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About
Septic Systems
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Water...we
can't live without it! We need water for drinking, bathing,
hygiene, cleaning and just as important, we need to get rid
of the waste water we produce. At AquaSource, we take your
water quality and waste water system very seriously. |
Click
BELOW for:
Click
ABOVE for the
SoilFacts Septic Systems
& Their Maintenance Guide
Click
HERE for the EPA Fact Sheet on Septic Tank Additives
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Did
you ever wonder what happens to the waste water from your
home?
Just
where does it go?
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If
you live within a city or large town, chances are your home
is connected to a municipal sewer and your wastewater is
piped to a main sewage plant. These facilities are challenged
with treating the sewage to a state that is suitable for
reintroduction back to the environment in most cases via
a stream, river or lake. Treatment plants process our waste
water and although they are not perfect, they do their best
to minimize dangerous microbes before sending the water
back to the hydrologic cycle.
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| Onsite
Waste Disposal Septic Systems
If you
live in the country or a more rural setting chances are
that you have your own little onsite waste water system.
These systems are typically referred to as a septic system.
Most septic systems are pretty basic and work by separating
the solids from the water in the anerobic "low oxygen"
environment of a septic tank. Microbes in the raw sewage
serve to breakdown some of the solids into a sludge. The
gray water effluent with it's high bacteria load is then
dispersed into the soil (leachfield)where it perks down
"hopefully" for some natural treatment by soil
bacteria before the water re-enters the aquifer or surfaces
elsewhere.
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Septic
systems can be an effective tool for getting rid of our water/sewage
waste under many circumstances. Septic systems often last
for decades if the soil conditions are adequate and the system
has been properly managed and maintained. Septic failures
do occur and can be the result of improper design, use or
maintenance, or in many instances the soils have been "bio-fouled"
plugged by slime forming septic bacteria and the septic effluent
no longer leaches into the ground. This can be more then just
an inconvenient and expensive problem, this could be a serious
health hazard! |
Onsite
Waste Treatment Systems
Unlike traditional septic systems that simply separate solids
and then send the poorly treated liquid to the ground, Onsite
Treatment Systems work much like a sewage treatment plant.
These Aerobic Treatment Units often referred to as ATU's utilize
hardy and efficient aerobic microbes to rapidly breakdown
sewage and destroy dangerous pathogens leaving a clear, virtually
odorless effluent for disposal in the ground.
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Because the treated water is cleaner, clearer and safer then
septic effluent, these systems may serve smaller or more environmentally
sensitive sites i.e.. lakeshore homes or lots with tighter
separation distances to ground or surface water. Often, a
subsurface disposal area "leachfield" can be reduced
as the aerobic microbes do not cause the slime forming bio-mat
and can actually consume an existing biomat in many instances
restoring the soils ability to percolate and dispose of waste
water. |
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Septic
System Maintenance
Caring
for your septic or onsite waste water system is very important
to its proper operation. There are a few Do's and Don'ts
that will help you manage your system for a longer, more
effective lifespan that is better for your environment and
your wallet!
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The
Do's
- DO
keep your septic tank pumped and cleaned every 2-3 years
- DO
keep surface run-off water away from your leaching area
- DO
minimize the use of toxic cleaning chemicals
- DO
repair plumbing drips and leaky toilets right away
- DO
consider installing an effluent filter in your septic
tank
- DO
have a qualified wastewater technician assess potential
problems
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The
Don'ts
- Do
NOT allow heavy machinery or vehicles on our leachfield
- Do
NOT rinse paint brushes or any chemicals down the
drain
- Do
NOT drain hot tubs into septic systems
- Do
NOT use chlorine based toilet tablets in tank
- Do
NOT allow unqualified personnel to work on your
waste system
- Do
NOT ignore plumbing leaks
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