Septic System Seminar

Hey gang, let’s get together and talk sewage!

Your best chance to learn all you need to know about septic system care.

Make contact with the local septic system professionals.

Killaloe Public School, Saturday, August 29 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Failed septic systems, especially at shoreline properties, are a major source of pollution in lakes and rivers. You can do your part to help protect water quality by caring for your septic system.

Septic systems cost a lot of money, from a few thousand to many thousands of dollars, depending on the site. If cared for properly, a well-designed septic system can last more than twenty years. But if mistreated, it could fail in half that time. The good news is that government home improvement grants can apply to septic repairs.

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

Special guest Seminar Leader: Denis Orendt, Executive Director of the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association

Everyone is welcome!

Is Your Septic System Still Working?

There are some things that almost everyone agrees with. One is the importance of good water quality in our lakes and rivers. People agree that polluting water is a bad thing. People also agree that algae blooms that fill the water with green, slimy muck and cloud the water so you can’t see the bottom are unpleasant to look at and are a sign of poor water quality. Another thing people agree about is that safe drinking water is essential to healthy living. These things have something in common, something we don’t like to think about very often: the health of our septic systems.

A properly located, constructed and maintained septic system does not pollute surface water, ground water, well water, or lakes, rivers, creeks or wetlands. If looked after, a septic system can last twenty years or more. But when a septic system fails because it is old, misused or not maintained, it can release pollution that destroys water quality in lakes and rivers and poisons well water. Failed septic systems leak phosphorous which is the chemical most responsible for excessive algae growth. They also leak high concentrations of E-coli, the pathogen that killed some people and made thousands sick in Walkerton almost a decade ago.

If you own a shoreline property, think about the condition of your septic system. Have you had it pumped out in the last three years? Is it twenty years old or more? Do you ever smell that distinctive septic smell in your house or out in the yard? Think about all the neighbouring properties along your section of waterfront. How old are all those septic systems? Are they being properly maintained?

While these may not be pleasant things to think about, the consequences of ignoring them can be significant. Consider this: A failed septic system tends to push its contents to the surface of the ground so that a heavy downpour of rain can wash this untreated sewage straight into the water, along with its cargo of poisons like E-coli and phosphorous.

You can care for your septic system by having it pumped out at least every three years and being very careful about what you send down household drains. Chlorine bleach, harsh cleaning chemicals, cooking oils and a long list of other common liquids can be damaging to septic systems.

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