May 18th, 2012

Liquid Waste Disposal: Why the Septic in 'Septic Tank' Has to Go

Every time you flush, all those "brown bombs" and "yellow cocktails" end up several feet below the ground in a place known as a septic tank. The septic tank is no more complex than a huge concrete or steel tank buried under your home, holding the water and accompanying waste matter that is flushed out of your toilets. It's the heart of your home's liquid waste disposal system.

Septic tanks must be periodically emptied and cleaned by suctioning out the wastewater along with the suspended waste material. Experts from the University of Minnesota suggest checking your septic tank every year or two years, depending on the volume of toilet usage. The university has an online questionnaire to help you determine how soon you should get your septic tank cleaned.

There's a good reason that all that waste has to be banished from the tank. If it continues to settle cozily in the tank, you're inevitably going to have a major sewage problem on your hands.

Return to sender

There's only one way the offensive substance should go – and that's down. Having it come back up the wrong way is a common problem in homes, indicating that the tank is full and can no longer contain additional wastewater. One of the worst things imaginable is having the wastewater back up on you when you're throwing a party and guests need to use your restroom. Septic waste may return to the toilet and sit there unpleasantly until the septic tank is cleaned.

Limited elbow room

According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the frequency of septic tank maintenance should be set according to the tank's capacity. A 2,300-liter septic tank used by a family of five needs to be serviced every two years. The frequency of your family's use of the house's toilets determines the required frequency of septic tank maintenance.

A septic outbreak

The fact that the septic tank is situated several feet underground does not guarantee that it can't hurt you. Without proper and regular liquid waste removal, your entire neighborhood could be exposed to contaminants that should be confined to the septic tank. Experts from the University of Kentucky warn that exposure to raw sewage can cause diarrhea, hepatitis, and other enteric diseases.

It's highly suggested that sewer maintenance via septic tank cleaning be done often to maintain the proper function of plumbing systems and avert diseases. As long as people need to do their business in the bathroom, septic tank maintenance will remain a necessity.