Maintenance of the On-Lot Sewage System

1. Maintenance of the On-Lot Sewage System To insure that an on-lot system will function properly, it is important that the homeowner have regular maintenance performed to the system.

2. What does the Septic Tank Do? The septic tank is designed to remove solids from the wastewater by holding the materials in the tank for at least 24 hours. This provides time for the solids to settle and the scum and grease to rise to the top. Up to 50% of the solids retained in the tank decompose, with the remainder accumulating in the bottom of the tank.

3. As the sludge level increases, more solids escape into the bottom absorption area. If sludge accumulates too long, no settling of the solids will occur, and the solids will be able to directly enter the absorption area. These solids will clog the distribution lines and cause serious and expensive problems for the homeowner.

4. To prevent this, the tank must be pumped out. The frequency of pumping depends on several factors: • The capacity of septic tanks • The amount of wastewater generated • The volume of the solids in the wastewater The more people per household, the more frequently the tanks will have to be pumped. In addition, the use of a garbage disposal will require more frequent pumping of the tank.

5. Pumping the Septic Tank When you have septic tanks pumped, you should hire a local septage contractor who is licensed. (You may ask to see their up-to-date license) These pumpers are aware of proper maintenance procedures and should be equipped to provide you with adequate service.

6. There are several things the contractor should be expected to do. First, he should locate the manhole access cover of each tank. This may mean digging in your yard if the manhole cover is not at grade. (If this is the case, you should consider having risers put on the manhole of the tanks to provide easier access for future maintenance visits)

7. The contractor should never pump sewage from the small inspection port. Regulations require that the tanks be pumped out through the center manhole. Forcing the hose through the smaller opening will probably damage the baffles in your tank, causing serious and possibly expensive problems in the future, not only to the tank, but to the absorption area.

8. To extract all the materials from the tank, the scum and grease layer must be broken up and the sludge later stirred up into the liquid portion of the tank. All the material in the tank should be removed, not just the liquid. The contractor will normally backflush the materials into the specific tank to mix them thoroughly and then re-pump. After the tank is empty, the baffles and walls should be checked for cracks and leaks.

9. Chemical or bacterial additives are not necessary for the proper functioning of your sewage system. Nor are these a substitute for proper pumping of the septic tanks.

10. Aerobic Tank Maintenance The mechanical portion of the aerobic tank requires routine maintenance and supervised operation. The aerobic tank must be pumped out to remove the accumulated solids.

11. In addition, All mechanical parts, electrical controls and alarms must be checked periodically by someone who is familiar with the proper installation of these parts. The homeowners must continually check to see that the motor for the aeration device is running properly. If it is not, the tank will not function as it was designed. Instead of an aerobic environment for the breakdown of sewage, an anaerobicenvironment will be created.

12. Dosing Chamber Maintenance A dosing chamber equipped with either an electrical pump or siphon, stores up effluent from the septic tank and periodically discharges it, under pressure, into the absorption area. Dosing chambers are used with all elevated sand mounds, in systems where the absorption area is at a higher elevation than the septic or aerobic tank, and in other situations where pressurized distribution is desired. The manhole access port of a dosing chamber is always at, or slightly above grade.

13. Proper Maintenance of a Dosing Chamber Includes: • Periodically removing solids that accumulate on the floor of the chamber. (this can be done at the same time the septic tank is pumped); • Checking for proper operation of the electrical pump, controls, and alarms; • Cleaning the vent tube in siphon dosing chambers, if the effluent level doesn’t fluctuate properly; • Checking for leaks and cracks that may develop in the chamber walls, bottom, or access cover.

14. Absorption Area Maintenance The absorption area (trenches, seepage bed, elevated sand mounds, etc.) requires very little in the way of maintenance as long as the effluent being discharged to it is nearly free of solids. Solids entering the absorption area can cause considerable damage to the system by clogging the openings in the pipes or by forming an impermeable sludge layer over the stones. To ensure that solids do not enter the absorption area, it is essential that the treatment tanks are properly pumped and maintained.

15. To further insure that the absorption area continues to function properly, the following actions are suggested: • Prevent heavy vehicles from entering the area in which the on-site system is located to avoid breakage of pipes in the distribution system and the compaction of the soil; • Do not plant trees and shrubs in the area of the on-site system to avoid damage from root penetration; • Do not use drain cleaners or other additives containing chemicals that might destroy biological activity in the septic or aerobic tank; • Do not build any structures (including swimming pools) on or near the absorption area; • Check plumbing fixtures frequently for leaks that might add substantial amounts of water to the on-site system; • Direct rainwater away from absorption area to avoid placing an additional water burden to the system; • Do not regrade the area in such a manner that rain water runoff pools over the absorption area.