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CARING FOR YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WARNING ABOUT USING ANTI-BACTERIAL PRODUCTS |
To achieve proper treatment, a septic system
is very dependent on millions of naturally occurring bacteria throughout the
system. We add many of these good bacteria through the wastes and materials
typically found in wastewater. Anaerobic bacteria in the septic tank
decompose organic materials in the wastewater and aerobic bacteria in the
soil destroy disease-causing pathogens.
The use of anti-bacterial or ‘disinfectant’
products in the home can and do destroy good and bad bacteria in the
treatment system. Normal use amounts of these products will destroy some
beneficial bacteria but the population will remain sufficient and recover
quickly enough to not cause significant treatment problems. Excessive use
of these products in the home can cause significant and even total
destruction of the population. Often the use of a single product or single
application will not cause major problems but the accumulative affect of
many products and many uses throughout the home may add up to an excessive
total and cause problems.
What are these antibacterial products we are
talking about? They include: ‘antibacterial’ hand soaps, tub, tile and
shower cleaners, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, laundry bleach
products, and others. Also included are ‘antibiotics’ that may be
prescribed for medical treatment. These are products that are found in
nearly all homes. They often carry a “safe for septic systems” statement
printed on the label. The question may be “How Safe?”
To improve septic system performance:
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Do not use ‘every flush’ toilet bowl
cleaners
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Reduce use of drain cleaners by minimizing
the amount of hair, grease, and food particles that goes down the drain
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Use the minimum amount of soap, detergent
and bleach necessary to do the job. Frequent use of detergents with
bleach additives is excessive amounts of bleach
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Route chlorine-treated water from swimming
pools and hot-tubs outside of the septic system
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Dispose
of all solvents, paints, antifreeze, and chemicals through local recycling
and hazardous waste channels
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Do
not flush unwanted prescription or over the counter medications down the
toilet |
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