by Jim Caruk
How to prolong the life of your private sewage treatment plant
If you have a cottage or live in a rural area, chances are you use a septic system to deal with your sewage. But how well do you know how it works? And, more importantly, do you know how to prolong its life?
If you’re reading this over your lunch hour, you might want to set the article aside until later. Good to, ahem, go then?!?
SEPTIC TANK 101
A modern septic tank has two chambers, separated by a partition wall. The idea is that the solids will sink to the bottom of the first chamber to be partially digested by bacteria in the tank. The liquid continues its journey over the partition to the other side. After a second period of “settling,” the partially treated liquid eventually flows out of the tank into what’s known as the weeping tile bed where more bacteria complete the treatment process.
GOOD PRACTICES
The number one reason for septic system failures is too much water flowing into the system at once, flushing the solids out of the tank and clogging the weeping tile bed. Conserving water is always a good idea. But septic system owners, more than anyone, should invest in water-conserving kitchen and bathroom fixtures, such as dual-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets and showerheads. You should also look for water-conserving dishwashers, and front-loading, high-efficiency washing machines.
MODERATE WATER USAGE
On that note, septic owners should never have “laundry day.” Stagger the loads out over the course of the week. Similarly, if you can, try to avoid everyone in the house starting the day with a long shower.
You should also be careful about what gets flushed into the tank. It’s only designed to break down biodegradable items, so no flushing feminine hygiene products or other plastics.
GO NATURAL
Remember that the system relies on bacteria to break the sewage down. Unless you need them for medical reasons, you’re best to avoid using antibacterial soaps and cleaning products in a building on a septic system. Antibacterial products—and harsh chemical cleaners—can kill the bacteria in your tank, rendering it useless. Use vinegar, baking soda, and other natural cleaning products instead.
KEEP IT CLEAN
The leftover material at the bottom of the tank that’s not digested by bacteria, known by the aptly descriptive name of sludge, needs to be periodically pumped out. How often depends on the size of the tank and number of people using it, but every five years is a good ballpark number.
CAR & PLANT-FREE ZONE
You also need to properly maintain the septic bed. For one, do not drive vehicles across it. That will compact the soil and crush the weeping tiles. You also need to be very careful about what sort of vegetation you plant near the septic field. Deep-rooted plants will be drawn to the nutrient-rich liquid and their roots can clog the system.
FAIL OR FUNCTION SIGNS
There are a couple ways to tell if your system is failing. One is a tell-tale sewage odour emanating from the tank or septic field. Pooling water or bright green strips of grass above the bed also indicate something’s wrong. There is also a test you can do that involves flushing a dye pellet into the system and monitoring how quickly dye is released on the other side. A blue or orange plume along the shoreline a couple of hours after flushing the pellet tells you that you need to have your system inspected.
A septic system isn’t something to be feared. When operating properly, it’s an effective way to safely manage your household waste. But owning one is definitely a case where ignorance will lead to the exact opposite of bliss.