Several state environmental agencies and the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued recent warnings for homeowners to avoid burdening septic systems over the holidays. It turns out that the consequences of too much holiday cheer at house parties can extend out to the septic system.

The EPA reported that four in 10 households in the U.S. depend on a septic system to treat wastewater, but that “in far too many cases, these systems are installed and largely forgotten – until problems arise.’’ According to a story issued by Vermont environmental protection officials, 55 percent of that rural state’s residents rely on septic systems, the highest percentage in the U.S., just ahead of Hew Hampshire and Maine.

If you have an opportunity to talk to customers this week, remind them about the importance of caring for their septic systems and moderating water usage and toilet flushing as much as possible when their guests arrive for a New Year’s Eve party. Tell them their system was designed for a certain number of people in the house and that 100 revelers might overtax the septic tank.

You can offer a solution to handle the additional wastewater requirements of a large party, one that is especially smart in a warmer climate: Place a portable restroom on location to divert some of the flow. The modest fee customers will pay for a portable restroom is a wise investment when you consider the damage that can be done by overusing a septic system.

Tell customers to use their septic systems responsibly and they’ll enjoy New Year’s Eve free of a wastewater disaster!