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Home My WebLink AboutGarbage Disposal Letter - Correspondence - 102 PENNI LANE 7/9/2019 r I ti qi u i i North l 1 (ommunity aiid c m i(Development Du I Io July 8, 201 Address-, 102 Penni Lane All North Andover Residents with Septic Systems and Garbage Disposals Please note that due to a recent review of a Title 5 Report, your property has been identified maintaining a working garbage disposal that is,being used in.conjunction with a septic systems.. The Health rtr t is concerned for the longevity of your septic system., Garbage disposals are never recommended,where septic systems are used, but 'if they are installed, the system must, specifically designed,to handle the waste from them,your system can not handle the waste as designed. Please note that continued .s of this disposial could quickly cause a, failure of your , tic system, resulting ire a large expenditureto. replace it. 'The NorthAnd,over,Health Department recommends that you remove it from your home as soon as possible. Some inforniation regarding regular,m Int mace of your septic system i ttached. Please call the Health Department at 978.688.9540 if youhave any questions,or -n.. ll y it questions,to: health die t ,, or"th,,a,r o' e m .gov. Thank n r taking the time to consider the impact that your current setup has, on your septic system and the environment. Sincerely, i i Director of PublicHealth, J 120 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusett's 01845 fl w, Lariing for Your Septic !,5,,&yzstem.n A Reference, Guide, for Homeowners Carl*ng for Your Septic System Septile Systems Explained Septic systems are individual wastewater Ater treatment systems (clonventionalseptic systems, inn tiwr l It rn tive 1 systems, or cesspools)that use the soil and bacteria to treat small wastewater, flows, usually from individual homes.They are typically used in rural or large lot settings where centralised wastewater treatment(sewer,system to a treatment plant) is impractical and unavailable. There are manytypes of septic systems,in use today. While all systems are individually designed for each site, most stems are based on the same principles. A Conventional Septic System J A conventional septic system consists of a`peptic tank, a distribution box and a leach field. i Your septic system treats your 110 rs h l wastewater y temporarily holding it in the septic tank where r heavy solids, n lighter debris are allowed to separate from the t w ° t r and bacteria begin to brash everything down.The solids sink to the bottom and are called the sludge layer;the lighter debris such as hair,oils and grease float to the top and are called a scurn layer; and the wastewater r effluent is left in the riddle. This separation process with the initial decomposition is known w n primary treatm nt. bAMMAwoll r7,rmm „T,,e a�i N.. a�1ro�N,. T°'"e.*��4�,'w w`! r M - o .. 1 a ih Yq F��N��.' ,.. 'rye r+;. B�I, Y�: .. . IY N..,IOOMP i er w t � rt I� rA..1 1q1 1 *1 yp� �� w e e " �, F� � w,�r��.,'"�r�;��e ww° '��:r«� r�rnw '� M ` . . ° foist.somgo ry,ry p,qyqp g box f' dr. fi ll Wasteal OF 1110 1110 1110 1 �w I ►fter,the partially treated wastewater(effluent) leafs the tank it flows,into a distribution box. The distribution box separates this affluent evenly intoa network,ork f pipes called septic lines within the leach field.. Small holes throughout the bottom f each `peptic line allows the effluent to slowly l drain into gravel and sand layers where r+ bacteria further treat and purify the effluent. This is known w n as secondary treatment. A properly functioning septic system purifies the flu nt through primary and secondary treatment and does not pollute the groundwater. Carling for Your Slepfiic System (Conventional Septic System, Innovative/Alternative (I/A) Systerri,or Cesspool) The accumulated solids in the bottom of the septic tank should be pumped out,every two years to,prolong ng. the life of your system.Septic systems must be maintained regularly to stay work' Neglect or abuse of your system can cause it to fail. Failing systems can; Cause,a serious health threat to your family and, neighbors,, Degrade the environment, especially lakes, streams and groundwater, Reduce the value of your property, Be very expensive to repair, and Put thousand's of water,supply users at risk if you live In a publio water supply watershed and fail to maintain your system. Be aleirt tothesel warning signs of a failing system: 0 Sewage,surfacing over the leach,field (especially a r storms), 0 Sewage back-ups in,the house,, 0 Lush,green growth over the leach field, 0 Slog l draining toilets Ol-drairls,, e, Sewage odors. Slave Money by Maintaining Youir Septic System A major reason to maintain,your septic systerri is to save money. Failing systems are expensive to repair or replace, and poor maintenance is often the,culprit. Preventive maintenance is a whole lot cheaper than repair or replacement,. Foir example, it could cost up to $40,000 or more to replace a failing system ppr with a new one, compared to aoximately$300 to$4,00 to,have a system Inspected,and pumped every couple of years.Maintaining a septic system,is like maintaining, a car.A small effort,on a regular basis can save a lot of money and significantly prolong the life of the system., Inniolvative/Alternative (I/A)systems, although providing more advanced treatment, also require more frequent oversight and maintenance. Please refer to our Septic Installers list for licensed contractors. I 1 i Tiles,to Avoid Trouble. O have your tank pumped out,and s stems Inspected err years b li nsad septic contractor, If the:teak fills up with an excess of solidsthe wastewater will not have enough firne to settle in the tank. These excess s lids will then pass on,to the leach field, where re they w ill clog the drain lines and soil. More information tion n urn In . CEO keep a record f pumping inspections, and other maintenance., Use the back page of this br bur t record maintenance dates. DO practice water ns rvati n. Repair dripping faucets and leaking t iletsi, run washing machines and dishwashers, nlw when full, avoid long sh ers, and use water-saving features in faucets, shower heads and toilets., I DO learn the location of your septic system and Ib field.,Keep sketch of it handy for service visits, If your system has a flows diversion valve, learn its location,tion, and turn it once a year. Flows div rt rs n add � many years,to the life of your system., DO divert roof drains and surface water r from driveways and hillsides away from the septic system. beep sump pumps and house footing drains iw a fr r the septic system as well. DO grows grass or small plants(not trees or shrubs)above the septic system to bold the drain field in palace.Water conservation through creative landscaping i great way to control excess rurr, ffi DO use only additives that have been allowed for usage in lVlassachusefts by MassDEP.Additives that are allowed for use in Massachusetts have been determined not to produce a harmful effect to the individual system r its componients or to the nvir n nt at large. DO take leftover hazardous household chemicals to your approved hazardous waste collection center for disposal.1. Use bleach,, disinfectants,and drainand'toilet bowl cleaners sparingly and in accordance with product labels. DON'T allow anyone to drive or parr over any part ofthe system.The area over the leach h field should b left undisturbed with only a mowed grass cower, Roots from nearby trees or shrubs may clog and damage your septic lire() . DON'T plant trees within 30 feet t f your system or park/drive over any part of the system.Tree roots will clog your pipes, and heavy''vehicles,may cause your septic limes to collapse. DON'T make or allows repairs to your septic system without obtaining the required health department permit. Use professional licensed contractors when needed. DON"T use commercial septic tank additives other than those allowed for use in Massachusetts b MassDEP. These products usually do not help and some may hurt your system in the Ion, rum. i DON'T use chemical solvents to,clean the plumbing or septic system,. "'Miracle"'chemicals will kill r microorganisms that consume harmful wastes.These products can also cause groundwater contamination. 1 DON'T perform exc,essnve laundry loads with,your washing machine. Doing load after load does not allow en_ your,septic tank.time to adequately treat wastes and overwhelms,the entire system with excess wastewater. You could therefore be flooding your leach field Without allowing sufficient recovery time.You should,consult a septic professional to determine the gallofl capacity and number of loads per day that can safely go into the system., DOWT use a garbage grinder,garbage disposal or any type of in sink food disposaig which feeds sep into the, tic systern. if you do have one in,the house, severely limit.its use or remove it. Food materials do not break down the same way,as wastewater and,adding food wastes or other solids severely reduces Your system's capacity, increases the need to pump the septic tank and can damage your system. DON'T'use your toilet as a trash,can by dumping non-degradable able items down your toilet et or drains.A , don't poison your septic system and the groundwater by p che ouring harmful rni in. Th cals down,the draey can kill the beneficial bacteria that treat your wastewater.Small amourrts,of standard household cleaners, drain cleansers, detergents, etc.will be diluted in the tank and should cause no damage to the system,. Keep the following materials out of your system: NOWDEGRADABLES ITEIVIS- Cooking grease,disposable diapers, plastics, dental floss, cigarettes, etc, POISONS: Gasoline,oill,paint, paint thinner, pesticides, polyurethane,dyes,, disinfectants, antifreeze, etc. Water Softeners 'Many homes it small,businesses may decide to install water s,ofteners to address"hard wateril and the t build up from it.,The Title 5 regulations prohibit water softener backwash or resulting mineral deposi its tha /A o cesspool),,in reject wastes from going into a septic system(conventional sept'Ic,system I system, r any amount. However,,the ba,ckwas'h from water softeners or from other water purification or filtration devices can be discharged into a.drywell that has been properly designed and is approved by the local Board of Health. Backwash is wastewater generated from the clean Ing of water and wastewater treatment filters.A drywell is a it with open-jointed lining or hoiles that allow infiltration to the surrounding soil. For more 'Information on having a drywell designed for your home or business, you should contact,the H al,th Department.