By Ande Finley, Chris Arnold and Monico Mackinnon,

Fisherman Bay Sewer District staff

Did you know that one-quarter of all U.S. homes have septic systems? If yours is one of them, you need to know how to properly maintain your system to protect the environment and your family’s health. Fisherman Bay Sewer District salutes Septic Smart Week, September 22-26, an annual EPA-sponsored nation-wide public education effort that aims to inform homeowners about the importance of proper septic system maintenance and help them make important decisions regarding their wastewater management needs.

Most Lopez Island properties rely on typical septic systems to treat household and business waste. Around the Village core and including the School, the Fisherman Bay Sewer District maintains a Septic Tank Effluent Pumping system, a sort of hybrid arrangement that collects waste in on-site septic tanks, but pumps the effluent onward to be treated in a centralized plant.

A typical septic system consists of a septic tank and a drainfield. All water runs from your house through a main drainage pipe into the tank which is a buried, water-tight container usually made of concrete, fiberglass, or HDPE. Its job is to contain the wastewater until the solids settle to the bottom forming sludge and allow the scum layer (any floatable material) to rise to the top. The sludge and scum are prevented from leaving the tank by compartments and a T-shaped outlet, but the liquid wastewater (effluent) exits the tank into the drainfield where it percolates into the soil, naturally removing harmful coliform bacteria, viruses, and nutrients.

In the Fisherman Bay Sewer District, waste from the approximately 175 homes and businesses served runs into septic tanks on the owner’s property, but instead of exiting into a drainfield, the liquid is pumped into a community force main (low pressure sewer) system to the central plant to be treated. Solids remain in the underground tanks for passive, natural treatment and are pumped out about once every three to five years as determined by district personnel.

If you are in the district or have a septic system utilizing an electrical pump, remember not to use bathroom or kitchen facilities during a power outage. One of the basic concerns for these pressure systems is that if the electrical pump system ceases to function and you continue to use sinks and toilets, sewage will backup into your home.

Watch for Part 2, “Proper Maintenance of your Septic System” in an upcoming issue.