dispose of. Excessive use of cleaning products, excessive food preparation,
home canning or other food processing, using a lot of oils, soaps, toilet paper,
etc. all can have a negative impact on your system. Keep them to a minimum or
find alternative disposal methods.
Septic Tank Additives and Chemicals
You’ve gotten the phone call. Some telemarketer is on the line trying to sell you a
‘miracle in a can’ which will prevent you from ever having to pump your septic
tank again, rejuvenate your drainfield, etc. The proper response is
“no thanks”.
Septic tank additives have been shown to have no positive effect on your system.
Some may even be harmful, interfering with your system’s proper functioning,
and contaminating groundwater.
Water Softeners and Hot Tubs
Water softeners are the subject of debate over causes of septic system failure.
These devices generally add sodium to the system and also elevate the amount
of water sent into the system. At this time, there is no conclusive evidence that
water softeners harm your system, although the jury is still out. The safest
alternative is to NOT dump backwash into your system. Since this is not sewage,
the softener can be plumbed to discharge to an outside footing or other drain.
The same goes for hot tubs – Drain them in the yard and not in your septic
system!
Pop Quiz – Do You Know Where Your System Is?
Locating your system
There are many reasons to know where your septic system is. The most
important ones are to
protection
and
monitor
ing. You want to protect it from
damaging activities such as ditching and parking. And you (or your hired
professionals) want to monitor it to ensure it is functioning properly.
In order to do either one of these things, it is first necessary to know where your
system is located. The system design and system as-built can help you find
major components. If you don’t have these documents, call Mason County Public
Health. They can perform a search for your records and mail you a copy of what
they have on file. You can also try contacting the system designer and installer to
see if they have records.
Once you locate your system’s access points, mark them if necessary. Make
note of their locations on the system ‘as-built’ drawing, and keep them free and
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