A septic tank is an individual water system, also called an IWS. There are living bacteria in the tank that feed on waste materials to break them down. Most of what is in the tank is water, and the rest is made up of solids. These solids get broken down by the bacteria through anaerobic decomposition, and this prevents the waste material in the septic tank from compromising the groundwater in the ground below and around the septic tank. Past the septic tank is the leach field. The bacteria in the tank break down solid materials, turning them into more bacteria, gases, or water that gets released from the tank and into the leach field, where more decomposition continues.
Septic tanks need to be pumped out periodically in order to pump out the larger solid materials that couldn’t be converted into gases or water. How often the tank gets pumped depends on the number of people using the system. A single person using a 1,000 gallon tank would be able to wait and have the tank pumped out ever 12.4 years. Two people using the same size tank would need it pumped out every 5.9 years. A family of four using a 1,250 gallon tank would need to have it pumped out every 3.4 years. septic tank maintenance in Maui to have the tank pumped out costs about $330.
Each home’s septic tank system size is determined by the size of the lot and the number of bedrooms in the home. There can only be one individual waste water system for up to 5 bedrooms in a home and for a lot size up to 10,000 square feet. Homes with more than 10,000 square feet on the lot or more than 5 bedrooms need to have a second septic system installed.
septic tank maintenance in Maui also includes prevention. Make sure that no non-organic substances get into the septic system. In the kitchen, dispose of egg shells, coffee grounds, grease, and cooking oils in the trash and not down the drain. Keep feminine products and paper towels from being flushed. The leading cause of failure in septic systems is a simple leaking toilet. A leaking toilet can leak up to a gallon of water per hour and end up flooding the septic system.
