Heller
Since we are fast approaching SepticSmart Week the third week in September, this article will cover some septic recommendations.
We tend to think of our sinks and disposals as a way for disposing of unwanted items. The “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy. But we need to protect our septic systems and wastewater treatment plants.
Some items that can go down the drain are: dishwater (after wiping off grease and large food bits), cleaning products and wastewater that comes from scrubbing off produce (do brush off dirt before you scrub).
That leaves us with what can’t go down the drain. Some things are pretty obvious.
If you want your septic system to have a long trouble-free life, you aren’t going to dump that last gallon of ugly paint that you never liked in the sink drain, or possibly throw out that container of used motor oil in the mop sink.
But there are other things that can affect the operation of your system that are more hidden. For example, you love a bath bomb in your bath every night that has some cute little sparkles. Well, the sparkles do not dissolve. They go into your septic system and could plug up filters or effluent fields.
Same for flower petals, or confetti from synthetic materials.
Don’t dump medications down the drain. Some medications are very effective at killing off the valuable little organisms that live in the septic tank and reduce the waste. Someone on chemotherapy also can affect the function of the septic tank when chemicals pass through their body.
Fats, oils and greases (FOG) that go down the drain can solidify and become a coating on the inside of pipes.
An extreme example of fats coagulating occurred in London when there was a “fatberg” in the London sewers discovered that weighed a massive 130 tons and was composed of sanitary products and cooking fat.
Those handy little wet wipes that claim to be septic safe or that supposedly breakdown in septic systems do not really do this. They degrade very slowly if at all. You will clog a system with these products if they are flushed into your system.
Some other tips for septic health:
Use a toilet paper that breaks down easily. Some toilet paper even has a plastic coating that is very soft and smooth but that will slow the breakdown of the paper.
Stagger the use of water-based appliances, such as your washing machine and dishwasher. Don’t run them at the same time. This puts a heavy load of water in your system very quickly.
Watch your water usage, use low-flow shower heads and water efficient commodes.
Divert rainwater away from your house with drains.
Lastly, have your system serviced one to three years by a professional for optimum performance and problem prevention
Like everything in life, care and maintenance keep things working longer and better. Be kind to your septic!
Jennifer Heller is the environmental health specialist for the Brown County Health Department. She is responsible for restaurant inspections, septic installation inspections, vector issues, farmer’s markets and home base vendor questions and complaints. She also chairs the Terrorism and All Hazards Preparedness Committee for the Indiana Environmental Health Association and will be the president-elect of that organization in 2022. She can be reached by at [email protected]
