Properly Maintaining Your Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS)

Properly maintaining your OWTS, i.e. septic system, will not only help prevent costly repairs, but more importantly ensure that it works as it was designed to protect both the environment and public health.

Good Practices

Welcome to our comprehensive water conservation recommendation guide-let's dive in and explore the various ways we can all become water conservation champions!

Your Existing Water Services

  • Be wary of overloading your system. Your system is designed for a specific water usage rate--having more people using your system than designed, e.g. a houseful of short-term renters, will damage your system and cause it to fail.
  • Practice water conservation -- the amount of wastewater that your OWTS can handle is limited to the value on your Discharge Permit.
  • Restrict usage during heavy rain events, as high groundwater can damage your system causing it to fail.
  • Wash clothing and dishes only when you have a full load.
  • If your tank alarm sounds, do not ignore it--it is there to warn you that there is a problem. Contact your service provider as soon as possible.
  • Be careful to avoid letting beach sand enter your OWTS.
Water Conservation Graphic

Things to Avoid

What not to flush
  • Flush unnecessarily
  • Disposing of any of the following: Paper towels, sanitary napkins, tampons, disposable diapers, condoms, cigarettes, coffee grounds, cat litter, grease, and/or oils.
  • Using water during a power outage--components of your system rely on power and will not operate properly without it.
  • Using septic tank additives, or disposing of any toxic chemicals.
  • Draining pools, hot tubs or spas into your system.
  • Planting trees in the leachfield area, or allowing roof drains to drain onto the leachfield area.
Learn more about your OWTS using our Homeowner's Guide