HealthyOnlotSystem

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Keeping Your On-Lot Sewage System Healthy: Top 10 Reasons Why a Septic System Fails: 

Keeping Your On-Lot Sewage System Healthy: Top 10 Reasons Why a Septic System Fails by Albert Jarrett, Professor of Agricultural Engineering

Slide2: 

BASIC ON-LOT SYSTEM Septic Tank Drain Field Sludge Sludge Scum Scum Limiting Zone ≥ 4 ft

When Has Your On-Lot System Failed?: 

When Has Your On-Lot System Failed? Most common indicators: (easy to notice) Raw sewage backs up into the home. Effluent appears in the lawn. Better indicators: (harder to determine) When septic tank sludge reaches outlet baffle. When effluent begins to pond in absorption area. Well water degrades in quality.

Slide4: 

Failure Criteria Septic Tank Drain Field Sewage Backs Up in Home Sewage Appears in Yard

Slide5: 

Better Failure Criteria Septic Tank Drain Field Sludge reaches Outlet Baffle Sewage Ponds in Drain Field

Number 10 – Improper System Siting: 

Number 10 – Improper System Siting Improper Siting Perc. Rate error. Soil’s percolation rate is too slow to take the wastewater. Missed Limiting Zone Soil is not able to absorb the water. Wastewater not properly treated by the soil.

Slide7: 

10 – Improper Siting Perc Rate Limiting Zone

Correct the Siting: 

Correct the Siting Not much that can be done. If soil is not suitable, do not buy the property. Alternate systems are DEP’s best attempt to let you use marginal soils. At-Grade Drip Irrigation

Number 9 – Septic Tank Not Pumped Often Enough: 

Number 9 – Septic Tank Not Pumped Often Enough Poor Maintenance Septic tank not pumped on a timely basis. Have your tank pumped every 2 to 3 years. Tank sludge passed into the soil absorption system. What are the tings you put into your septic tank that do not decompose?

Number 9 – Septic Tank Not Pumped Often Enough: 

Number 9 – Septic Tank Not Pumped Often Enough What are the tings you put into your septic tank that do not decompose? Plastic -- Bone Cotton Paper Stones Wood

Slide11: 

9 – Septic Tank Pumping Sludge Sludge Scum Scum

Number 8 – Excessive Water Use: 

Number 8 – Excessive Water Use Excessive Water Use in the Home Teenagers in the home. Frequent entertaining of large groups. Leaky plumbing.

Slide13: 

8 – Excessive Water Use Water Mounding

Water Conservation Helps: 

Water Conservation Helps Reduce water use as much as possible. Front load washing machines. Small-volume (1.6-gal/flush) toilets. Do not flush every time (urine) Shorter showers. Fix all leaky plumbing. Reduce the parties. Send teens off to college.

Number 7 – Disposing of Inappropriate Wastes: 

Number 7 – Disposing of Inappropriate Wastes Excessive Waste Loading. Excessive use of garbage grinders. Pet wastes. Food scraps. Diapers (cloth or plastic). Feminine hygiene products (plastic or cotton).

Slide16: 

7 – Inappropriate Wastes High Strength wastes fill tank

Reduce Excessive Waste Strength: 

Reduce Excessive Waste Strength Reduce or avoid using the Garbage Grinder. Do not put _______ in the on-lot system. Pet wastes Food scraps (especially meat) Use Biodegradable toilet tissue.

Number 6 – Poisoning Your Septic Tank: 

Number 6 – Poisoning Your Septic Tank Do not dispose of: Bleaches. Pesticides. Plumbing cleaners (Drain-O). Gasoline. Antifreeze. Motor Oil. Furniture polish. Medicines Drugs Do not dispose of: Metal Polosh. Nail polish remover. Paint. Glue. Fertilizer Minimize Use of: Window cleaners. Disinfectants. Toilet bowl cleaners.

Slide19: 

6 – Poisons KILL

Avoid Poisoning Your System: 

Avoid Poisoning Your System No harsh cleaners. No medicines (old or other wise) No drugs No drain cleaners No pesticides So-called enhancers (do no good).

Number 5 – Clogged or Broken Pipes: 

Number 5 – Clogged or Broken Pipes Physical clogging or Broken pipes. Flushing diapers, plastic. Pet burial, etc Broken pipe. Feminine hygiene products (plastic or cotton).

Slide22: 

5 – Clogged/Broken Pipe Broken Pipe

Number 4 – Compacting the Absorption Area: 

Number 4 – Compacting the Absorption Area Physically damaging your system Vehicle traffic on the absorption area. Vehicle traffic on any part of system. Any yard activity that compacts the soil over an absorption area. Keep vegetation over absorption area lush and healthy (Do not fertilize).

Slide24: 

4 – Compacting Absorption Area Compacting Surface

Number 3 – Construction Errors: 

Number 3 – Construction Errors Construction errors or sloppiness Excavation of absorption area when soil is too wet. No excavation equipment in the trench or bed (smearing, puddling, compacting). Do not even walk on this surface. No excavation equipment on area down slope of the absorption area.

Slide26: 

3 – Construction Errors Infiltrating Surface

Number 2 – Improper Surface Drainage: 

Number 2 – Improper Surface Drainage Failure to keep surface water away from the area above the absorption area. Divert all surface runoff away from the absorption area. Direct basement sump pump discharge away from the absorption area. Direct roof runoff away from the absorption area.

Slide28: 

2 – Added Surface Water Ponded Runoff

Slide29: 

1 – Creeping Bio-Mat Anaerobic Slime Layer

Solving a Creeping Bio-Mat Failure: 

Solving a Creeping Bio-Mat Failure Add Dosing System Give your system a rest. Have tank pumped the day before you leave on Summer vacation. Leave system rest (no use) for at least a week; longer is better.

Slide31: 

OTHER FAILURE RELATED ISSUES Septic Tank Drain Field Sludge Sludge Scum Scum

Other Failure Related Issues: 

Other Failure Related Issues Tree roots clogging pipes ???

Slide33: 

ALTERNATIVES TO BASIC ON-LOT SYSTEMS Septic Tank Drain Field Sludge Sludge Scum Scum Limiting Zone < 4 ft

Alternatives to Basic Onlot Systems: 

Alternatives to Basic Onlot Systems Usually driven by DEPTH to the LIMITING ZONE. 20 to 48 inches; Elevated Sand Mound (no Pretreatment) 10 to 48 inches; Requires Pre-treatment and either an At-Grade or Drip System.

Pre-Treatment or Filtration Units: 

Pre-Treatment or Filtration Units Types of Pre-treatment Units: Free Access Sand Filter (Pressure Dosed). Subsurface (Buried) Sand Filter (Pressure Dosed). Free Access Gravity Sand Filter. Peat Bio-Filter. Free Access Recirculating Subsurface Sand Filter.

With < 48 inches to LZ: 

With < 48 inches to LZ At-Grade System Drip Irrigation System

At-Grade Bed System: 

At-Grade Bed System 10 in aggregate; 6 in below pipes, 2 in above pipes. 8 min. topsoil cover 3’ 6’ 6’ 1’ Subsoil Berm 3:1 2:1

Drip System: 

Drip System With Rock or Water Limiting Zone  20 inches.  20 inches Emitters spaced 2 feet apart; 0.68 gal/d/em 0 to 12 in deep; 6 to 12 in of cover over the tubing.

For More Information: 

For More Information Call your Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO). Call your County Agent. On-Lot Fact Sheets web address http://www.abe.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/f/ On-Lot PowerPoint Presentations web address http://www.abe.psu.edu/fac/jarrett/onlot/

Contact Information: 

Contact Information 209 Ag Engr Bldg, University Park, PA 16802 Phone: 814-865-5661 Fax: 814-863-1031 E-mail: arj@psu.edu Website: http://www.abe/psu/edu/facstaff/jarrett.htm