HomeMy WebLinkAboutGarbage Disposal Letter - Correspondence - 36 BEAVER BROOK ROAD 7/29/2022 North Andover Health Department
Calmintunity and Ecmiucuimniia Developm anni Division
July 29, 20,22
Addre�,o ; 3,6 Beaver,Brook Road
All Haunt°th Andover Res'vda:a>fs with Septic Systems and Garbage Disposals
is
Please vacate (lua.at due teal au recent review of a °Title, 5 l epoa't, YOLar P ropell,y Maus been identified' as
niafiilaniniuug a working garbage disl osal tfrnat is heing tisi� i in f,couuju,a;nletion with a septic systeni.
The Health 1.ep"I'Mnnuernt is eolru;eraled 161- the luingtMty^ of Your septic System.
Garbage disposals are never rec .n unernded where septie systealas "M'C LLSed, but i f'they° are
installed:, tlue systeruu n iuu,st be specifically designed to,handle (he waste fi`oni them; y ouan° systeruu
uuu,,ray' not be able to handle the waste a�, desigfred, please note tfu.uat continued, use of this disposal
co,uld' quickly c;auase a prc-aara(aure fictl luuue Od'YOUr Septic system, resulting in a large e peauali'tu.ure to,
replace it. "I"11e Isla;orth Andover l lea;ulth Depaulmerut rccoruuranennds that the disposal be 1-euTIO e :fi-cauuu
Your I once gas Soon as possible.
Some in f ranuatioru regarding regular rlllaamrrolepuaauuc e ofyotnr septic system is included. Plea e call
the Health p7epartrurc:rrt id 9'78r6,88.9540 if you have a.nuyr questions,, or eurauaiI your quemlnmi to
lneaithda� ,[,Lyoua;u��'fh l nd 0 ver ma"I g y.,
Thank you for taking tl.ic time to eon mider,' the impact. that your currentseftip has, on Your sq'tic.
sy'stein and the erivirornaraerrl(„
; airralrru�ely�, ;
`,q
Bl611, l aa, a1 casse, CTll lT
Director r:rf'Pub ie Ileaalth
'12'0 Halm Street No thi Andover, ss ach uls et,ts 10118,45
Phone 978.6818.9540 Fix 8. l Estop: I +' w dan iatilicaaadl voa.ranni,gov
Caring for your Septic System: A Reference
Guide, for Homeowners
Caring for Your', eptic System,
Septic Systems Explained
SepUo' Systems are individual wastewater treatment 8ysterns (conventional septic 8ystornq
innovativelafternative (VA) systcuns, or cesspools) that use the loll and bacteria to treat small wastewlater
(IOWS, USUalily'ftonl indi,wrjdual homes. They acre typically used inrural'err largo lot settings where
centralized wastematur troatmont(sevier system to a treatrnont p1ant)is impractical and unavallablo.,
There are many types of septic systoms in use,today. While all systurns are, ilndividball[y'deskgned for clacti:
site, r'nost sy8tonis are based on the same pribelplO8.
A Conventional Septic System
A conventional Septic sy8tcrn clunsists of a septic tank, a(11'8trlbufiloii box:and a leach flekl.
Ybiur septic systenii treaUs you rhaus,(.4iold wastewa ter by tem porarilly hold i ng it in the septic tank wbero
heavy sollids,azid lighter debris are allowed to separato from the wastewater and bactorila.bog in to break
everything down,. The solids shik to the buttorn and are cnlk d the,sludge layer; the lighter debrls,ll as
Kair, ails and ljrloase float to the top and are called aJ&GLIRI tayer; and the WaMewater or offluent:is left in
the middle. T'Jilfs separation process with tho initial decor.,niposiffon Is known as prii-nary treatment.,
on I WO 00" Pa HS,
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After the partiMlly treated wastewater(effluant)leaves the tank it flows Into as distribution box, The
distribution box separates this effluent evenlly into a network of pipes GaIlled selpt[c lines wilfilin the leach
fteldl. Srnail holes throughout the bottom of each septic line allow the efWont tosIoaNlydrain into,grave[
and sand layers where bacteria further treat and purity the offluent. This is knownasserondary
tiroatment. A properly functioning qelpfic,syStern purifies the effluent ftirotugh primary and secondlary
treatment and does, riot,pollute the groundwater.
Caring for Your Septic System
(Conventional Septic SyeAe.m, Innovative)Altornative (VA) System, or Cesspool)
The w,curinated solids in the bottorniof the septic tank should bit-, primped out every two years to j,�irolnng
th a Iffe of your sys[a m, . Septic systems muist he nimintalned regularly to stay wa;rki ng.
Neglect or abuse of your system aan cause it to fail. Faffing 8yi can,
,41 CaUSO a-orjiaus health threat to yolur Family and neighbors,
0, Degrade the oflvirortmenit, especially takes, stroamq and groundwater,
* Reduce We value of your property,
* Be very expensive to rppair,, and
■ Put thousands of water supply U$erqi at risk if you live fil,a public water,supply watershed and fall
to maintain your
Be alert to thme warnIng signs of a fzfl]k,'rg systam'
19 Sewagesurfacing raver the leach field (ospocicdly iifter storms).
M, Sewage back-ups in the house„
Lush, gireon growth over the Ileach field,
Slow dii-aining toilats or i
S,owage odors,
Save Mioney by Maintaining 'dour Septic Systern,
A rrialor reason to maintain your selpfin system is to save money. Failing systerns are expens[vo
to repair or replace,, and poor maintenance Is tartan,the culprit. Preventive rri lint enano e ps a whole,
lot cheaper than repair or replacemeft. For examplu, It up,to,$40,000 or Moro to
replace a falling system with a nim, oine,compared to approximately$300 to$400,to have a
system inspected, iuid pumped eveny couple of oors, Maintaining a septic systom Is like.,
irnalritalning a car, A small effort on,a regular basis can save a,lot of trxmey and significantly
prolong the lifb of the system,
Ilriri,(ival,i,ve)Alteirfl,ative (11A) systorns, .91111hough providing more advanced treatmant, also reqUirc.,)
more frequent ovensiglht and maintonan,C'e.
jj, Please refer to,our Septib I ristaflers list for licensed contractors.
Tilps to Avoid Trouble
DO have your tiank pumped out aired systern Inspected every 2 years by as licensed septic
contrattor, If the tank fills,up with an exouss of solids, the wastowater will riot havo onough time to selflo
in the tank. Those excess SoHd�jwjlfl theni pass,on to the leach fiel,,d, Whore they will o1bg tho drain lines
and salt. More inforrngfion on ;urnpin,.
00 keep a record of pumpling, inspections, and other mainlenauco. Use the back pago of this brochure to
racord rnaibten�anca dates,
010 practice water cori�sorvalion. Repalr dripping faucets and leakingi follbts, run,washing n1achines,and
dishwashers,only When full, avold long showers, and Use waterasavffig foatures In faucot% shower head-s,
and toilets,.
110 learn the location of your septic ten't arid iea,clh fiel'(1. Keup a sketch of it ha ndy for sewice visits. if
your systern has a flow,diversion valve, learn its locat�ion, and turn it once a year,. Flow diverters can add,
many years lo thie lifo of your systern.
00 divert roof drains,and surface water frorn driveways and hillsides away from Itio septic system, Keep
sunup Pumps arid house footing drains away fro�,n thio septic system as woll.
D 0 prow gras,,s or small plants(not traos or shrubs) a bovo the septic system to hold the draM field 1111
plane, Water conservation through creative tandscaping is;a great way to control exoes�s runoff.
DO use only add Iti'ves that have been allowed for usiago In Massachusetts by M,a s DER Add I Ove,8 that
are allowed for use in Massachusetts have boon determined not to produce a harmful effect to the,
[nd Mdu al systom or its,components or to thie,environment at large„
DO take leftover(hazardous household chornicals to,your approved hazardous,Waste collection centor for
displasal. Use,bleach, disinfectants, and dral'in sand toilet howl cleaners sparingly and ini accordance:with
product labels.
DON'T allow anyone-to,driva or park over any part of the system. The area over the lb�ioh field should he
left undisturbed with only a mowed grass cover. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs may clog and darnage
y,our septic lines,
DON IT pla rrt trees within 30 foot of your-sy-stern,or park/dr ive.aver imy part of the systern.Tree roots will
clog your pipes, and heavy veh k1es may cause your septic lines to collapse.
DON'T rake or allow repaks to your se.l)'tic systemi wwrJtNaut obtaining the required hoalth dep arlment
Permit., Use prof6ssional hceinsad contractoi-s,when needed.
DON'T use comm orG!a!l septic tank additives other,t h,a;n thoso allowed for u se [in Massachusetts by
Ma&sDER These products usually do,not help "arid some may litirt your system M the long rufl,.
DON'T usa choinical solvents to clean the ptumbing or septic systern, "M[raclo" chemicals will kill
microorganisms that consuryle harmful wa-91es.These prodoots,can also cause grourid'W-aster
contarnination.
DON'T peiforr-ni excessive laundry loads with your was filing mathine. Doing load after load does not allow
your septic tank time to adeq uatoly treat wastes and overwhelms the entliro system with excess
wastowater.You could therefore hje flooding your tach field Wit17out @110WIng SUffiClent recovery tine, You
,,.mould (X)rjsujt a, ,;eptJc professional to detorrTOne tho gallnn capacity and number of loads pur (lay t�hat
can safely go into(tho systern.
DOWT use a qarbage grinde:i garbage disposal or any typo of in sink foo,d disposal,wh1ch foods
into the soptic sysli0n). If you do havu one in the [10,uis�o, sever°ejy JJtrjit its usz- or remove:it, Food materials
do not hireak dowsi the same wayo.q wastowater and adding food wastes nr othoraolids severely reduces
our systern s capanity,increases the need to pump the septic tank and can damage your syster,".
DON'T use Vvirtollet as a trash cane by dumpi ng non-doorad able itom-,down our toilotor d1rai ns, Also,
don't poison YOUirseptiC 5y'Stemi and the groutidwater by pouring harniful,chemica[s down the draili.The:y
can kill,the beneficial bacteria that treat your 'aarstewaato-r. Snial'arriounts of standard household (,Ieanier,,-;,
drain cleansers,detergents, etc.will be dl[Ldecl in the tank and should cause no,41,111jage to the system,
'Keep tho following rnaterialls o,uit of your,systonl,'
NOWDEGRADABIES ITEMS:
Cooking greaso, disposable diapers, p4astics, dental floss, Gigal'ettes, otc.,
PQIS,ONS:,
Gaso[ine,oil„ paint, palrtt 0iinner,peStiGidos, polytIM(hane, dyes, disinfectants, antirreezo, etc,
Wat.er,Softeners
Many homes or simall bujinesses rnay decide to,install waW softeners to adidrop.s "hard water°"°and the
resulting mineral depnsits that build Lip kern R.The Titie,5,regulations pl-olli,k)it water softener barkwash,or
l-Pjact wastus from 901r,'19 hito,as %elptic sy steni (conventional,�;ept[G SyStelyl, UA�',y5tern, or cesspool),, in
any arnount.
However, the backwash fro,r-n watei,softeners or from other water purification or filtration dev1cu-;,czn bo,
disshamed into a drywe;l"I th at has been properly designed and,i s approved by U ie loca 1, Board of He�kalth.
Backwash is warstewater generated from the cleaning of water and wastawater treatment filters, A d rywel[
a pit with, open-jotnAed lining or h6los that allow infiltraHon to the surrounding soil.,
F'or more information ol) havin1l a d rywoll desi pnod lor yoti r horne,or business, you shot lid contact We
lea ith Department,