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Maintenance of Onsite Septic Systems

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Marty in Sewage Treatment Systems

How does the maintenance of onsite septic systems

affect source water protection?

By Zane Satterfield, PE

NESC Engineering Scientist

This article is from Small Flows Magazine, Fall/Winter 2008, Vol. 9, No.2

remember, if you have any questions about this article or any septic tank or wastewater treatment questions, just write and ask me.

With all the attention being given to the gasoline stations, farming operations, city

sewage treatment plants, storage tanks, and old 55-gallon drums with who knows what in them, we’ve lost sight of onsite septic systems.  Currently, onsite septic system maintenance is an afterthought—if it’s thought about at all.  That’s why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants system owners to be aware of the

existing and possible pollution problem that a poorly maintained onsite system can, and does, cause.

Why don’t we just construct centralized sewer systems for everyone?  Simply, we cannot afford it.  It costs too much to install centralized systems for everyone or

even the majority of the people.  And the reasons are many.  For example, the distance to nearest sewage plant may be several miles and installing that much piping may blow an already tight budget.  Terrain or an otherwise rural landscape also may make central sewering difficult if not impossible.  Finally, there may not be enough homes in a particular area to justify the expense.  Onsite systems are here to stay, but how

do we keep them from polluting our source water?

First, it is important to note that a properly designed, installed, and maintained onsite

sewage system may treat sewage (including sewage with pharmaceuticals in it) better than a centralized system because of the detention time.  While it may be difficult to ensure a good design, it’s not impossible.  Second, we need to make sure that the designers and permit agencies know about all of the onsite alternatives available—especially that some types of systems will not work in certain areas.  A system’s design should be site specific.  It doesn’t have to take in all of the possible things that could go wrong, but it doesn’t hurt to build in some safety factors.  The designers need to be involved during the installation as well as the owners.  The installers can be educated about alternative designs, and what to look for during construction/

installation that might cause problems down the road, such as a drainage system that directs water away from the onsite system.   Also, the installer needs to coordinate with the designer, permit agency, and homeowner.  Remember, the homeowner holds the purse strings—they pay the bill, and they are the client.

Finally, there is the homeowner, the hardest in the group to educate, but not impossible.  What is the best way to educate homeowners?  Homeowner education is a never-ending  process and needs to be addressed at all levels from first-time homebuyers to new construction to older homes.  Start the education early when the

homeowner buys or builds a home.  The need for on-going maintenance really needs to be stressed.  Also water conservation in general can help the septic system. Low flow fixtures or WaterSense labeled fixtures throughout the house will save money and wear and tear on septic systems.

Don’t forget about educating that what goes down the drain can be a big contributor of septic system malfunctions.  For example, garbage disposals should be used as little as possible. Composting food scraps is a better way to deal with them, and they then can be reused in the garden.  Water softeners should be adjusted so that the backwash cycle occurs less often.  Also, septic system owners should be advised to only use septic safe cleaners and detergents.  And, as always, recommend that regular septic system maintenance such as having the tank pumped regularly. If the system has an effluent filter, advise that it be cleaned on a regular basis as well. If there is a

garage, the floor drains should go into a grease trap before the septic system or even a separate system if possible.  A great way to educate the homeowners is through the homeowner’s children.  This can be done in the schools using coloring books, cartoons, and activities.

What if the message still doesn’t get through, and septic systems are failing and

polluting the waters?  Enforcement should be carried out using existing rules and regulations.  The enforcement may be falling short because many county sanitarians

or sewage enforcement officers are overworked and underpaid, and do not have

the time.  If it looks like the existing rules are not catching all the problems, then new rules and regulations need to be adopted through the county or township level. Another approach might be a decentralized management system where the homeowner would pay a monthly sewage bill to a public service district to inspect

and maintain the onsite septic system.

References:

Jesperson, Kathy. Spring/Summer, 2008. “Save the

Source, Save Some Money,” Small Flows, Volume 9,

Number1. National Environmental Services Center:

Morgantown, WV.

Tags: home sewage treatment units, maintenance of septic tanks, onsite septic systems, sewage treatment