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Operation and Maintenance of Septic Systems: Protect Your Investment

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Please turn off or silence your cell phone Thanks!

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Operation and Maintenance of Septic Systems: Protect Your Investment Doug Malchow Extension Educator On-Site Sewage Treatment Program 507-280-5575 [email_address] http://septic.umn.edu (no www in front) Click on “Homeowner Information”

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Operation and Maintenance of Septic Systems: Protect Your Investment <ul><li>http://septic.umn.edu </li></ul><ul><li>Sara Christopherson </li></ul><ul><li>Onsite Sewage Treatment Program </li></ul><ul><li>612-625-7243 </li></ul><ul><li>[email_address] </li></ul>Doug Malchow Extension Educator OnSite Sewage Treatment Program 507-280-5575 [email_address]

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<ul><li>Professional Training – Designers, Inspectors, Pumpers, Installers </li></ul><ul><li>Research and Demonstration </li></ul><ul><li>Homeowner Operation & Maintenance </li></ul><ul><li>Small Community Wastewater Solutions </li></ul>

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Septic System Owner’s Guide

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Why Are We Here? <ul><li>To learn how a septic system works </li></ul><ul><li>To potentially save </li></ul><ul><li>you money by </li></ul><ul><li>following some </li></ul><ul><li>simple practices </li></ul>

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Definitions <ul><li>Pathogens: Disease-causing organisms, such as viruses, protozoa, and bacteria. Often measured as fecal coliform bacteria </li></ul><ul><li>Aerobic: Life that requires the presence of oxygen </li></ul><ul><li>Anaerobic: Life that does not require the presence of oxygen </li></ul><ul><li>Retention time: the amount of time sewage spends in the septic tank </li></ul>

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WHAT IS SEWAGE? Used water

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What do we add to the water? <ul><li>Pathogens </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Virus, Bacteria (Human health; fecal coliform bacteria) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Nutrients </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Phosphorus (Environment; weed & algal growth) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Nitrogen (Blue Baby Syndrome, environment) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Micro-nutrients (Human health and the environment) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Solids – </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Organic (Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Inorganics </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Chemicals </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Cleaners </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Water treatment </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Medications </li></ul></ul>

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Anatomy of a Septic System <ul><li>Plumbing : wastewater collection </li></ul><ul><li>Septic tank : primary treatment </li></ul><ul><li>Soil treatment </li></ul><ul><li>system : </li></ul><ul><li>final treatment </li></ul><ul><li>and dispersal </li></ul>

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System type depends on the soil redoximorphic features

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<ul><li>Soil borings for characteristics, soil conditions </li></ul>What kind of system? What size? <ul><li>Perc test – how fast water moves through soil </li></ul><ul><li>Type of soil (sand, loam, clay) </li></ul><ul><li>Amount of water used, garbage disposal, bedrooms. </li></ul>

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System Components Source Tank Drainfield Treatment in Soil Saturated Zone or Confining Layer Well 3 feet

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Mound Drainfield Saturated Zone or Confining Layer Distribution Pipes Rock Topsoil Sand 2 feet

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Mound System Slightly more “advanced”: electricity required Source Septic Tank Soil Pump Tank

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Ground Surface Water table 36 in 36 in 36 in Trench At-grade Mound

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What Kind of System is Bad (failing)? <ul><li>Leaky Tanks </li></ul><ul><li>Surfacing to </li></ul><ul><li>Ground </li></ul><ul><li>Surfacing to water body </li></ul><ul><li>Inadequate vertical separation to saturated zone or confining layer </li></ul>

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Leaky Tanks

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A Failing System: An imminent health threat

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Surfacing Systems

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Inadequate Vertical Separation Source Tank Drainfield Treatment in Soil Saturated Zone Well 1 foot

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System Components Source Tank Drainfield Treatment in Soil Saturated Zone Well 3 feet

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WHAT IS SEWAGE? Used water

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Where are pathogens treated ? <ul><li>Tank? Soil? How do they die? </li></ul>

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Pathogens - captured by the soil Soil is Sticky Electrical charges

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Aerobic Soil bacteria snacks! Held long enough to starve!

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Treatment Performance of Soil: Fecal Coliform Removal Source: Onsite Sewage Treatment Program Manual 0 0 - 100 1,000 to 1 million 1 million to 100 million Fecal Coliform (colonies/100ml; less than ½ cup) Three Feet of Soil Treatment One Foot of Soil Treatment Septic Tank Effluent Raw Sewage Component of Sewage

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Nutrients <ul><li>Where are they an issue? </li></ul><ul><li>Phosphorus </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Surface water </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Nitrogen </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Surface & </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Drinking water </li></ul></ul>

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Where are nutrients treated? Tank? Soil? What happens to them?

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Where are nutrients treated? <ul><li>Phosphorus </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Soil: </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Attach to soil particles </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><li>Nitrogen </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Soil: </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Lost to air </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Dilution </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Used by plants </li></ul></ul></ul>

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Where are solids treated? Organics and Inorganics Tank? Soil? What happens to them?

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Septic Tank: Primary Treatment <ul><li>Job of tank: catch the solids </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Decompose organic solids </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Store inorganic solids </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Components : </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Water tight tank, inlet, inlet baffle, inspection pipes, manhole, outlet baffle, outlet pipe </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Typical temp in tank: 60 ° </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Layers in tank </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Scum layer: floating soap, grease, toilet paper, etc </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Liquid layer: water, liquid, and suspended solids </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Sludge: heavy organic and inorganic materials in the bottom of the tank </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Anaerobic bacteria breakdown organic solids </li></ul>

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Where are chemicals, cleaners, & medications treated? <ul><li>2 issues: </li></ul><ul><li>Not many are destroyed in tank or soil treatment </li></ul><ul><li>Can destroy good tank and soil bacteria </li></ul>

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Typical water use <ul><li>150 gallons per day per bedroom </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Assumes 2 people per bedroom </li></ul></ul><ul><li>50-80 gallons/person/day </li></ul>

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Common Causes of Problems <ul><li>Wrong choice of system design </li></ul><ul><li>Overloading the System </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Water </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Organics </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Lack of maintenance </li></ul><ul><li>Excessive chemicals </li></ul>

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Home Management tips: small changes equals big impacts <ul><li>Tank pumping </li></ul><ul><li>Other water using </li></ul><ul><li>devices </li></ul><ul><li>Bathrooms </li></ul><ul><li>Kitchen </li></ul><ul><li>Laundry </li></ul><ul><li>Soil treatment system </li></ul><ul><li>Freezing </li></ul><ul><li>Landscaping </li></ul>

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Where does it come from? <ul><li>Water use: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Bathroom = 60% </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Toilet = 40% </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Bathing = 20% </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Laundry = 20% </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Kitchen = 20% </li></ul></ul>

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Septic Tank Pumping

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Tank Pumping <ul><li>Removes accumulated sludge and scum layers </li></ul><ul><li>Done by licensed and bonded professional only </li></ul><ul><li>Only allow cleaning from manholes. Never from inspection pipes </li></ul>

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Tank Pumping (Cont.) <ul><li>Remove all scum sludge and liquid from the tank </li></ul><ul><li>Flushing and backflushing liquids is required </li></ul><ul><li>Check baffles </li></ul>

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How Often? <ul><li>As needed – scum or sludge build up </li></ul><ul><li>Impacted by water & product use </li></ul><ul><li>Rule of Thumb </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Every 1 to 3 years </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>No longer than 3 years without pumping or inspection – state code requirement </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Seasonal home/cabin – same as above! </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>New home or remodel: 1 st 3 months – finishing materials are toxic </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>New owners – </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>start on maintenance program </li></ul></ul>

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Additives: Not needed!! <ul><li>Starters - Bacteria are abundant in existing wastewater </li></ul><ul><li>Feeders – Wastewater contains a lot of food for bacteria </li></ul><ul><li>Cleaners - State regulations actually BAN the use of these products in systems!!! </li></ul><ul><li>Never add these products to your system! They can actually damage your soil treatment system. </li></ul>

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Screens and filters? <ul><li>Effluent screens on tanks: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Prevents suspended solids from leaving the tank </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Requires maintenance </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Washing machine lint filters: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>prevent lint from entering system </li></ul></ul>

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Black or Gray the problems are the Same

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All wastewater must be treated

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Water softener <ul><li>Doesn’t require treating </li></ul><ul><li>Impact : </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Adds water </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Reduces scum layer- grabs it, takes into drainfield </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Salt – can affect concrete (tank) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Management – </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Discharge to different place old drainfield/cesspool </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Reduce recharge frequency </li></ul></ul>

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Doug’s Softener Recharge Solution <ul><li>Flex Tube </li></ul><ul><li>Grass </li></ul><ul><li>Soil </li></ul><ul><li>Landscape Fabric </li></ul><ul><li>River rock </li></ul>

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Other Sources of Water That Can Overload a System (and don’t need treatment) <ul><li>Sump pump/tile line discharge </li></ul><ul><li>Lead or other water filters </li></ul><ul><li>Dehumidifier discharge </li></ul><ul><li>High efficiency furnace discharge </li></ul><ul><li>Eves trough runoff </li></ul><ul><li>Dripping faucets/”running toilets” </li></ul><ul><li>Any other sources? </li></ul>

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Toilet <ul><li>Low flow – High quality </li></ul><ul><li>Toilet paper – use 2 ply </li></ul><ul><li>No other products </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Tissue, napkins, butts </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>(cigarettes), hair, cotton balls </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Leaking problems </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Gaskets & “running” </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Cleaners </li></ul><ul><ul><li>NOT Automatic – Tidy Bowl man </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Small amount with “elbow grease” </li></ul></ul>

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Bathing <ul><li>Leaks </li></ul><ul><li>Low flow </li></ul><ul><li>Cleaners </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Shower-clean type hard on system – introduce cleaners everyday. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Anti-bacterial soaps </li></ul><ul><li>Shaving, bath oils hard on system </li></ul>

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Schedule laundry <ul><li>Spread out loads – </li></ul><ul><ul><li>throughout day </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>throughout week </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>think “even” </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Use low water level setting for small loads </li></ul><ul><li>Keep lint out of system </li></ul>

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Soap <ul><li>Powdered – NO! </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Inorganic fillers </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Fine particles </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Clay as filler </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Recommend Liquid </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Filler - water </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Only amount needed </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Detergents w/ bleach </li></ul><ul><li>Bleach – limit to ‘as needed’ </li></ul>

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Odors <ul><li>Outside : </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Pump tank– solves most </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Still? Raise vent stack </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Charcoal filter on stack </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Inside : </li></ul><ul><ul><li>May be frozen vent or dry trap </li></ul></ul>

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Continual traffic is a problem

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Soil Treatment System Maintenance <ul><li>Compaction is BAD </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Don’t drive/park on system </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Vegetative cover - Grass, mow regularly, no fertilizer, no deep root plants near system. Watch for gophers! </li></ul><ul><li>Inspection pipes can be cut to ground level after finished grade is established </li></ul>

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Freezing of Septic Systems <ul><li>Causes of Freezing – </li></ul><ul><li>lack of cover, </li></ul><ul><li>compaction, </li></ul><ul><li>irregular system use, </li></ul><ul><li>leaking plumbing, </li></ul><ul><li>cold air into system, </li></ul><ul><li>poor drainage </li></ul>

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Freezing of Septic Systems <ul><li>Remedy – figure out why and where; fix the problem (or use tank as a holding tank) </li></ul><ul><li>Prevention – </li></ul><ul><li>Let your grass grow, </li></ul><ul><li>mulch (or styrofoam), </li></ul><ul><li>use extra warm water, </li></ul><ul><li>fix leaks </li></ul>

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Questions? http://septic. umn.edu (no www in front)