Septic Systems in New England
If you are in New England, then you are lucky enough to own a septic systems. However, if you live off the main roads of rural areas, with nowhere for wastewater to drain into without closing your yard or impacting your neighborhood with smells and unsightly visual effects, there is hope! You may have your septic tank pumped every three years by a specialized company that has knowledge about how to deal with off-road septic systems.
One thing most people don’t know about their septic systems is that they aren’t just holes in the ground getting filled up with all their stuff. They consist of multiple tanks where solids settle out while liquids continue through more filters before it’s allowed to settle into the ground. These tanks are underground, some being under an area that is close to your house while some are located far away in a fenced-off area with trees surrounding them for odor control. Now you can see why no one wants their yard used as a septic system!
The disadvantage of having an off-road septic system means extra costs for pumping and maintenance. However, many local townships are aware of this issue and will help lower these costs by giving you tax exemptions if you get your tank pumped every three years. This is a great incentive to keep up on your maintenance!
However, it’s important that when you have the company pump out the solids from your septic tank, you either need to put them somewhere else where they won’t cause problems (like an approved landfill site if it’s hauled away) or compost them at home. The reason for this is that the solids contain high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus which can be harmful once released into the environment.
Many times people complain about how expensive it is to pump out their septic tanks. When questioned as to why they don’t get it done more frequently, most people will say that pumping a septic tank costs around $500 or more. But then you ask them how much water they use every day and the numbers start adding up! The average person uses about 100 gallons of water per century! This is wasteful and can be avoided.
For example, let’s compare the cost of wasting 100 gallons of water every day for 30 years at $1.50 per day or getting your septic tank pumped every three years with the same amount of money you would have spent on wasted water every day for those 30 years (professional pumping costs around $500), plus whatever the yearly pumping cost comes out to be. It takes some quick math, but in most cases, it will save you more than if you just got your septic system pumped every three years because now you won’t have as much wasted water resulting from improper usage which would require more maintenance and unneeded expenses.
So remember, if you live in New England and have off-road septic systems, get it pumped every three years! If you know of someone who lives in a rural area with no sewers and an off-road septic tank, tell them to get their tanks pumped more often because it will save money in the long run. And lastly, don’t waste water every day when you can just get your septic tank pumped!