MSU Extension/Kalamazoo County
MSUE PROGRAMS - Environmental Resources Guide
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
Septic systems are used to treat wastewater from residents' homes that are not hooked up to municipal sewer lines.
Caring for Your Septic System:
- Conserve water in your home
- Divert water from downspouts away from the drainfield
- Do not build, or park on, the drainfield or tank
- Do not use a garbage disposal
- Have the tank pumped and inspected regularly
- Keep the septic tank cover accessible for tank inspections and pumping
- Minimize the use of bleach, disinfectants and drain and toilet bowl cleaners
- Only discharge biodegradable wastes into the system
- Plant grass or plants with shallow roots over the drainfield
- Water softener discharges should not be connected to the septic tank
Signs of Septic System Failure:
- Foul odors in your home and yard
- Lush plant growth over the drainfield
- Repeated intestinal illnesses in your family
- Slow or backed-up drains
- Wet spongy ground
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