Wastewater

Pump tank regularly. Have a professional inspect and pump the tank. Conserve water and spread usage over a period of time. Manage solids. Keep hazardous materials out. Let the system work naturally. Avoid drainfield compaction. Avoid introducing excess water to the drainfield. Maintain structural integrity of the drainfield.

Problems sometimes occur. Some of the problems that occur include: sluggish drainage, contaminated drinking water, wastewater surfacing in the yard, odors, and pipes freezing.

A traditional lagoon system is a two part system. A traditional system has plumbing from the house and a lagoon.

Evaporation reduces the liquid volume of wastewater, returning water vapor to the environment. Solids settle to bottom and form sludge. There is an aerobic zone at the top of the wastewater layer where air movement introduces oxygen and aerobic microorganisms convert waste to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and phosphates.

Lagoon size is determined by the number of bedrooms, as well as the annual evaporation and precipitation rates for the geographic region. The lagoon size is NOT based on the square footage of the house, or the number of people living in the house because occupancy can change.

Now that you know how a lagoon works, here is what you need to do to operate and maintain your system for maximum efficiency and long life. Minimize your exposure to wastewater - it contains disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Wear waterproof gloves, wash hands or shower, and disinfect breaks in skin after exposure to wastewater.

Problems sometimes occur. Lagoon depth may fall below 2-foot minimum due to leak in artificial liner, clogged inlet pipe, low flow rate into lagoon, holes in dike from plant roots or burrowing animals, not enough clay in natural soil liner or not compacted.

Some areas in Nebraska are not appropriate for a conventional septic tank/drainfield system or a residential lagoon. We consider these environmentally vulnerable areas.

Wastewater comes from ordinary living processes: bathing, toilet flushing, laundry, dishwashing, etc. It comes from residential and domestic sources.

This year’s National SepticSmart Week is September 18-22, 2017. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a week in September each year to focus on improved awareness of proper operation and maintenance of septic systems across the United States. The wastewater of approximately 25 percent of the population of the United States is treated by on-site or individual wastewater systems. In Nebraska, this statistic holds consistent with 25 percent of our state’s population being served by onsite wastewater systems on farms, acreages, suburbs and even some small communities.