Important maintenance tips for septic systems in schools
Septic systems are used--mostly in homes and small businesses--to provide self-sufficient waste disposal. However, these systems are also useful in schools. When equipped with proper capacity, a septic tank system can provide stability, cost savings and efficiency over time.
The key to optimal results is to properly maintain your septic system. You need to account for the usage that both children and staff members will exert on the septic tank, drainfield and drainage pipes. Here are some essential tips you should implement.
1. Have the tank pumped on a regular basis
Depending on the size of your school and septic tank, waste may fill up quite quickly. You should ensure that the tank is pumped on a regular basis to prevent any blockages or slow drainage.
A good maintenance plan is to have the tank drained at least three times during a semester: at the beginning, middle and end. This will ensure that the tank is always ready to meet capacity requirements when school is in session.
2. Keep the drainfield secluded from reach of children
Your septic tank drainfield plays an important role in the daily efficiency of your wastewater system. The drainfield shouldn't become clogged or oversaturated at any given time. However, the curiosity of children can cause you to experience trouble in your drainfield. By allowing kids to play near these areas, they can end up damaging septic lines or interfering with the surrounding soil.
The solution is to keep the drainfield in a secluded part of the school. You may even decide to install a fence that restricts access to the drainfield so that children can't access the area.
3. Provide guidelines as to what shouldn't be flushed down the toilet
Clogged toilets are a common problem in many schools. This is because kids tend to flush wrong items down the toilet, causing blocked drains and overflowing wastewater. To prevent this from happening, put guidelines in place to inform kids about what they can and cannot flush down the toilet.
In addition, put a separate bin in every toilet for items such as sanitary towels, paper towels and other personal hygiene products. This will encourage all students to avoid flushing the wrong items.
4. Implement a proactive plumbing maintenance plan
Finally, make sure you remain on top of all plumbing issues on the premises. If you notice that a drain is clogged, a toilet is flushing slowly or there are foul odours near the septic tank itself, have a professional inspect and repair the system before the problem gets worse.
To learn more about septic tank pump-outs, contact your local septic tank company.