A septic system should effectively accept liquid wastes from your house and prevent biological and nutrient contaminants from getting into your well or nearby lakes and streams. Anytime these things do not happen, the system is failing. By far the most common reason for early failure is improper maintenance by homeowners. If you are unsure about when to have the tank pumped, observe the yearly rate of solids accumulation. The primary maintenance point in a septic system is the septic tank.
Inspection is accomplished by measuring the scum depth and sludge depth in the tank once a year.
The tank should be pumped if the sludge layer has built up to within 18 inches of the tank outlet or if the scum layer thickens to within 3 inches of the bottom of the outlet baffle or sanitary tee. Follow these steps and Figure 2 for measuring scum and sludge depth. Measuring scum depth 1. Attach a 6 inch square board to the bottom of a stick about 6 feet long. At the outlet end of your tank, extend the stick through the scum layer to find the bottom of the baffle or effluent pipe.