SECRETS OF THE SEPTIC SYSTEM

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Make a conscious effort to reduce water usage. You'll be doing your part for conservation and at the same time extending the life of your septic system. Running too much water not only floods the absorption field, but it can force grease and solids into the lines, effectively clogging the pipes and the gravel around them. Water-saving plumbing fixtures don't cost much, and it's even less expensive to simply schedule showers, dishwashing and laundry chores over a broad period rather than bunching them up and loading the system.

Likewise, try to limit the use of your garbage disposal—or do away with it altogether. In some communities, a disposal counts as an extra bath because it requires water to operate. It also shreds food solids to a size just small enough to flow from the septic tank into the field, sometimes without being fully digested.

Probably the biggest harm to septic systems comes in the form of chemicals. Some—like petroleum distillates, pesticides and photo developers—have no business being there and should be disposed of separately. Others, such as household cleaners and bleaches, may seem harmless and probably are in small quantities. Nonetheless, bleach is a disinfectant, and many cleaners (notably bowl and tank products) contain acids and salts. Safe for plumbing? Sure. But all will kill bacteria in the septic system if used to excess.

Drain cleaners—and even some products said to clean septic tanks—are particularly risky if used regularly. Anything containing potassium or sodium hydroxide (lye) can affect the system's acidity/alkalinity (pH) balance and temporarily loosen and precipitate solids. The result is loss of bacteria and an accumulation of bulk at the tank inlet or in the drain field.

Brine from water softeners will alter clays in the soil, which will encourage clogging. Colored toilet paper is highly resistant to digestion (as are disposable diapers!), and coffee grounds or cat litter don't do the tank any favors either.

The question, then, seems to be what is good for the system? Pumping every three to five years can be considered preventive maintenance to keep the sludge level down and thwart solidification; for some households, that schedule is not frequent enough, while for others it may be overkill. The pumping contractor's on-site opinion is as good a gauge as any, and is certainly better than waiting for the obvious signs to show up: sluggish, gurgling drains, polluted backups in ground-floor bathtubs or rank "day-lighting" of effluent in the vicinity of the leach field.

Bacterial additives and liquid enzymes can do their pan, but they're often misunderstood. A bacterial treatment adds millions of bacteria—to a system populated in the many billions. Enzymes, on the other hand, are catalytic proteins produced by living bacteria; they alter the rate of digestion, not the amount that existing bacteria can consume. One additive that does neither of these things but may help the system nonetheless is plain baking soda; it tends to buffer the pH level to control short-term fluctuation.

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