Maintaining Your Septic Tank

Abstract

Your septic tank is the first step of an onsite domestic wastewater treatment process and must be properly maintained to work correctly. The best designed and operated septic tank and soil treatment area eventually fails unless sludge is periodically removed from the septic tank. Inadequate maintenance can cause sewage to back up into the house and solids to overflow to the soil treatment area. Often, the soil treatment area must be abandoned and a new one constructed when solids clog the soil. This fact sheet is one in a series developed to help septic system owners maintain their septic systems.