Simply put, a septic system is a method of treating and disposing of sanitary wastewater that is on-site at a residential or commercial property. These systems are commonly found in suburban or rural areas, though their specific needs and capacity vary depending on their size and use. While a private homeowner could have their own small septic tank, small business owners and commercial property administrators often need systems that serve multiple buildings and areas simultaneously. Wastewater is probably the last thing that a business owner wants to think about – but the truth is, incorrect management can lead to long term problems that are far messier and expensive than well managed routine maintenance.
Owners of these types of properties and septic systems must:
Local and Federal Wastewater Regulations
Since poor septic hygiene and infrequent inspections can lead to the contamination of public freshwater drinking resources, protective requirements have been put in place by lawmaking authorities. If you do not understand these regulations or knowingly do not adhere to them, you could be at risk of receiving fines from law enforcement. More importantly, you are jeopardizing the public and economic health of your local communities! It is always important to ensure that you are paying attention to new legislation and keeping your system up to standard.
Implement Tenant Policies for Good Septic Hygiene
In past blogs, we talked about the importance of practicing good septic hygiene to increase the operational lifetime of your system. So, what should you do when you are dealing with tenants or clients? Well, the first step is to educate them on the basics of septic systems and the financial problems that can come from poorly maintained systems. With that foundation in place, implement policies that hold tenants and clients responsible for their misuse of the systems. Though it is easier said than done, this grounding in knowledge about septic systems will make anyone think twice about flushing their coffee grounds or throwing paper towels in the garbage disposal.
Ensure That Your System Has Routine Inspections
Routine inspections are critical to ensuring that your system is pumped when it is reaching capacity. Do not wait until it is too late! Our service professionals perform annual inspections for many clients and provide septic assessments. In an inspection, we:
- Determine sludge, scum, and liquid levels in each of the compartments of all tanks in the system, determining if pumping is needed.
- Check proper operation and dosing of any pumps in the system. Then we inspect the drain field area.
- Ensure that all components are in good working condition.
Sound complicated?
That’s where Atlantic comes in! We offer annual maintenance programs that prevent potential problems and prolong the life of your system. We do this by: inspecting your septic system, filter cleaning, treating wastewater with proactive bacteria, and pumping when solids reach 25%. Atlantic OBX Inc., has certified Operation & Maintenance technicians who are specialists and will verify that your system is operating within its design parameters to meet the requirements of the local jurisdictions. On-site septic programs have been established in many counties to protect the public health and are in place to ensure that existing on-site sewage systems are properly maintained and functioning. These minimum standards have been developed to reduce the risk of contaminating drinking, ground, and surface waters, as well as reduce the risk of public exposure to untreated sewage.
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