Septic Tanks: Tips To Prevent Wastewater Management Problems
Posted on: 20 January 2018
Homes that are not connected to a municipal sewer system require an onsite wastewater system to deal with black water (waste from the toilet) and grey water (water that has been used for laundry, cleaning the dishes, or showering). In most cases, homes have a septic system that serve as an onsite wastewater system while also storing solid waste in a large tank underground. If you rely on a septic system to manage waste water and solid waste, use the following tips to prevent problems:
Avoid Introducing Chemicals to Your Septic System
One of the reasons that a septic system can be such a good waste management solution for a home is the fact that there are numerous bacteria that live within it and essentially eat away the waste. This bacteria break down solid waste and also remove a lot of the impurities from waste water so it can flow through the drain field without contaminating the soil. Always avoid pouring chemical drain cleaners, pesticides, poisons, household cleaners, bleach, or ammonia down the drain since these items can kill off the bacteria in your septic system.
Use Water Wisely
One of the worst things you can do is introduce large amounts of water to your septic system system in a short amount of time. When this happens, untreated wastewater that is still full of contaminants can be flushed out of the septic tank and into the drain field. If you rely on a septic system as an onsite wastewater system for your home, it is important to be mindful about conserving water to prevent untreated water from contaminating the soil around your drain field.
Don't Forget to Pump the Septic Tank
While bacteria can break down a majority of the solid waste in a septic tank, it can't take care of it all. Thus, septic tanks need to be pumped when the solid waste level gets too high. Do not let your septic tank overflow; this can cause solid waste to infiltrate the drain field and clog the surrounding soil pores. If this happens, the drain field will not be able to be repaired and you will need to have a new drain field installed in another area of your property.
Dispose of Grease and Cooking Oils Responsibly
Disposing of grease or cooking oils down the drain of a kitchen sink is a very unwise idea. When grease or cooking oil is regularly poured down the drain, it can cause the scum layer in the septic tank to be larger than it should be, which can result in the inlet or outlet of the tank to be blocked. When this happens, waste water will not be able to flow into the tank, be treated by the bacteria, and then be flushed out through the drain field.
For more information, visit a site such as http://sullivanseptic.net.
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