The Pumper's Wife

So, if you read my previous ever-so-eloquently-written-wastewater-post from last week…You’ll notice the first thing I mentioned when avoiding septic system “messes” was WATER USAGE.  Today, I’m going to elaborate on that.     I had written how septic systems are sized according to the number of bedrooms.  It is assumed that there is at least one person per bedroom using approximately 100 gallons of water a day when sizing a system.  Obviously, there is no way to know exactly how much water will be used in the home, but to date this is the most logical way to assume approximate water usage. One thing septic systems are good at, is showing you when you’ve used too much water.  (Think about trying to fit 20 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket…)  Typically, you’ll see standing water over your drainfield first, but sometimes too much water can lead to a back-up in the house as well.  Below, I have listed the most common areas that lead to or can cause standing water over

It's the beginning of spring and many people are calling to have their septic systems pumped.  We are also seeing more issues with lateral pooling.  Personally, I believe this is due to two things...one is groundwater.  This year, despite the fact that the flooding of 2018-19 is behind us, the water table is effecting some areas that it hasn't in the past.  The second issue is more people being at home all day long using water.  This typically won't be an issue for newer systems, but the older ones are struggling.  (Think of Grandpa's '65 mustang....it ran great in 1965 and even now is fun to take out for a spin, but you wouldn't want to enter it in a NASCAR race....and yet, if you're home all the time and your system is older, that exactly what your septic is feeling like!)  So, with this in mind, here's a quick overview of systems and tips that maybe can help you as you stay home! As I have stated before in previous posts/blogs/articles, so many

I don't know about you, but I'm so sick of all the media and reports and everything else in this world! What I'm looking for is something to make me laugh.  Hopefully, this little story will.  I'm not sure of its origin, but I have seen it circulate around.  So today, here's a funny little septic story.  ENJOY! As a guitarist, I play many gigs.  Recently, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the back country.  As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.  I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place.  I didn't know what else to do, so I

I have tried to refrain from COVID-19 talk, but I have had people ask questions, so I am caving and addressing it.  There are many points of view on this, but no matter who you are, right now in the US, everyone is being affected by it in some way. I’m actually surprised at how my own work week has gone.  Despite the news, my phone and workload is actually quite high.  This is the time of year people typically start calling for work again, but now that everyone is home, they are calling even more.  I would imagine, for two reasons….1) they are thinking of things that should be done while they are home and 2) they are clogging their system with all the toilet paper they have hoarded….(sorry, my attempt at humor…). There  have  been several back-ups this week but I’m blaming the full moon and more people being home giving their systems a work out!!  The phone has been ringing a lot no matter what the reason and for that I am grateful.  I’m also EXTREMELY grateful for the men we ha

So, I have written a lot about traditional septic items – how about something septic related but on the side of “new” or “advanced”?  (Technically it’s not really new…but it is new to Nebraska!)  Did you know technology exists to clean up your wastewater better than ever?  For years, the main treatment of septic wastewater has been in the tank.  The water drains in the tank first and because it is typically air tight, the bacteria in the tank conduct anaerobic respiration to break down all the nasty stuff that is in the water.  After the tank treatment, the water slowly drains out to your lateral field where the soil performs a final treatment.  In the drainfield, water is either absorbed into the ground or evaporated through the plants (transvaporation). So why would an alternative to this treatment that has worked for years be necessary you ask?  Well, there are several reasons! 1.  As wastewater system installers, we are concerned about the environment.  We want to install s