Communities, national organizations, local groups, and state governments can bring attention to the importance of caring for and maintaining septic systems by organizing homeowner education events, sponsoring workshops or sharing social media from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) SepticSmart program.
On-site sewage systems — such as septic systems — are an excellent way to treat residential or small business wastewater in areas where a sewer system is not available. Roughly a third of Washington households are on septic systems. Homeowners with on-site sewage systems play a critical role in keeping Washington's drinking water clean. Failing on-site sewage systems (OSS) can contaminate and threaten the safety of the groundwater we rely on.
Well-functioning and properly maintained septic systems can effectively treat household wastewater for many years. EPA estimates that up to 10% of septic systems fail annually. Failing septic systems can result in sewage backing up in the home or entering local waterways and groundwater supplies– posing a public health threat. A failing septic system can be expensive to repair or replace. In Western Washington, a new system can cost $25,000 or more. There are key things homeowners with septic systems can do to maintain their system, protect groundwater and nearby waterbodies, and avoid large out of pocket costs.
First, let’s talk about how your average septic system functions. Maggie Morehouse, an environmental health specialist with Thurston County and a bonafide septic expert, will walk you through how a septic system functions and how to maintain your home septic system:
Intro to Septic Systems
Maggie also has tips on common maintenance practices a homeowner can use to keep their system up and running cleanly and safely:
Homeowner Septic Maintenance
Loan programs available for septic help
You aren’t on your own when it comes to repairing or replacing your septic system. We are here to help. With our partner Craft3, we offer Clean Water Loans to help homeowners with septic system expenses.
The Clean Water Loans cover all eligible permitting, design, and installation costs. These loans have lower rates for lower-income borrowers, and they are designed to be accessible to borrowers who may not have perfect credit.
Since the program’s launch in 2016, nearly 1830 systems worth $50 million have been repaired or replaced. Those systems treat 246 million gallons of wastewater annually – the equivalent of 372 Olympic-sized swimming pools (660,000 gallons).
Because of dedicated homeowners and our amazing partners prioritizing septic safety, SepticSmart Week is a royal flush in Washington!