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Operating Your
Septic System.
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Septic systems that are properly designed,
installed, operated and maintained will provide effective sewage treatment
for many years. As homeowners with our own mini-treatment sewage plants,
we have a
responsibility to ensure that our systems
continue to adequately treat wastewater through proper use and maintenance.
A septic system that inadequately treats wastewater can potentially contaminate surface and ground water, resulting in health risks to both humans and animals. It can also allow excess nutrients to reach the lake, promoting algae and weed growth which can make lake use unpleasant and affect the quality of the water in fish and wildlife habitat areas.
Proper maintenance of a sewage treatment system includes the periodical cleaning (pumping) of the septic tank. If the floating scum and sludge that accumulates in the tank is not removed on a regular schedule, they can enter the soil treatment system (drainfield), causing expensive and most probably irreparable damage.
How often should the septic tank be pumped? The frequency will depend on the tank size, the use of the system, and its operating condition. In most cases, the tank will need to be cleaned every 18-30 months. In no case should the frequency be less than once every three years.
It is not only our responsibility as stewards of the environment to maintain our septic systems on a regular basis, but we are legally required to do so. Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7080, which provide minimum standards for individual sewage treatment systems, require that the owner of such a system check and/or pump the sewage tank at least once every three years. This inspection or cleaning must be performed by a licensed pumper. It is important to note that the rules do not differentiate between a system that serves a seasonal or a residential property.
How much does it cost to have the tank inspected or cleaned by a licensed pumper? The cost can range from $85 to $130 for a cleaning. The cost of just an inspection will be about the same. Budgeting for this item every one to three years can be much less expensive and certainly much easier to plan for than an unexpected bill of $2,000 to $10,000 to replace or repair the existing system!!
To determine how often your septic tank should be cleaned, refer to pages 13 and 14 of your copy of MANAGING YOUR SHORELAND: A Guide for Lakeshore Owners.
Here's More Information to Help
You
Keep your Septic System
in Good Working Order!
Facts:
| One pound of phosphorous, if not properly treated by your On-Site Septic System, will produce 100 to 500 pounds of Algea and/or plant life in your lake! |
| 25% to 60% of Nitrates are removed from waste water in the soil portion of your drain field. They total about 40 pounds per year in an average home system. |
| A properly designed and maintained On-Site Sewage Treatment System will do a better job treating waste water than a Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant! (U of M Extension Service 12-99) |
| The HEALTH ISSUE |
The "number one" purpose of an
"On-Site" Sewage Treatment System,
(Septic System), is to PROTECT
HUMAN HEALTH.
Your septic system also treats waste water so that it can be used again while at the same time protecting the environment. Don't think for a minute that last glass of water you enjoyed so much contained "VIRGIN WATER". It just ain't so! That water has been around the block a few times. Actually, many times.
Think back to your years in school and you may remember the "cycle of water".
Waste and waste water which enters your septic system contains:
| Haven't had your Old System checked or replaced? |
Nobody likes to give money away. Especially
when it goes into the ground and doesn't noticeably improve your property.
Right?
Correct. But there's more to this story.
If you have a system that was installed before
the 1980's, it could be failing to properly treat your household waste
water. That could be disastrous to you or your neighbors or your
lake. The only way to tell if your system is functioning correctly
is to have it tested and evaluated by a licensed inspector. The County
Planning and Zoning office has a list of inspectors available free for
the asking. It is extremely dangerous and also illegal to use a septic
system that has failed. A so-called "Sub-Standard" system might not
be "failing" in terms of treating waste and does not have to be replaced
until it fails to function properly. You have very little to lose
and much to gain by having your older system inspected to insure that it
is working properly (even if uncle Oscar tells you about how well them
ol' cesspools worked back in his day). Anyone who tells you
that a cistern or cesspool (or 55 gallon barrel) properly treats and safely
disposes of waste water is either ignorant of the facts or is not being
truthful with you. The county will work with you in your attempt
to upgrade and improve your septic system in the event that it needs repair
or replacement and there are low interest programs available to help with
the cost of a new system. Every day an old, failing system is allowed
to exist increases the chance of polluting the groundwater and makes the
cleanup more costly and difficult. YOU, as the homeowner, are responsible
for the cleanup should an old failing system be red tagged by the county
for replacement. It benefits everyone to clean up these old systems
as soon as they are identified.
| Causes of Failure |
The "number one" cause of Septic System failure is IMPROPER DESIGN OR THE INSTALLATION PROCESS ITSELF. If your septic system was designed to treat 200 gallons of waste water daily and you send 300 gallons of waste water into the same system, something has to give. It's usually the system that does and it may let you know that it is not happy about this, or, it may not. Eventually IT WILL let you know and in a very unpleasant and expensive way!
The "number two" cause (no pun intended) of Septic System failure is IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. Just like the vacuum you likely use every day to clean up around the house (and all you men know about these things), your septic tank occasionally needs to be emptied. Imagine how much crud there would be in the filter or vacuum bag if you vacuumed all your floors and steps and furniture (where the cat sleeps) everyday for 2, 3 or maybe even 4 years but only emptied the filter or bag once! It's the same with your septic tank. Like it or not, you really need to have it correctly cleaned and pumped out at least every two years under normal design conditions. If you need a reminder, just think of that vacuum bag you haven't emptied in four years. Who will volunteer to empty that bag after all that time and use? (Clue: If you are elected for this task, wear protective eyewear and insert ear plugs to muffle the explosive sound of that bag when you pry it loose from the vacuum). You can substitute your teenager's room for the vacuum in this section if it helps explain this cleaning theory more clearly.
The number three cause of Septic System
failure is DRAIN
FIELD FAILURE. How does a drain field
"fail"? It loses the ability to properly dispose of septic system
effluent. Effluent is the residual liquid part of sewage waste water
discharged from your septic tank after the sewage has been partially treated
within the septic tank. The bad stuff in the effluent is then treated
when it enters your drainfield. (If this doesn't make sense to you, the
effluent is one of the nasty things that can spoil your day when it comes
up out of the ground at the time your septic system overflows). Too
much water delivered to your septic tank and it's "Goodnight Irene".
Some of the solid material that is supposed to settle to the bottom or
float in the septic tank goes right down the drain. Only, this
drain dumps everything right into the drainfield-which can clog things
up and cause you big headaches later. A drainfield is a terrible
thing to waste, so keep it clean and pump that tank, use less water and
take care of your septic system.
| What Can I Do? |
Here are several easy ways to extend the useful
life of your drain field by reducing solids which need to be separated
from the sewage effluent before it is sent to the drain field: