There are over 500,000 of them in the metro area, although we aren’t really sure how to take care of them or even how they even work. But when they stop working, hold your nose and run for cover. Here is your official Septic Tank primer…

If your house isn’t on a city or county sewer system (if you aren’t currently paying a monthly sewer fee) then you are most likely the proud owner of a septic tank system.

That means that wastewater from your home flows into a septic tank buried in your yard.

Very few people have actually seen their septic system and even fewer probably know how it works, and what should be done to maintain the system.

Consider this Septic System 101.

The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete or fiberglass or polyethylene.

It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out (forming sludge) and oil and grease to float to the surface (scum). It also allows for the partial decomposition of the solid materials.

You will also have a drain field leading out from the tank. The drain-field consists of long perforated pipes or tiles connected to the septic tank. The network of pipes is laid in gravel-filled trenches or beds in the soil. Further treatment of wastewater forced out of the septic tank from the accumulation of sludge build up in the tank occurs in the soil beneath the drain-field.

Your septic tank should be pumped every 3 years. One more time – your septic system should be pumped every 3 years. That is the best thing you can do to promote septic health.

Where is it?

You can find your septic system clearly designated on your ‘as-built’ drawings for your house located at the county office. If you have no interest in going there, you can probably find your tank about 15 ft. or so out the back of your house.

Finding it, or at least knowing where it is, comes in handy when you call a septic company to the house to pump it out.

Often you will see a pipe coming out of the ground in your backyard for no apparent reason. That is most likely a pump out for your system. This makes the cleaning very simple as the waste company can hook directly up to it. If you don’t have one, have the company install one on their next visit. It will make things go much easier.

What does it do exactly?

As I stated earlier, all wastewater from your house flows into your septic system. It is at this point that bacteria and science takes over and begins the decomposition process. I won’t dwell much on this except to say how wonderful Mother Nature is to have a nice process for this

That means you shouldn’t try to help the process. In fact, the EPA strongly urges you NOT to flush things down in an effort to promote decomposition.

The sludge that is formed in the tank settles to the bottom. Other wastewater, now partially treated by Mother Nature begins to go through a drain field which is laid out in your yard on the other side of your tank.

The drain field furthers water treatment by moving the water back into and through the soil.

Got it?

Follow the bouncing ball – wastewater goes from your house into the septic tank where decomposition begins. The sludge sinks to the bottom and the liquid goes into the drain field and eventually into the soil.

How do I keep it working properly?

Here are some warning signs for possible impending septic doom:

- Slow flushing of toilets

- Sinks and bathtubs drain slowly

- You have surface water around your tank

- Unpleasant odors that won’t go away

- Sewage back-ups in your drains or toilets

The most important two things to remember here are 1 – flush only wastewater, human waste, and toilet paper into your system and 2 – have your septic system pumped and inspected every 3 years.

For more septic do's and don'ts, you can go to www.cleanwatercampaign.com.