Convenience vs. Cost: Opening Your Own Treatment Facility

Septic pumpers encounter a variety of disposal issues. Sometimes treatment plants raise their rates, put limits on pumpers, or prohibit you from unloading certain types of waste. Distance can be another issue, and the extra time and transportation costs associated with hauling waste can add up quickly. Looking for an alternative to unloading septage at the local township’s treatment plant, Smith's Sanitary Septic Service invested $2.5 million in its own treatment facility. Located in Hanover, Pennsylvania, the facility is equipped with three underground tanks situated on a 340-acre corn and alfalfa farm where the waste is spread. A lease agreement with