Tips for Homeowners

Homeowner's Manual. It's full of good information for owners of onsite wastewater treatment systems of all kinds.

Inside the House

Don’t flush dangerous and damaging substances into your wastewater treatment system. (Please refer to “Substitutes for Household Hazardous Waste,” below.) Specifically, do not flush . . .

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Excessive amounts of bath or body oils
  • Water softener backwash
  • Flammable or toxic products
  • Household cleaners, especially floor wax and rug cleaners
  • Chlorine bleach, chlorides, and pool or spa products
  • Pesticides, herbicides, agricultural chemicals, or fertilizers

Do keep lint out of your wastewater treatment system by cleaning the lint filters on your washing machine and dryer before every load. Installing a supplemental lint filter on your washing machine would be a good precautionary measure. (This normally takes just a few minutes. Lint and other such materials can make a big difference in the frequency and cost of pumping out your septic tank.)

Don’t use special additives that are touted to enhance the performance of your tank or system. Additives can cause major damage to other areas in the collection system. The natural microorganisms that grow in your system generate their own enzymes that are sufficient for breaking down and digesting nutrients in the wastewater.

Don’t ignore leaky plumbing fixtures; repair them. A leaky toilet can waste up to 2,000 gallons (7500 liters) of water in a single day. That’s 10-20 times more water than a house-hold’s typical daily usage. Leaky plumbing fixtures increase your water bill, waste natural resources, and overload your system.

Don’t leave interior faucets on to protect water lines during cold spells. A running faucet can easily increase your wastewater flow by 1,000 to 3,000 gallons (4,000 to 12,000 liters) per day and hydraulically overload your system. Instead, properly insulate or heat your faucets and plumbing.

Do collect grease in a container and dispose with your trash. And avoid using garbage disposals excessively. Compost scraps or dispose with your trash, also. Food by-products accelerate the need for septage pumping and increase maintenance.

Do use your trash can to dispose of substances that cause maintenance problems and/or increase the need for septage pumping. Dispose of the following with your trash:

  • Egg shells, cantaloupe seeds, gum, coffee grounds
  • Tea bags, chewing tobacco, cigarette butts
  • Condoms, dental floss, sanitary napkins, diapers
  • Paper towels, newspapers, candy wrappers
  • Rags, large amounts of hair
  • “Flushable” wipes, baby wipes, medicated wipes, cleaning wipes

Don’t use excessive amounts of water. Using 50 gallons (200 liters) per person per day is typical. If your household does not practice any of the “water conserving tips” below, you may be using too much water.

Do conserve water:

  • Take shorter showers or take baths with a partially filled tub. Be cautious about excessive use of large soaking tubs.
  • Don’t let water run unnecessarily while brushing teeth or washing hands, food, dishes, etc.
  • Wash dishes and clothes when you have a full load.
  • When possible, avoid doing several loads in one day.
  • Use water-saving devices on faucets and showerheads.
  • When replacing old toilets, buy low-flush models.

Do use the following substitutes for household hazardous waste:

Hazardous Cleaner

Suggested Substitute

Ammonia-based cleaners Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge. For windows, use a solution of 2 Tbs. white vinegar to 1 qt. water. Place the mixture into the spray bottle.
Disinfectants Use borax: 1/2 cup in a gallon of water; deodorizes also.
Drain decloggers Use a plunger or metal snake, or remove and clean trap.
Scouring cleaners & powders Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge or add 4 Tbs. baking soda to 1 qt. warm water or use Bon Ami. It's cheaper and won't scratch.
Carpet & upholstery cleaners Sprinkle dry cornstarch or baking soda on, then vacuum. For tougher stains, blot with white vinegar in soapy water.
Toilet cleaners Sprinkle on baking soda or Bon Ami, then scrub with a toilet brush.
Furniture & floor polishes To clean, use oil soap and warm water. Dry with soft cloth. Polish with 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts oil (any kind), or use natural products with lemon oil or beeswax in mineral oil.
Metal cleaners Brass & copper: scrub with half a lemon dipped in salt.
Stainless steel: use scouring pad and soapy water.
Silver: rub gently with toothpaste and a soft wet cloth.
Oven cleaners Quickly sprinkle salt on drips, then scrub. Use baking soda and scouring pads on older spills.
Laundry detergents Choose one with a zero phosphate content.

Additional Benefits

Besides improving the performance and longevity of your system, following these best practice suggestions will conserve energy and water usage. Your system should function for decades with little to no maintenance other than periodic inspections.

Outside the House

Don’t enter your tank. Entering an underground tank without the necessary confined space entry training and procedures can result in death from asphyxiation or drowning. KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM TANK OPENINGS IF LIDS ARE OFF OR LID BOLTS ARE REMOVED.

Do keep the tank access lid fastened to the riser at all times with stainless steel lid bolts. If the lid or riser becomes damaged, BLOCK ACCESS TO THE TANK OPENING, IMMEDIATELY. Then call your service provider to repair it. If you or your service provider needs replacement bolts, call Orenco at 800-348-9843 or 541-459-4449.

AdvanTex Wastewater Treatment SystemDon’t dig without knowing the location of your wastewater system. As much as possible, plan landscaping and permanent outdoor structures before installation. But easily removable items, such as bird baths and picnic tables, are OK to place on top of your system.

Don’t drive over your tank or any buried components in your system, unless it’s been equipped with a special traffic lid. If the system is subject to possible traffic, put up a barricade or a row of shrubs.

Don’t dump RV waste into your wastewater system. It will increase the frequency of required septage pumping. When dumped directly into the pumping vault, RV waste clogs or fouls equipment, causing undue maintenance and repair costs. (Also, some RV waste may contain chemicals that are toxic or that may retard the biological digestion occurring within the tank.)

Don’t ever connect rain gutters or storm drains to the sewer or allow surface water to drain into it. And don’t discharge hot-tub water into your system. The additional water will increase costs, reduce the capacity of the collection and treatment systems, and flood the drainfield. It can also wash excess solids through the tank.

Do make arrangements with a reliable service person to provide regular monitoring and maintenance. Place the service person’s phone number on or in your control panel!

Do keep a file copy of your service provider’s sludge and scum monitoring report and pumpout schedule. This information will be beneficial for real estate transactions or regulatory visits.

Do keep an “as built” system diagram in a safe place for reference.


At the Control PanelOrenco Control Panel for Septic Systems

Do locate your electrical control panel where it will be protected from potential vandalism and have unobstructed access.

Do familiarize yourself with the location of your wastewater system and electrical control panel. Refer to the panel’s model and UL number (inside the door) when reporting a malfunction in the system.

Do take immediate action to correct the problem in the event of an alarm condition. Call your system operator or maintenance company immediately whenever an alarm comes on. (It sounds like a smoke alarm.)

Do remember that the audible alarm can be silenced by pushing the lighted button located directly above the “Push to Silence” label on the front of the electrical control panel. With normal use, the tank has a reserve storage capacity good for 24-48 hours.

Don’t turn off the main circuit breaker to the wastewater pumps when going on vacation. If there is any infiltration or inflow into the system, the pumps will need to handle it.