Out of sight, out of mind. That can often be the case for Island homeowners who depend on an individual on-site sewage disposal system for wastewater disposal.
The Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment is reminding Islanders who have not had their septic tank pumped in the last few years to check into having it done before the ground freezes.
"Having the septic tank pumped is one of the household maintenance tasks which is easy to let slide because we don't see the impact immediately. However, by putting it off, homeowners run the risk of endangering one of our most precious resources - our drinking water," said Minister Kevin J. MacAdam. "Problems with sewage disposal systems are a common cause of groundwater contamination."
More than 40 per cent of Prince Edward Island residents are served by an individual on-site sewage disposal system consisting of a septic tank and a disposal field buried in the front or back of the property.
Household waste waters from the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry flow into the septic tank where most of the solids are retained. The liquid flows out of the tank to the disposal field where it leaches through the soil and is purified before it reaches the groundwater.
"To keep the system working properly, the septic tank must be pumped every few years. If it is not, the solids will eventually overflow, accumulate in the disposal field and clog the openings in the soil," explained Minister MacAdam. "The sewage effluent will then either back up into the house or flow across the ground surface over the disposal field."
How often a homeowner needs to pump the tank depends on the size of the tank, the volume of wastewater, and the solids content of the wastewater. However, as a minimum, the septic tank should be pumped once every three to five years, the minister said.
While having the septic tank pumped, the Department advises homeowners to ask the pumper to inspect the system to ensure it is structurally sound, and that the construction meets today's standards.
"If the tank dates back 25 or 30 years it may very well be advisable to have it replaced," said Minister MacAdam. "While there is certainly a financial cost attached to that, the environmental cost will be far greater if the sewage disposal system contaminates the groundwater supply."
In addition to having their septic tank pumped regularly, there are many precautions Island homeowners can take to ensure they do not experience problems with their sewage disposal system such as reducing water use, being careful about what goes into the system, and keeping surface waters away from the tank and disposal field.
To assist homeowners understand the operation and maintenance of sewage disposal systems, the Department has developed a series of fact sheets, and staff of the Water Resources Division are available to conduct information sessions in Island communities.
For further information, contact the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, Water Resources Division at (902) 368-5000 or visit the department website at www.gov.pe.ca/fae.
Following is a list of signs of possible septic system problems: sewage backing up into toilets, tubs or sinks; slowly draining fixtures, particularly after it has rained; the smell of raw sewage accompanied by extremely soggy soil over the drainfield; sewage discharged over the ground or in nearby ditches or woods; and water test results indicating the presence of bacterial contamination or organic chemical contamination in the groundwater under the system.