Cleaning and maintaining your septic system need to be done on a regular basis, or it is very unhealthy for your system, your local drinking water, and the health and safety of our nearby creeks and lakes. Submitted photo

We all do it.

We press down the handle and assume everything just magically disappears. Hit the lever, gone forever.

But is it?

No matter if you own a vacation property on the lake or a home in rural Chautauqua County, you should be familiar with the form and function of your home’s septic system, and spring is a great time of year to familiarize yourself with it.

Simply put, a septic system is your very own onsite sewage treatment facility. It’s used primarily where access to a municipal sewer system is neither available nor economically practical. A septic system is out of sight and odorless (when properly maintained). Unfortunately, it can also be out of mind for some of us when it comes to proper maintenance.

Cleaning and maintaining your septic system need to be done on a regular basis, or it is very unhealthy for your system, your local drinking water, and the health and safety of our nearby creeks and lakes. However, many of us wait too long in-between cleanings or only address the issue when a serious problem arises.

When you think about septic system maintenance, be mindful about what you and your family put into your septic system, which includes your toilet, sink, shower, and laundry. Your septic system is a delicate biological balance of bacteria, and it doesn’t take much to upset this natural process. Following a few simple rules will not only protect your local watershed and other nearby surface and groundwater from being contaminated, but it will also protect the water you drink, your health, and your investment in your home.

¯ Pump out your septic tank every 2-3 years. Because we live in a cooler climate, bacterial action and decomposition are slower, so we need to make sure that solids are properly broken down.

¯ Conserve water and monitor usage. Discharging more water into the system than it can handle can cause it to back up, which is not a desirable occurrence.

¯ Don’t use excessive amounts of any household chemicals. Avoid paints, chemicals, cleaners, gasoline, oil, or other toxic materials that could kill the good bacteria in your system as well as things that can clog pipes such as diapers, flushable wipes, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, coffee grounds, and grease and fat from cooking.

More detailed information on how to care for your septic system can be found at www.epa.gov/septic/how-care-your-septic-system.

In addition, a Mandatory Inspection Program for Lakeshore Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) was created in 2016 by the Chautauqua County Environmental Health Unit and aims to protect private drinking water wells, reduce lake water contamination and harmful algal blooms, and protect public health from failing or old septic systems that are not adequately treating their wastewater. The Program was implemented because public health risks related to declining lake water quality are increasing in Chautauqua County. The recent findings of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that all OWTSs within 50 feet of the lakeshore and 40% of the OWTSs within 250 feet of the lakeshore are not working properly and contaminating lake water and groundwater. Detailed information regarding this program and what you should do can be found at chqgov.com/sites/default/files/document-files/2019-09/2017-Mandatory-Inspection-Factsheet.pdfctsheet.pdf>

Your septic system is reasonably maintenance-free if you treat it correctly and have it pumped out regularly. Constant foul odor, slow drains, and drains that back up are all telltale signs that your septic tank needs pumping.

The answer is easy and simple, and spring is the perfect time! Maintain and pump your septic system regularly for healthy water and clean lakes, preferably before your guests arrive!

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to preserve and enhance the water quality, scenic beauty and ecological health of the lakes, streams, wetlands and watersheds of the Chautauqua region. For more information, call 716-664-2166, visit chautauquawatershed.org and follow CWC on Facebook and Instagram.