Do not overload the system, this is the primary cause of premature system failures. Fix any leaking toilets, sinks, or bath/shower fixtures. Early morning and bedtime are peak water use times in the bathroom. Run dishwashers and washing machines at other times of the day.

You should not do all the family laundry in one day.

Do not install garbage disposals, dump coffee grounds, or pour fats and oils down the drain. These can increase the amount of solids in your tank, decreasing the time between pump-outs.

Put paper towels, tissues, cigarette butts, disposable diapers, tampons, condoms or other material in a trash can, not the toilet.

Do not flush wet wipes, even if they are labled as “flushable”. They are not, they do not break down in the tank.

Use normal amounts of detergents, bleaches, drain cleaners, household cleaners and other products. Do nut dump other chemicals into the system.

Do not flush or put down the drain any medications, especially antibiotics. These can lead to destroying the good bacteria needed to break down human waste.

Direct downspouts and runoff away from the septic field to avoid saturating the area with excess water.

Dense grass cover and other shallow rooted plants are beneficial over a drainfield. However, do not plant trees because large plant roots can clog or break the drainfield material.

Do not drive, park vehicles, or build sheds on the septic tank, drainfield. These activities can damage the drainfield material or tank, cause the header pipe or distribution box to settle allowing effluent to flow unevenly into the drainfield, and/or compact soils suffocating the leach field.

The septic tanks should be checked regularly and pumped when the sum of the scum and sludge levels are equal to, or greater, than 1/4 of the total liquid depth of the tank. The general rule of thumb is to pump the septic tank once every 2-4 years, depending on household size. If the tank gets too full, particles of scum or sludge will flush out of the tank, backing up into the house or clogging the drainfield.

Clean the effluent filter annually, if one is installed