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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWastewater Treatment Service System Contract Letter - Correspondence - 121 RALEIGH TAVERN LANE 7/18/2019 y I 4 4 1 i North Andover n"'WA Department Community uni(f, E(onomic Development Division July 11, 2019 David Bruce Slagle Jr. Rachel Marie Slagle 121 Raleigh"I"avern Lane North Andover MA 01845 : Wastewater Treatment Service System Contract .r Homeowner: Please note Wastewater �.� �Health.Department � �� �letter � Treatment Services Inc. �notifying the tows.that you have discontinued the maintenance contr . t for your alternative septic system. The maintenance contr ct is required,by the Health Department and was conditional n approval and, installation o your•alternative septic system. According to the De artmen t of Envir t `� t ti , t.� ghout its life the syste m shall be under a maintenance a regiment with.no less than a.one year contract. Pieria send a.copy 'a new � tra t w.it a.maintenance company to the North Andover Health Department on or before � December 31, 2017. Some information regarding regular maintenance of your septic system is attached. Please calf. the Health Department at 9 .6 . 40l'f you have any lue ti , or -mall your questions to healffidept@northandoverm Thank you fortaking the time to consider the benefit that routine maintenance has on your septic system and the environment, Sincerely, z 13 /iarn ' rase, CEH Director of Public Health 120, Ma'j'n Street, North Andover, Massackusetts Phone 9178.688.9540 Fox 97 . , . 5 ://,www.northand'overma.gov Carming, for your Septic System: A Reference Gulodefor Homeowners Caring for Your Septic System, Septic Systems Explained Septic systems are individual wastewater treatment systems(conventionall septic systems, inn ovativelalternative(]/A) 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 s,etti'ngs where centraliz,ed wastewater treatment(sewer system to a treatment plant) is impractical and unavailable. There are many types of septic systems in use today. While all systems are individually designeld for each site, most systems are based on'the same principles, A Conventional Septic System A conventional septic system consists olf'a.septic teak, a distribution box and a leach field,, Your septic system treats your household wastewater by temporarily holding it in'the septic tank where heavy sollids,and lighter debris,are allowed to separate from the wastewater and bacteria begin to break everything down. The solid's sink to the bottom and are call the sludge,layer; the lighter debris such as hai'r, oils and grease floiat to,the top and are called a scum layer- and the wastewater or effluent is left in the �iddle. This separation process with the initial decomposition is known as primary treatmentr -A&" A&MIN" ALM 1111611A.jkw UL"AJAA P c 0 on(pump ou t)por�ts Tee A I Net:seviage OOW4,treated eflters. from house wastewater goes to distribution �ox xid drain field Slu,d'ge -1 limp After the partially treated wastewater(effluent) leaves the tank it flows into a distribution, box. The distribution box separates this effluent evenly into a network of pipes called septic lines within the leach field. Small holes throughout the bottom of each septic lire allow the effluent-to slowly drain into gravel and sand layers where bacteria further treat and purify the effluent. This is known as secondary treatment. A properly functioning septic system,purifies the effluent through primary and secondary treatment and does, not pollute,the groundwater, Caring for Your Septic System (Conventional. Septic System, Innovative/Alternative(I/A) System,, or Cesspool) The accumulated solids in the bottom of the septic tank should be pumiped out every two years,to prolong the life of your system. Septic systems must be maintained regularly to stay working. Neglect,or abuse of your system can cause it to fall. 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 weer expensive to repair, and'. Put thousands of wat r supply users at risk if you live in a public water supply watershed and fail to maintain your system. Be a,lert to these warning signs of a failing system" • Sewage surfacing over the lea,ich field (especially after storms),, • Sewage back-ups in the house, • Lush, green growth over the leach field, • Slow draining toilets or drains, • Sewage odors. Save Money by Maintaining Your Septic System • A major reason to maintain your septic system is,to save, money. Failing systems,are expensive to repair or replace, and polo,r mainterianceis often the culprit. Preventive maintenance is a whole lot,cheaper-than repair or,replacerrient. For example, it could cost up to$40,000 or more to replace a failing system with a new one, compared to approximately$300 to $400 to have a system inspected, and pumipled 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., • Innovative/Alternativ I/A) systems, although providing more advanced treatment, also require more frequent oversight and maintenance. • Please refer to oar Septic Installers,list for licensed contractors. 9 Tips to Avoid Trouble DO have your,tank pumped out and system, inspected every 2 years by a licensed septic contractor, if the tank fills up with an excess of solids, the wastewater will not have enough time to settle in the tank. These excess solids will then pass n to the leach field, where they will clog the drain lines and soil. More information on purnping. keep a record of pu.mplin inspections, and other maintenance. Use the hack page f this brochure t . record mainten n dates. DO practice water conservation. repair dripping faucets and leafing toilets, run washing machines and dishwashers,only when full, avoid long showers, and use water saving features in faucets,cuts, shower heads and toilets. I O learn the location of your septic system and leach field. Keep a sketch ofit handy for service visits. If your system has,a flow diversion valve, learn its location, and turn it once a year. Flow w diverters can Budd many,years to the life of your system. DO divert roof drains and surface water from driveways and hillsides away from the septic system. beep sump pumps and houses footing drains away from the septic system as well. grow grass; r small plants(not.trees or shrubs) above the septic system to hold the drain field in. phis. W t r conservation through creative landscaping is a great way to control excels runoff. DO use only additives that have been allowed for usagein Massachusetts by MassDER Additives that are allowed for use in Massachusetts have been determined not to produce a harmful effect to the individual system or its componients or to,the environment at large. DO take leftover hazardous household ld h mical to,yolur approved hazardous waste collection renter for disposal., Use bleach, disinfectants, and drain and toilet bowl cleaners sparingly and in accordance with product l hl ls. DOWT allow anyone to drive o,r parr over any part of the system. The area over the leach field should ld left undisturbed with only a mowed grasp cover. loots from nearby trees or shrubs may clog and damage your septic lines. DON'T plant trees within 30 feet of your system or par,k/drive over any part of the system. Free roots will. c,log your pipes, d heavy vehicles rnay cause your septic lines to collapse., DON'Tmake or allow repairs to your septic steam 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 by t MassDE . These products usually do not help and some may hurt your system in the long run f r DON'T use chemical solvents to clean the plumbing r septic system,. "Miracle," h mi l will !kill rni ro r unisrns that consume m harmful wastes. These products can also cause groundwater contamination. DON'T perform excessive laundry load's with your washing machine. Doing load after load does not allow your septic tank time toadequately 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 gallon capacity and number of loads per day that can safely go into the system. DON'T use garbage grin de ri, garbage disposal or any type of in sink food disposal, which feeds into the septic system. 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 itemns down your toilet or drains., Also, don"t poison your septic system and' the groundwater by pouring harmful chemicals down, the drain. They can bill the beneficial bacteria,that treat your wastewater. Small amounts of standard household cleaners, d I ra*n cleansers, detergents,, etc. will be diluted in the,tankand should cause no damage to the system. Keep the followi'ng materials out of your system: NON-DE,GRADABLES IT EMS: Cooking grease, disposable diapers. plastics,, dental floss,, cigarettes,, etc. POISONS: Gasoline, oil, paint, paint thinner', pesticides, polyurethane, dyes,, disinfectants, antifreeze, etc. Water Softeners Many homes or small businesses may decide to install water softeners to address"'hard water"'and the resulting mineral deposits that build up from it, The Title 5 regulations prohibit water softener backwash or reject wastes from going into,a,septic system (con vent,ioinal septic system, I/A system, or cesspool), in any amount. However, the backwash 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 pit with open-jointed lining,or holes that allow infiltration to the surrounding soil. For more information on having a drywell designed for your home or business, you should ointact the Health Department.