatever.

Is it wickets with croquet? I can never remember. ::) ;D