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UNIVERSITY <br />OF MINNESOTA <br />Septic System Management Plan <br />for Above Grade Systems <br />Water -Use Appliances and <br />Equipment in the Home <br />Appliance <br />Impacts on System <br />Management Tips <br />• Uses additional water. <br />• Use of a garbage disposal is not recommended. <br />• Adds solids to the tank. <br />• Minimize garbage disposal use. Compost instead. <br />Garbage disposal <br />. Finely -ground solids may not settle. <br />• To prevent solids from exiting the tank, have your <br />Unsettled solids can exit the tank <br />tank pumped more frequently. <br />and enter the soil treatment area. <br />. Add an effluent screen to your tank. <br />• Washing several loads on one day <br />. Choose a front -loader or water -saving top -loader, <br />uses a lot of water and may overload <br />these units use less water than older models. <br />your system. <br />• Limit the addition of extra solids to your tank by <br />• Overloading your system may <br />using liquid or easily biodegradable detergents. <br />Washing machine <br />Prevent solids from settling out in <br />Limit use of bleach -based detergents and fabric <br />the tank. Unsettled solids can exit <br />softeners. <br />the tank and enter the soil treatment <br />. Install a lint filter after the washer and an effluent <br />area, <br />screen to your tank <br />• Wash only full loads and think even — spread your <br />laundry loads throughout the week. <br />. Powdered and/or high -phosphorus <br />• Use gel detergents. Powdered detergents may add <br />detergents can negatively impact the <br />solids to the tank. <br />Dishwasher <br />performance of your tank and soil <br />• Use detergents that are Iow or no -phosphorus. <br />treatment area. <br />• Wash only full loads. <br />. New models promote "no scraping". <br />. Scrape your dishes anyways to keep undigested <br />They have a garbage disposal inside. <br />solids out of your septic system, <br />• Finely -ground solids may not settle. <br />• Expand septic tank capacity by a factor of 1.5. <br />Grinder pump (in <br />Unsettled solids can exit the tank <br />. Include pump monitoring in your maintenance <br />home) <br />and enter the soil treatment area. <br />schedule to ensure that it is working properly. <br />. Add an effluent screen. <br />• Large volume of water may <br />• Avoid using other water -use appliances at the same <br />Large bathtub <br />overload your system, <br />time. For example, don't wash clothes and take a <br />(whirlpool) <br />• Heavy use of bath oils and soaps can <br />bath at the same time. <br />impact biological activity in your <br />• Use oils, soaps, and cleaners in the bath or shower <br />tank and soil treatment area. <br />sparingly. <br />Clean Water Uses <br />Impacts on System <br />Management Tips <br />High -efficiency <br />. Drip may result in frozen pipes <br />• Re-route water directly out of the house. Do not <br />furnace <br />during cold weather. <br />route furnace discharge to your septic system. <br />Water softener <br />•'Salt in recharge water may affect <br />• These sources produce water that is not sewage and <br />Iron filter <br />system performance. <br />should not go into your septic system. <br />Reverse osmosis <br />• Recharge water may hydraulically <br />. Reroute water from these sources to another outlet, <br />overload the system. <br />such as a dry well, draintile or old drainfield. <br />• When replacing, consider using a demand -based <br />• Water from these sources will <br />Surface drainage <br />overload the system and is <br />recharge vs. a time -based recharge, <br />Footing drains <br />prohibited from entering septic <br />• Check valves to ensure proper operation; have unit <br />system. <br />serviced per manufacturer directions <br />-5- <br />