Septic Tanks

Not exactly a subject you bring up at the dinner table  but if you've just moved to a country property or simply weren't blessed with main drains running past your property you may be facing a very smelly problem - septic tank maintenance.

Now I'm by no means a septic tank expert but I have learned 3 basic rules/guidelines for those "blessed" with septics:

1. Locate your tanks. Preferably ask the selling agent to get information from the owner as to where the system is, how old the tanks are and when they were last pumped etc. A waste removal company may charge you over double the fee for locating your septics for you and the other information will help with diagnosing potential problems.
2. Schedule a regular service of your system. To avoid costly leach drain blockage, they system will need to be pumped on a regular basis. The frequency of pumping depends on the size of your home, number of inhabitants, permeability of your soil (sand will leach better than clay) and of course the size of the tank installed. This page has a great table that helps you work out how often to pump your tanks.
3. Be careful of what you plant near to your septic tanks and leach field. There are the obvious harmful effects of human waste leaching onto food plants (vegetables that grow under the soil such as potatoes are more obviousy at risk) but one must also consider the less obvious hazard of invasive plant and tree roots choking your leach field and creating back-up.