Proper maintenance of a septic system begins with what you put down the drain. Unlike city sewer, a septic system has a design flow of so many gallons per day. If the design flow is exceeded on a regular basis, backups and problems with the leaching area may result. A way to estimate your home’s design flow is to multiply the number of bedrooms by 150 gallons per day. Following this example a three bedroom home would have an estimated design flow of 450 gallons per day. Keep in mind that the average family of four uses 150-250 gallons of water per day inside the home, but this number can easily be exceeded by carelessness and practicing poor water usage. Proper function of the septic system may also be impaired by excessive use of toilet paper, baby wipes, garbage disposals and household chemicals. All of these factors can impact the need and frequency of pumping the septic tank. It is recommended by Maricopa County Department of Environmental Quality that a septic tank be pumped every three to five years.
