Water conservation is something that everyone should be concerned about. Our planet has a limited amount of fresh water that is necessary not just for human life, but everything around us. If your home is not on the municipal water and sewer system, you may not have the water bill to remind you that conserving water affects you, but the reality is that water conservation is important for a septic system, as well.
A septic system works by holding solid waste in the tank where it can be broken down by bacteria into effluent. That material, along with water introduced to the system and liquid waste, floats to the top, where it is transported to the drain field to be filtered before going into the soil and groundwater. The system is gravity-fed and can only effectively handle wastewater at a certain pace and quantity. If you overwhelm the system, contaminated water can be pushed into the soil and you could damage the system.
There are many ways you can conserve water that avoid this septic system concern, and many are not significantly disruptive to your normal activities. For example, try to recycle water whenever possible, such as taking water from boiling vegetables, letting it cool, and then using it to water plants in your yard. This can be beneficial for the plants because of the added nutrients, too. Saving rinse water to soak other dishes is another way to recycle water.
Other tips include fixing leaks promptly, avoiding unnecessary toilet flushes, avoiding baths in favor of showers that use less water, spreading out laundry loads and doing only full loads, running the dishwasher only when full, and investing in water-saving devices.
If you would like to know more about keeping your septic system healthy to protect the environment and avoid unnecessary repairs and premature failure, give us a call at Southeastern Septic LLC. We serve the Lakeland, Florida area with a wide variety of septic services, including maintenance, repairs, installations, and replacements. Call us for all your residential and commercial septic needs.