Protecting our World's Ground Water - Zabel

permit. Drainlines must be sealed orcapped on the ends or looped together.Drainfields are normally configured intotrenches or an absorption bed. Thedrainfield size must match or exceedthe amount indicated on the permit.The top of the drainfield must be linedwith a barrier to keep dirt from settlinginto the drainfield. The location ofwells are measured to ensure propersetbacks are met. Property boundaries,building foundations, and water linesmust meet certain distances from theseptic system. The installer mayrecommend a root riser be placed onthe distribution box if there are treessurrounding the drainfield. By addingsome copper sulfate into the riser everysix months, roots repel from leachinginto the drainfield that would otherwisecause clogging and backups. Stormwater or runoff from roofs should notdivert towards the drainfield. If so, thefill above the drainfield may erode.Also, the drainfield will remainsaturated longer due to ponding. Thiswill hydraulically overload the drainfieldin a matter of time. Once theconstruction is approved by theinspector, the system is covered andrechecked for the proper amount of fill.Mound Systems require additional fillon the sides, top and ends. They mustbe sloped correctly and stabilized.System MaintenanceOnce your system is approved,remember it requires maintenance.Sludge will build up from the bottomof the tank and will need to be emptiedperiodically. Have a licensed septictank company pump your tank everythree to five years. When the tank isserviced, be sure to have the outletfilter cleaned. If possible monitor yourdaily water usage. Using too muchwater will normally cause the systemto fail within the first five years of usage.Large surges of wastewater entering thetank leave less time for settling ofsuspended solids. You may elect to spacethe number of wash loads to preventoverloading the OSTDS for shortperiods. Root clogged drainfields arecommon and are known as progressivefailures. Generally, a root-bounddrainfield will perform adequately fora greater period of time than a saturatedor overloaded drainfield. Bushes ortrees should not be planted on oradjacent to the drainfield.After your system is properly built,inspected and approved, maintenanceand care are essential to prolong thelife of your system.Albert J. Royster is an environmentalspecialist for Marion County HealthDept. in Ocala, FL. He is the septagecoordinator of the county in charge ofpermitting pumpers and septic tankmanufacturing facilities. Albert inspectsonsite sewage treatment and disposalsystems and performs soil profiles. Heis a member of the Florida Septic TankAssociation and received the FSTAaward for Heath Department Inspectorto the year in 1997.A man walked into a bar decked out in aFlorida Gator hat, tee shirt and otherparaphernalia. He saw two men sitting onbar stools, one wearing a hat with a largeFSU on the front, the other with a UT cap.To the man with the FSU hat he said,"What does that stand for?""Florida Stomped Us," the man replied.When asked about his cap, the UT manreplied, "Us Too."21