In modern day life, we take certain things for granted. For example, when we flush the toilet or run things down the drain, we expect not to have to deal with that waste again. Out of sight out of mind.
But anyone who’s had a sewer or septic system problem, will tell you that they have a renewed appreciation for when the system works. ‘Cause when it fails, it stinks!
In almost all of unincorporated Grays Harbor County as well as some patches within cities, homes have septic systems instead of city sewer hook ups.
Today with the help of Jim Tobey, a county environmental health specialist, we want to talk about how you can keep your experience with septic systems as sweet as possible.
Jim and two other county employees spend the lion’s share of their time dealing with septic system issues. If you or your neighbor has a problem, question or concern about a septic system, the Environmental Health Department is the one to call at 249-4413.
Unless you’re in a current septic crisis, your septic system is probably not the most important thing on your mind. However, if you are planning to buy a house, build a house or add on to a house that’s on septic, these systems will take on a whole new importance. You will likely end up talking to Jim Tobey’s office.
How does a septic system work?
A typical septic system starts with a watertight septic tank made of concrete or sometimes fiberglass or polyethylene. (Jim said that all the steel tanks in Grays Harbor have pretty much rusted out by now.)
For a typical three-bedroom home, it’s usually a 1,000-gallon or more tank, about 8 feet long, 5 or 6 feet wide and 5 or 6 feet tall.
In addition to the tank, the septic system includes lines of pipe that disperse the effluent into the drain field. For a typical three-bedroom house, about 270 lineal feet laid in a three-foot wide trench are needed.
Most new septic systems have two compartments.
The wastewater from the toilets, sinks, bathroom, dishwasher and washing machine, flow into the first compartment. Once inside, the water is "clarified" simply by holding it long enough to allow the solids to settle out (sludge), be reduced by bacterial action or float to the surface (scum). The clarified water is pushed along to the next compartment to undergo the same process again. Then it goes into the drain field for filtration through soils.
"For every gallon that goes into the system a gallon comes out the other end," Jim explained.
The sludge that accumulates in the bottom of the tank as well as the lighter materials that form the layer of scum, periodically need to be pumped out.
Jim said it depends on the individual system how often it should be pumped.
"The standard recommendation is every 3 to 5 years. But some don’t make it a year and others have gone 20 years without needing to be pumped."
He said the pumping frequency is pretty much dictated by lifestyle and what sorts of things go into the system.
"A septic system is alive, you should treat is as such – treating your system as a living organism can help you avoid costly replacement."
Nowadays a new septic system costs from $5,000 to $20,000, Jim said.
What can I do to avoid problems?
Many things can disrupt your septic system. Get in the habit of paying attention to what you send out of your house as waste.
In the bathroom – toilet paper and body waste are the only things that should be going down the toilet. Dental floss, tampons, cotton swabs, paper towels and other bathroom items can clog or damage your system.
Cigarette butts often find their way down toilets. Jim knows because he’s seen them clogging up septic systems over and over again.
In the tub and at the sink – Avoid oily soaps and body products. Your system can handle a small percentage, but if every member of your family slathered themselves in suntan oil every day, the scum level in your septic tank would grow quickly.
In the kitchen – As convenient as it is, a garbage disposal should not be used in a house with a septic system. The disposal takes a lot of water to move the scraps down the drain and many of the grindings will end up having to be pumped out of the tank. So, compost your food waste or throw it in the garbage can.
It’s also important to be vigilant about not allowing greases and oils down the drains. Running hot water after them doesn’t fix the problem. Plus, grease-dissolving drain cleaners can harm your septic system and could also cause groundwater contamination if not trapped in the septic tank.
So instead, use paper towels to wipe up grease or put it in metal cans to be thrown out with the garbage.
In the laundry room – Try to avoid having one laundry day where you do six or seven loads. Instead, it’s much better for your septic system to do a load or two a day. Remember that water pushes through your septic tank every time water enters it. And time is needed to hold wastewater to allow it to separate into scum, sludge and clarified water. If you wash load after load, you don’t allow your system to hold the water long enough for the system to work.
Make sure not to use more soap than the manufacturer suggest. (In addition, some experts in the field say that liquid soap tends to be better for your system than powder.)
Lastly, make sure to always use the load size selector. Use only the amount of water needed to clean the clothing.
The utility room – It’s a handy place to clean out solvents and paint brushes, but that’s not at all good for your septic system.
Do not allow solvents and oil-based paints entrance into your septic system. Minimize latex paint brush and roller cleanup waste. Take any excess paints, stains or solvents to the Hazardous Waste Facility at the Central Transfer Station rather than dump them into your septic system.
Next week we’ll continue our discussion on septic systems and how to know if yours needs some attention.
Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at Aberdeen Neighborhood Housing Services, a non-profit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing for all residents of Grays Harbor County. Do you have questions about home repair, remodeling or becoming a homeowner? Call us at 533-7828, write us at P.O. Box 407, or visit us at 710 E. Market St. in Aberdeen.
