In Recognition of SepticSmart Week, WVDEP and EPA Encourage Homeowners to Care for Septic Systems

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in promoting the federal agency’s second annual SepticSmart Week, which is Sept. 22-26. During SepticSmart Week, homeowners and communities are encouraged to care for and maintain their septic systems. Nearly one-quarter of all American households depend on septic systems to treat their wastewater.

Failure to maintain a septic system can lead to back-ups and overflows. This can result in costly repairs, polluted local waterways and risks to public health and the environment. Faulty septic systems release bacteria, viruses and chemicals toxic to local waterways. These pollutants can eventually enter streams, rivers and lakes, which can harm ecosystems by killing native fish and plants.

During SepticSmart Week, the DEP and the EPA will provide homeowners with tips for septic maintenance. Those tips include:

• Protect It and Inspect It: Homeowners should generally have their systems inspected every three years by licensed contractors, and have their tanks pumped when necessary. Many septic system failures occur during the winter holiday season. Therefore, DEP and EPA encourage homeowners to get their septic systems inspected and serviced now, before licensed inspectors’ schedules fill up around the holidays.

• Think at the Sink: Avoid pouring fats, grease and solids down the drain. These substances can clog a system’s pipes and drainfield.

• Don’t Overload the Commode: Only put things down the drain or toilet that belong there. Items such as coffee grounds, dental floss, disposable diapers and wipes, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts and cat litter can all clog and potentially damage septic systems. 

• Don’t Strain Your Drain: Be water efficient and spread out water use. Fix plumbing leaks and install faucet aerators and water-efficient products. Spread out laundry and dishwasher loads throughout the day — too much water at once can overload a system that hasn’t been pumped recently.

• Shield Your Field: Remind guests not to park or drive on a system’s drainfield, where the vehicle’s weight could damage buried pipes or disrupt underground flow. Having the right landscaping on and around your system is also important. Tree and shrubbery roots can grow into the drain lines, clogging and breaking them, so grass and native vegetation are the best covers for your drainfield.

EPA’s SepticSmart program educates homeowners about proper septic system care and maintenance all year long. In addition, it serves as an online resource for industry practitioners, local governments and community organizations, providing access to tools to educate clients and residents.

For more information, visit the EPA's SepticSmart page.

For more DEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, be sure to connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.” For specific information about the Adopt-A-Highway, West Virginia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), West Virginia NonPoint Source and Youth Environmental programs, connect on Facebook.

Contact:

Kelley Gillenwater
304-926-0442
Kelley.J.Gillenwater@wv.gov