Buying a house with a well and septic system.
If you are buying a rural property, you are likely going to have a septic system to treat your waste water. When functioning properly, the septic system treats the waste water to a safe level and returns the treated effluent to the ground water system. The septic system consists of a tank and a soil filter called a leaching bed or drain field.
The septic tank is buried and watertight and it accepts waste water from your house. Solid waste settles to the bottom of the tank to form a sludge layer, and oil and grease float to the top to form a scum layer. You should have your tank pumped out about every three to five years, or when the tank is filled about 1/3 of the way with solid waste.
Partially treated waste water from the septic tank flows into the leaching bed. This is a network of perforated plastic distribution pipes laid in gravel trenches over a layer of soil. The size and design of the bed is based on the volume of sewage generated, the absorptive capacity of the underlying soils and the depth to the high ground water table or limiting/restrictive layer. The leaching bed is a soil filter which uses natural processes to treat the waste water.
A biomat layer of bacteria does much of the treatment. Bacteria in the layer and surrounding soil consumes the organic matter and transforms ammonia nitrogen into the less toxic nitrate-nitrogen. This bacteria is sensitive and does a good job of treating the waste in your septic system so it makes sense to avoid poisoning these micro-organisms. Even small amounts of paints, solvents, thinners , nail polish remover and other common household compounds flushed or poured down the drain can kill the bacteria that break down the organic matter in the waste water. Household disinfectants can be used in moderation without affecting the operation of the septic system, however, overuse of these products can kill the micro-organisms. There are products promoted to clean or enhance, your system, but they are typically of little value and are not recommended.
Also avoid putting oils, grease, tampons, condoms, paper towels, facial tissues, cat box litter cigarette filter or kitchen wastes into the system. You don’t want to clog up your system as the repairs can be costly.
Try also, to control your water usage. Water moves out of your tank and into the leaching bed as fast as water flows into the tank. The more time that solid waste has to settle in the tank, the less likely that it will flow out into your leaching bed and clog up your system. Whenever possible, you should try to regulate the amount of water entering the septic system; for instance, laundry can be spread out over several days during the week.
Looking after your leaching bed is easy. Maintain a good cover of grass. Good ventilation and adequate sunlight should be maintained to promote evaporation. Do not drive vehicles or machinery of the bed, as weight could crush the distribution popes or compact the soil. In winter, avoid packing the snow down with a snowmobile as this reduces the natural insulating effect of the snow and increases your chance of freezing the pipes. Keep trees and shrubs away from your bed as their roots can wreak havoc on the pipes.
Repairs will have to be done eventually, so if you notice a problem like ground water around the septic tank or over the leaching bed, toilets and showers taking longer to drain or occasional sewage odours, make sure you have a professional out as soon as possible!
Septic systems have been around for a very long time and are successful at treating waste water. So don’t worry about buying a property with one, just ask some questions and be sure to work with a real estate agent with a good understanding of them!