A Septic Social is a unique program developed by Washington Sea Grant Program to help familiarize homeowners with their underground treasure. Sea Grant staff meet with the host a week before a Social to uncover the system and learn the layout. During the Social, participants learn to check the sludge and scum layer as well as the flow of the system. Uncovering the system and letting people explore it from above ground takes the mystery out of how and why the system works. At a recent Septic Social in Mason County, participants walked away from the session shaking their heads.
Participants also receive a homeowner s manual specific to their system type.
These manuals were created under a Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Public Involvement and Education contract with the Frank Family Foundation and Washington Sea Grant Program as part of a homeowner demonstration septic system at the Foundation s property in Shelton. For homeowners a little uncomfortable with having neighbors view their system, Washington Sea Grant uses the Foundation site to provide training courses throughout the year. These workshops are patterned after the Septic Socials, except participants usually do not know each other before the class. Results have shown the demonstration site classes have been equally as successful as the Septic Socials. A few had their tanks pumped because they needed it and three admitted that their systems had been repaired sometime during the year because they had found broken baffles or other components that were not working properly.