A. The crust is the organic material that has congealed into a solid mass. This condition can indicate a bacterial deficiency. Ask your contractor if your tank needs pumping and treatment to avoid future problems.

Q. I had my tank pumped out last week. Is it possible that it’s full already

A. Not only is it possible, it’s necessary. Septic tanks are designed to operate full for proper water/solids separation.

Q. Is there anything I can put in my tank to avoid pumping?

A. No. Some of the material in the tank is not biodegradable. This material must be pumped out.

Q. My system backed up recently for the first time in many years. Why should I start maintaining now?

A. Even though the backup may have been caused by broken pipes, tree roots intruding into your lines, or some other obstruction, it is also possible that this backup is the first sign of system failure. Call your contractor to discuss your system.

Q. The drainage in my house seems to be sluggish and sometimes temporarily backs up. I also sometimes have a foul odor and mushy ground in my backyard. Are these signs of a septic system failure?

A. These may or may not be signs of a deteriorating septic system. Contact your contractor to discuss these problems.

Important Hints For A Healthy Septic System

• Do not overload your septic system. Use water sparingly. Do only full laundry and dishwasher loads at off-peak times if possible.
• Do not put kitchen greases down the drain.
• Do not flush cigarettes, sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, or other inorganic materials down the toilet.
• Do not put gasoline, oil, anti-freeze, paint, paint thinner, pesti­cides, etc., down the drain.
• Use garbage disposal sparingly or increase septic system maintenance schedule.
• Check all plumbing fixtures for leaks.
• Ask your contractor if you think tree roots are clogging your pipes.

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Cross Section of a two-compartment septic tank image

An effluent filter is designed to prevent solids from entering your leach field. According to Yavapai County Development Services Environmental Unit this filter should be cleaned every time you have your septic system serviced, yet we are finding more and more frequently that the effluent filter is plugging up before your system needs to be pumped and is causing not only slow drainage in sinks, showers and toilets, but system back-ups as well. ADEQ suggests that the filter be cleaned every eight months and we agree with their suggestion.

You can clean this filter yourself or you can hire a certified pumper to come out and show you where the filter is and how to maintain it properly. Or you can avoid the mess altogether and have someone do it for you on a regular basis.

Our pumpers are certified to handle all your septic system needs and they would be glad to come out and get you started on learning about your effluent filter as well as your entire septic system. lf we can be of service to you give us a call at 928-772-8015.

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I confess before my husband and I bought this business many years ago I could have cared less how the septic system worked. All I knew was when it worked property the household functioned “fairly normally”, but when the system backed up chaos rained throughout my “civilized world”. There is nothing worse than cleaning(#@!*) sludge out of the bath tub, off the bathroom floor, or when you have a cesspool in your back yard, not to mention what happens when no one can shower or use the toilet.

So to answer the question of why your septic tank is full soon after is has been pumped is because it’s designed to work when it’s full and maintained properly. If you have 1,000 gallon septic tank once you use 1,000 gallons of water it will be full and continue to remain that way unless there is crack in the structure.

Here is a basic diagram of what a septic system looks like: 

As you can see both inlet and outlet pipes are at the top of your septic tank. As you use the plumbing in your home water and solids flow into the tank. The solids settle at the bottom of the tank and as bacteria breaks down the solids a layer of “scum” floats to the top leaving the gray water in between. A the tank fills the gray water enter the outlet pipe and flows into the leach field, but over time the layers of “scum” and solids continue increase.

Backups occur when solids, toilet paper, obstacles that don’t belong in a septic tank or roots block the outlet pipe and the sludge has no place else to go but inside your home. Leach fields fail when the solids and scum have filled the septic tank to the point they have no place to go but out the inlet and outlet pipes. Leach field can also fail when an excessive amount of water is used and floods the leach bed. When l say “excessive” I am not referring to the normal plumbing and washing machine use. After pumping a customer’s septic tank we were called back out two more times because of back up. It took a little probing but it turned out the customer was doing laundry for several of her neighbors.

Roots can also invade the system and cause damage to the point of failure for both septic tank and leach field. Avoid planting trees such as a cottonwood if you have a septic system and never, ever plant a rose bush where there is that nice patch or green grass or over the leach field. I promise you will have problems in about two years when that bush starts to grow like crazy.

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The Household Plumbing and Waste System

All household waste is disposed of through the septic system. The proper operation of the septic system is essential to public and private health, to property values, and to the environment. To see if you know enough about your septic system, answer the following questions. If you cannot answer all the questions, your septic system could become a huge aggravation, public nuisance, health hazard and financial burden.

• Do you know what a septic tank is and how it works?
• Do you know what kind of soil absorption area you have and how it works?
• Do you know what causes septic systems to fail?
• Do you know what it costs to replace a failed septic system?
• Do you know how to keep a septic system from failing?
• Do you know that failed and failing septic systems contribute to pollution?

These are very serious questions. The health of your family and the value of your property rely heavily upon the answers to these questions.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” was never more true than it is with septic tank care. A small commitment to the care of your septic system will protect you indefinitely from the nightmare created by a failing system. This pamphlet will attempt to give you a clear picture of how household waste is treated from drain line to soil.

The quantity and composition of waste generated in the home varies according to the number of residents, their personal water usage, and the water-utilizing appliances in the home.

The Septic Tank System

The septic tank system is a small, on-site sewage treatment and disposal system buried in the ground. The septic system has two essential parts: (1) the septic tank and (2) the soil absorption area.

The Septic Tank 

The septic tank was patented in London around 1900. Webster’s Dictionary defines the septic tank as “a tank in which waste matter is decomposed through bacterial action.” The modern septic tank is a watertight box usually made of precast concrete, concrete blocks, or reinforced fiberglass. When household waste enters the septic tank several things occur:

1. Organic solid material floats to the surface and forms a layer of what is commonly called “scum”. Bacteria in the septic tank biologically convert this material to liquid.
2. Inorganic or inert solid materials and the by-products of bacterial digestion sink to the bottom of the tank and form a layer commonly known as “sludge”.
3. Only clear water should exist between the scum and sludge layers. It is this clear water-and only this clear water-that should overflow into the soil absorption area.

Healthy Septic Tank 

Solid material overflowing into the soil absorption area should be avoided at all costs. It is this solids overflow that clogs soil pores and causes systems to fail. Two main factors cause solid material to build up enough to overflow: (1) bacterial deficiency, and (2) lack of sludge removal.

Bacteria MUST BE PRESENT in the septic tank to break down and digest the organic solids. Normal household waste provides enough bacteria to digest the solids UNLESS any harm is done to the bacteria. Bacteria are very sensitive to environmental changes. Check the labels of products you normally use in the home. Products carrying harsh warnings such as “HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED” will harm bacteria.

The following commonly used home care products – even when used according to directions – can reduce the bacteria population required for proper septic tank operation.

• Detergents
• Disinfectants
• Toilet Cleaners
• Acids
• Polishes
• Cleaning Compounds
• Sink & Tub Cleaners
• Caustic Drain Openers

People rarely think of the effect of these products on the septic tank system when the products go down the drain. What kind of effect do you think anti-septics have on your septic tank?

Bacteria must be present to digest the scum. If not digested the scum will accumulate until it overflows, clogging the soil absorption area.

The sludge in the septic tank – inorganic and inert material – is not biodegradable and will not decompose. If not removed, the sludge will accumulate until it eventually overflows, again clogging the soil absorption area.

Soil Absorption Or Leaching Area:

There are many, many soil absorption or leaching systems – too many to discuss them all. There are, however, two general types of facilities to carry off the overflow of water from the septic tank: (1) trench systems and (2) drainage pits.

Trench systems – also called leaching fields, drain fields, or finger systems – generally consist of a network of perforated pipes laid in a gravel-lined trench. Solids clogging pipe perforations, gravel lining, or the soil pores outside the trench will cause drainage to slow or eventually stop.

Drainage pits – also called drywells or cesspools – are made of precast concrete or concrete block. They are cylinders with closed tops, open bottoms, and holes in the sidewalls. Some older systems consist of only a drainage pit or cesspool.

Solids accumulating on the interior surfaces of the pit or in the soil will again contribute to sluggish drainage or failure.

Septic System Maintenance

The U.S. Government Department of Health, Education and Welfare Public Health Service says, “A septic tank system will service a home satisfactorily only if it is properly designed, installed, and adequately maintained. Even a good system which does not have proper care and attention may become a nuisance, and burdensome expense.”

Septic system maintenance means two simple things. First, sludge that accumulates in the bottom of the tank must be pumped out periodically. How frequently depends on the size of the tank, the use it gets, and the condition of the system. There is no additive that you can put in the tank that will deal with the sludge. IT MUST BE PUMPED OUT. If not pumped out, the sludge will eventually overflow into the soil absorption area. This will clog the system, and it will need to be replaced, at enormous expense and inconvenience.

The second part of septic system maintenance involves the bacteria necessary for solids digestion. If bacteria-killing products are used in the home – as they usually are – the bacteria should be replenished. If the bacteria level is too low, the solids may not be digested properly. Then solids can build up too much and over flow into the soil absorption area. This again can clog the system, requiring major repair or replacement.

Your septic tank could be overflowing solid material RIGHT NOW, and you won’t know it until it blocks the soil absorption system so badly that no more drainage is possible. This blockage takes varying lengths of time. But this is fact: a neglected system WILL get blocked; it WILL overflow; it WILL have an obnoxious odor; it WILL contaminate and pollute. It may also require repair or even replacement. The first septic system “emergency” – a backup or overflow – often marks the beginning. of a failing trend. Replacement costs vary, but they can be very, very expensive -especially if contaminated material needs to be removed.

Do Not Neglect Your Septic System

Your professional septic contractor can inspect the condition of your system. He can tell you which specific type of soil absorption system you have. If the tank needs to be cleaned, he is equipped to clean it. If there is evidence of bacterial deficiency – such as overly thick scum or solids buildup inside the tank – he can supply you with ccls® liquid bacteria/enzyme septic system treatment. ccls® contains enzymes immediately available to break down solids buildup in drains, pipes, septic tank, and soil absorption system. ccls® also contains reproductive bacteria for continued aid in solids digestion and settling, suspended solids removal, and odor control.

Regular septic system maintenance combined with water conservation should give you many years of trouble-free use. If not maintained, your septic system may fail, requiring excavation and repair or replacement. You will have to endure the expense of this work, as well as the aggravation of trucks and equipment on your property and the disruption to your yard.

Which makes more sense to you? Would you drive your car 100,000 miles without an oil change?

Your septic system should last a very long time if properly designed, installed, and maintained. Neglected systems WILL FAIL. Isn’t it time to start your program of regular pumping and ccls®? The well being of your family and your property value are at stake. PROTECT THEM – DON’T NEGLECT THEM!

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Out of sight and out of mind – does this describe your relationship with your septic system? If you are like most homeowners, you probably never give much thought to what happens to what goes down your drain. But if you rely on a septic system to treat and dispose of your household wastewater, what you don’t know can hurt you. Proper operation and maintenance of your septic system can have a significant impact on how well it works and how long it lasts, and in most communities, septic system maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner. This fact sheet was written as one in a series to help septic system owners maintain their septic systems.

Why Maintain Your System?

There are three main reasons why septic system maintenance is so important. The first reason is money. Failing septic systems are expensive to repair or replace, and poor maintenance is a common cause of early system failures. The minimal amount of preventative maintenance that septic systems require, costs very little in comparison. For example, it typically costs from $3,000 to $10,000 to replace a failing septic system with a new one, compared to approximately $50 to $150 to have a septic system inspected, and $150 to $250 to have it pumped.

The second and most important reason to maintain your system is to protect the health of your family, your community, and the environment. When septic systems fail, inadequately treated household wastewater is released into the environment. Any contact with untreated human waste can pose significant health risks, and untreated wastewater from failing septic systems can contaminate nearby wells, groundwater, and drinking water sources. Chemicals improperly released through a septic system also can pollute local water sources and can contribute to system failures. For this reason it is important for homeowners to educate themselves about what should and should not be disposed of through a septic system.

Finally, the third reason to maintain your septic system is to protect the economic health of your community. Failed septic systems can cause property values to decline. Sometimes building permits cannot be issued or real estate sales can be delayed for these properties until systems are repaired or replaced. Also, failed septic systems can contribute to the pollution of local rivers, lakes. and shorelines that your community uses for commercial or recreational activities.

Inspecting Your System 

Annual inspections of your septic system are recommended to ensure that it is working properly and to determine when the septic tank should be pumped. By inspecting and pumping your system regularly, you can prevent the high cost of septic system failure. If the sludge depth is equal to one third or more of the liquid depth, the tank should be pumped.

A thorough septic system inspection will include the following steps:

1. Locating the system – Even a professional may have trouble locating your system if the access to your tank is buried. One way to start looking is to go in your basement and determine the direction the sewer pipe goes out through the wall. Then start probing the soil with a thin metal rod 10 to 15 feet from the foundation. Once your system is found, be sure to keep a map of it on hand to save time on future service visits.
2. Uncovering the manhole and inspection ports – This may entail some digging in your yard. If they are buried, try to make access to the ports easier for future inspections. Install risers (elevated access covers) if necessary.
3. Flushing the toilets – This is done to determine if the plumbing going to the system is working correctly.
4. Measuring the scum and sludge layers – There are two frequently used methods for measuring the sludge and scum layers inside your tank. The contractor may use a hollow clear plastic tube that is pushed through the different layers to the bottom of the tank. When brought back up, the tube retains a sample showing a cross section of the inside of the tank. The layers can also be measured using long wooden sticks or poles. See Arizona Cooperative Extension publication AZl 160: Maintaining Your Septic Tank for detailed instructions. As a general guideline, if the scum layer is within three inches of the bottom of the inlet baffle, the tank should be pumped. If the sludge depth is equal to one third or more of the liquid depth, the tank should be pumped.
5. Checking the tank and the drainfield – The contractor will check the condition of the baffles or tees, the walls of the tank for cracks, and the drainfield for any signs of failure. If your system includes a distribution box, drop box, or pump, the contractor will check these too.

Properly sited, designed, constructed, and maintained septic systems can provide an efficient and economical wastewater treatment alternative to public sewer systems. While septic systems are designed and installed by licensed professionals to meet the needs of individual sites, homeowners are responsible for the system’s operation and maintenance. There is more information on household septic systems at The University of Arizona Extension publications web page (ag.arizona.edu/ pubs).

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We service all of Yavapai County for residential and commercial septic tanks in Central Arizona (from Flagstaff down Hwy 17 to Apache Junction). Lassila Liquid Waste is your full-service septic waste disposal company. We are health department approved and are able to handle all your septic tank problems.

Our Prescott Area Septic Services Include:

• Septic Tank Pumping
  
• Septic Tank Cleaning
  
• Septic Tank Repairs
  
• Septic Tank Inspections
  
• Residential Service
  
• Commercial/Industrial Service

Need to know more about your septic system in Prescott? We would like to answer any questions before you have issues!

Call us today for a free Prescott septic tank service estimate. Basic pricing is given over the phone. Any and all additional charges are discussed with home owner before further work is begun. Contact Lassila Liquid Waste today. Call 928-772-8015.

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1.  Restaurants

a.  Grease trap pumping

b.  Hydro-jetting clogged lines

2.  Car Washes

a.  Septic pit cleaning

b.  Sand pit cleaning

c.  Drain cleaning

3.   Automobile Shops

a.  Interceptor pumping

b.  Interceptor hydro-jetting

The above are just a small sample of who we can help.  We can also service any commercial or industrial septic tanks.  We are available to inspect and service all septic tank needs.  Additionally we are capable of helping with cesspools and drainage ponds.  Need to know more about your septic system or other items mentioned? We would like to answer any questions before you have issues!

Call us today for your free service estimate. Basic pricing is given over the phone. Any and all additional charges are discussed with business owner before further work is started. Contact Lassila Liquid Waste today for your commercial septic service needs in Prescott. Call 928-772-8015.

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Here is more information on how the grease trap or interceptor works:

The grease interceptor is a specialized device designed to ensure that the pipes and the items they are connected to remain unclogged and safe.  There are different sizes of interceptors to accommodate different sized kitchens.  Smaller ones are installed under individual sinks.  The larger kitchens use an outside system that is installed underground.

The basic description of how a grease interceptor or trap work is as follows:

• Slows down the flow of hot greasy water
• Allows the greasy water to cool
• After cooling, the oil, grease and water separate
• The grease and oil rise to the top
• The clean water continues on to the sewer

Protect yourself from liability or damage and choose Lassila Liquid Waste Disposal in Prescott to pump out your grease interceptor.  Call us for your free service estimate whenever your grease traps need cleaned out. Contact Lassila Liquid Waste Disposal today. Call 928-772-8015.

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Most businesses that have waste water or fluids are required to have a trap underneath the bay.  The car wash wastewater ends up in what is known as a super trap.  All car washes are required to have one of these super traps beneath ground to catch all of the solids and sludge that accumulate. The typical super trap will contain anywhere from 1000 to 1500 gallons of car wash sludge, and all that sludge needs to go somewhere!

So the next question is “How often do we need to have this car wash waste and sludge emptied out?”  The answer depends upon the amount of sludge that accumulates and the volume of vehicles that are cleaned.  Failing to dispose of this car wash waste can result in the sludge entering the car wash’s discharge pipes, putting your car wash in direct violation of municipal sanitary discharge limitations! Protect yourself from liability and choose Lassila Liquid Waste in Prescott for removal of your car wash wastes.

We will send one of our pump trucks to your location and clean your waste trap.  Removing the car wash waste generally can take up to several hours, during which the car wash can continue to operate!

Call us for your free service estimate whenever cleaning is deemed necessary. Contact Lassila Liquid Waste today. Call 928-772-8015.

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This fact sheet concerns domestic waste water treatment. It gives a brief overview on how septic systems work. Knowing how your on-site septic system functions will help you understand how to care for the system to maximize its ability to treat your household’s wastewater.

How a Septic System Works 

Septic systems are designed to hold, treat, and dispose of household wastewater. The liquid portion of what goes into the system will leave the system and may eventually reach groundwater or surface water. Household wastewater contains bacteria, viruses, household chemicals, and excess nutrients such as nitrates, all of which can cause health problems. Therefore, household wastewater must have adequate treatment to prevent water contamination.

Your septic system has two major parts: a septic tank and a soil absorption system. Wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers, and other drains, flows from the household sewer drain to an underground septic tank. There, waste components separate the heavy solids settle on the bottom, forming a sludge layer, while grease and fatty solids float to the top, forming a scum layer. Bacteria in the tank partially decompose the solids.

Solids will build up in the tank and must be removed periodically by a professional contractor. The relatively clear layer of waste water in the middle is called effluent. Effluent flows from the septic tank outlet to the soil absorption system where most of the treatment process occurs.

The Soil Absorption System 

The soil absorption system, also known as the drainfield, leach field, or disposal field, consists of gravel-filled trenches containing plastic chambers or perforated plastic pipe. This underground portion of the system accepts effluent from the septic tank outlet. Effluent moves through the pipes and seeps into surrounding soil for final treatment. Soil particles filter out small suspended solids and organic matter, while soil bacteria break down harmful microorganisms and other organic components. Viruses adhere to clay particles in the soil and eventually die. The now treated effluent continues its downward flow through the soil layers.

Managing Your System 

As long as your septic system has been properly designed and installed, there are some things you can do to keep it functioning well.

• protect the system from being overloaded with water
• improve the quality of your wastewater
• protect the soil absorption (drainfield) por­tion of the system

Less water entering the system means better treatment and longer system life. Keep in mind that as water enters the septic tank, an equal amount is displaced and released into the drainfield. When excess wastewater enters the septic tank, settling time is reduced, enabling some solids to enter the drainfield area. Excess solids in the drainfield can cause the system to fail by clogging the soil pores. Clean water from heavy rains or too much lawn watering can also negatively affect the drainfield area. Because it is designed to treat wastewater, any excess clean water that enters the drainfield makes the system work more than is necessary.

You can improve the quality of your wastewater by reducing the amount of suspended solids that go into the system. Suspended solids include grease and fat particles and ground-up foods from the garbage disposal. These small particles don’t settle out well in the tank and can end up in the drainfield reducing its useful lifespan.

Since the drainfield area is where most of the treatment occurs, it’s very important to protect this portion of the system. Soil compaction is a major hazard to the operation of the drainfield because compacted soil cannot treat wastewater. Once compacted, soil can’t be restored; the installation of a costly new drainfield is the usual solution to the problem. Examples of things that can cause soil to become compacted include vehicle traffic, heavy objects, and buildings.

A properly designed, installed, and maintained septic system should protect the environment and give your household many years of good service.

For more information on household septic systems, visit the University of Arizona Extension publications web page at ag.arizona.edu/pubs.

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