If your home has a septic system, you have a special responsibility, one that you need to take seriously. Having your own on-property septic system frees you from the hassle, and the expense, or sewer system bills, but it also means that you, and you alone, are responsible for maintaining the water quality for your home and family.
A well -maintained septic system poses no risk to your home and family, but a failing or improperly maintained septic system could introduce real hazards into your home and even put your health at risk. If you want to keep your water quality high and your family well hydrated, you need to follow a few common sense precautions.
Establish a Baseline
It is hard to maintain your water quality if you do not know how good or bad your water currently is. Even if everything seems fine, it is important to have your water tested for quality issues and contamination.
At the very least, that initial water test will give you a good baseline, one you can use to address issues down the line. If everything is fine, you can rest easy and simply monitor your water going forward. If there are problems with taste, odor or contamination, you can address those issues now – before they have a chance to get worse.
Let Your Nose Be Your Guide
You can tell a lot about your water by using your five senses, but your sense of smell is particularly important. If your water has an unusual odor, there could be contamination or problems with your septic system.
You should be doing proper maintenance on your septic tank and drain fields, including having your tank drained and cleaned on a regular basis. This preventative maintenance is the best thing you can do for your septic system – and for the quality of the water that enters your home.
Watch What You Flush
Everything that gets flushed down the toilet ends up in your septic system, so take a minute to think before you press the handle. Flushing certain things, including feminine hygiene products, cooking grease and paper towels, can cause dangerous clogs in your septic system, putting your water quality and your drain fields at risk.
If you do not know if a particular item is flushable, just play it safe and put it in the trash instead. You do not want to take a chance with your water quality, so watch what you flush and keep your tank clean.
If you take good care of your septic system, it will return the favor and provide you with great water quality and healthy waste disposal. The tips listed above can help you maintain great water quality for your home, so you will have one less thing to worry about.
