What can I put in my septic tank?

This is a common question pumpers hear from homeowners. How do you answer? Here is my somewhat tongue-in-cheek answer: Do not put anything into the septic tank unless you have eaten it first! The one exception I will allow is toilet paper and then only a limited amount! This usually gets their attention and from there we can talk specifics. So what are some of the specifics you recommend? Here are a few of mine and I am sure you can easily add to the list.

The toilet is not another wastebasket.

In many households, the toilet is used as a handy wastebasket to flush away a number of items. This may work where homes are serviced by the “big pipe” but for onsite systems this can be disastrous. First, even with today’s low-flow toilets, additional water is added to the system with each flush. So the toilet should not be used to dispose of cigarette butts or other smoking materials. It should not be used to flush baby wipes, sanitary napkins or paper towels. Normal household use of cleaning products to keep the bowl clean are all right, but products that provide a constant flush of antibacterial cleaners should be avoided.

Space out laundry loads.

In the laundry, it’s advisable to use a water-conserving front-loading washing machine. Laundry should not be done all in one day, but spaced out during the week. Use liquid rather than powdered soaps. Some powdered soaps include fillers that are detrimental to the system. And use any kind of soap product sparingly because excessive soap will contribute to the floating scum in the septic tank.

Avoid the garbage disposal.

In the kitchen, there are several reasons to avoid using a garbage disposal. First, the solids have not been partially digested, so they take longer to break down in the tank. The solids are often very fine after having been ground up in the disposal, so they do not settle well in the tank and have a tendency to semi-float, clogging the effluent screen. The additional solids can lead to increased BOD to the drainfield, which cause an increase in the biomat. Use of the disposal adds more water to the system. Many brands of diposals call for running cold tap water for 5 minutes following the grinding of solids to make sure everything flows through the piping. All of these items add up to the need for additional septic tank maintenance. If homeowners are going to have a disposal, recommend they enter into a service agreement for regular pumping and cleaning.

Dispose of medicines properly.

The tank should not become a repository for unused medicines. Medications should be properly disposed of according to local and state rules. Some medicines can harm the bacterial action in the tank, resulting in problems with the drainfield. If a septic system user is taking heart medication or chemotherapy, recommend a service contract to have the tank cleaned regularly. Suggested time frame is every 6 months to be adjusted depending on how the contents of the tank look upon cleaning.

Say no to solvents.

Homeowners should not put paint or solvents down the drain because these can be harmful to the bacteria in the tank. Paint brushes should not be cleaned in the sink and excess paint disposed of in the system. Likewise, other materials such as gasoline or other petroleum products should not go down the drain.

Give new systems a fresh start.

If a house is new, I recommend pumping the tank soon after occupancy. This is to remove any items that may have been flushed or washed down the drain during the construction process. These could be drywall materials, paint residuals, solvents or cleaning materials. Recommend homeowners give the system a fresh start.

Education is key

Homeowner education materials are available to help your customers understand their septic system. The one I like to promote is the Homeowners Guide published through the University of Minnesota Extension Service. There is a charge for this publication, but it is very comprehensive and provides a worksheet for homeowners to determine when they should have their septic tank pumped. It can be purchased by clicking on the Homeowner Information tab on the Minnesota Onsite Sewage Program website, www.septic.umn.edu. There are free materials and brochures on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, www.epa.gov/owm/onsite, and the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association has a homeowner pamphlet available.