Being Septic Smart! - The Inside Story

If you live in a rural area or a small community or if you have a cottage in Ontario, chances are you have a septic system. Septic systems treat household waste in rural areas where municipal sewers are not available. Anything that goes down the drain, every shower drip and every toilet flush flows to the septic system. Rural residents and cottage owners need to be ‘septic smart’ when it comes to maintaining and managing their septic system.

Under the Ontario Building Code, all rural residents are responsible for their system’s maintenance and performance. Taking good care of your septic system will save time, money and worries involved in replacing a septic system that does not operate properly or has failed. Failed septic systems that are not operating optimally can be hazardous to your health, the environment, and your wallet. In addition, they can degrade water supplies and reduce your property value.

Want to be Septic Smart?

Check out the SepticSmart! DVD and Rural Septic System Checklist.

Spring and early summer are good times to check to make sure your septic system is working properly. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs produced the SepticSmart! DVD and Rural Septic System Checklist to help you maintain your septic system, save money and protect your water quality!

The DVD features four short videos and information about how septic systems work and how to take care of them. Included are descriptions of newer types of septic systems for challenging locations.

The Rural Septic System Checklist includes practices to keep septic systems properly functioning as well as a maintenance schedule that you can customize for your own property. Attach the checklist to a basement or workroom wall for convenience and visibility.

Another useful source of information is the Water Wells Best Management Practices Booklet.

To order these free resources or view them on-line, go to: www.ontario.ca/septic or contact the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, toll free at: 1-877-424-1300.

Septic Basics

• Know where your septic bed is located.
• Keep a system diagram in a safe place for reference.
• Keep accurate records of septic system maintenance and service calls.
• Test your well water at least three times per year.
• Divert surface water away from your leaching bed.
• Have your tank inspected and cleaned out regularly (every three to five years).
• Repair leaky plumbing fixtures.
• Conserve water to reduce the amount of waste water that must be treated.
• Don’t put cooking oils or food waste down the drain.
• Don’t flush hazardous chemicals or pharmaceuticals down the drain.
• Don’t use special additives that claim to enhance septic performance. You don’t need them!
• Don’t drain hot tub and spa water to the septic system.
• Don’t dig without knowing the location of your leaching bed.