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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Are you connected to a septic system?

Septic systems are an important household Wastewater Treatment option for homeowners in British Columbia when municipal sewer systems aren't available.

It is crucial for homeowners on a septic system to know where all the system components are located and how the system treats wastewater before discharging to the environment. With regular maintenance and monitoring of the system being equally important.

How does your septic system work?

All water from your sinks, toilets and laundry is classified as wastewater. This wastewater travels through a pipe from your home into your septic tank. The two chamber septic tank is designed to hold the solid waste within the first chamber, giving the solids a chance to break down into liquids. The liquids will then rise from the first chamber into the pump chamber, which will then pump out all fluids into either a gravity or pressure septic field.

The break down of solids is done naturally; however, adding enzymes will ensure proper drainage and treatment before the solids are pumped out into the septic field.

Once the wastewater is pumped into the septic field, the soil will remove any remaining harmful particles with natural filtration and microorganisms in the ground.

How does the soil treat wastewater?

The soil will filter out any particles that make wastewater appear cloudy and organic matter is removed as it is a food source for microorganisms living in the soil. Disease-causing bacteria is filtered out by the soil as well and once trapped, the bacterial will either die in the hostile environment or become a source of food for the microorganisms.

Septic System Maintenance:
Neglect of your septic systems can cause it to fail and lead to:

  • Serious health threats to your family, neighbors and pets
  • Polluted ditches, streams, lakes, ocean or groundwater
  • Very expensive and difficult repairs

Signs of a failing septic system:

  • Sewage surfacing over the dispersal systems (after a heavy rainfall)
  • Soggy or wet ground over the dispersal area
  • Gurgling sounds in the plumbing
  • Water backing up at the lowest point in the household
  • Sewage odors around the property

Common causes of septic system failures are:

  • Pump &/or float switch fails
  • Overloading the system with solids or chemicals
  • Excess use (more than average) of showers, toilet flushes, or loads of laundry

Click HERE to see the 9 things you should NEVER flush down your toilet!

Easy care for your septic system

The easiest care for your septic system is as simple as GO GREEN. By using all green products, i.e., laundry detergent, toilet paper, shampoo, soaps, etc. it can elongate your septic system lifespan.

If you aren't using green products, the next solution for easy care is Pro-Pump! As some cleaning products can be extremely harmful to your septic system, pro-pump is a green product that is non-toxic, non-pathogenic and safe to people, animals and plants.

Pro-pump uses bio-remediation technology which involves a selection of microorganisms, nutrients and micro-nutrients to speed up the process and reduce the organic matter. This process has been used extensively to resolve industrial related pollution problems in soil, ground water and contained waters. With that being said, bio-remediation performs exceptionally in the recovery of heavily fouled soil, drain fields & filter beds.

The Pro-Pump line comes with a variety of products for different septic tank needs. Click this link to view Pro-Pump line

Have more questions regarding septic systems? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions on Septic Systems & Beneficial Bacteria