First ever “Septic Smart Week” Sept. 23-27

During the first-ever SepticSmart Week, September 23-27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging homeowners to ensure their septic systems are functioning properly to protect public health and preserve valuable water resources.

More than 26 million homes, including hundreds here in Prince William County, depend on septic systems to treat their wastewater.

Failure to maintain and service a home’s septic system can lead to system back-ups and overflows.

This in turn can result in costly repairs, polluted local waterways and risks to public health and the environment.

Many septic system failures occur during the winter holiday season, so EPA is encouraging homeowners to get their septic systems inspected and serviced now before licensed inspectors’ schedules fill up around the holidays.

Homeowners can do their part by following these SepticSmart tips:

• Have the system inspected every three years by a licensed contractor and have the tank pumped when necessary, generally every three to five years.

• Avoid pouring fats, grease, and solids down the drain, which can clog a system’s pipes and drainfield.

• Ask guests to put only things in the drain or toilet that belong there. Coffee grounds, dental floss, disposable diapers and wipes, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts and cat litter can all clog and potentially damage septic systems.

• Be water efficient and spread out water use.

• Consider fixing plumbing leaks and installing faucet aerators and water-efficient products that bear the EPA WaterSense label.

• Spread out laundry and dishwasher loads throughout the day. Too much water at once can overload a system if it hasn’t been pumped recently.

• Remind guests not to park or drive on a system’s drainfield, where the vehicle’s weight could damage buried pipes or disrupt underground flow.

EPA’s SepticSmart program encourages proper septic system care and maintenance all year long, helping to educate homeowners about the need for periodic septic system maintenance and proper daily system use. In addition to helping educate homeowners, SepticSmart also serves as an online resource for industry practitioners, local governments, and community organizations, providing access to tools to help educate their clients and residents. 

More information on EPA’s SepticSmart Awareness Week: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/septic/septic-smart-week-2013.cfm .

More information on how to find WaterSense-labeled products locally is at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/products/index.html