Solids need to periodically be pumped out of the system, depending on the number of people in your household, how much wastewater is generated, and how much solid materials is found in the wastewater.

To protect your wastewater treatment system and conserve drinking water at the same time, it is good to pay attention to excess water entering the system. Leaky faucets, toilets, and showerheads can waste many gallons of water every day. Run water-using appliances such as dishwashers and clothes washers toward the middle of the day rather than at peak water use times, which are the morning and evening, to avoid excessive water entering the system. In addition, runoff from roofs, driveways, and roads should be directed away from the drainfield to prevent the soil from becoming saturated and overload the system.

Certain items shouldn't be flushed down the drain or toilet and into the system, such as coffee grounds, disposable diapers, kitty litter, sanitary products, cigarette butts, bandages, fat or grease, chemicals, or pharamaceuticals. These items not only clog pipes, but they interrupt the natural biological treatment of the waste.

If maintained correctly, your wastewater treatment system can be beneficial and environmentally-friendly, but without regular maintenance, it has the potential to affect groundwater supplies and cause harm you and those around you. Having your wastewater treatment system regularly inspected and pumped can avoid unnecessary expenses, damage to your property, damage to neighbor’s properties, damage to the environment, and damage to the health of you, your family, and families around your property.