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

As I have stated before in previous posts/blogs/articles, so many people don’t really know how their wastewater systems work.  Because they don’t know how they work, they don’t understand simple “dos” and “don’ts” of a septic system.   I totally get it!  Until I got drug into this business I never pondered what happened every time I flushed.  I doubt you do either.  However, when it comes to your own on-site wastewater system (i.e. septic systems) if you don’t ponder it just a little bit, it can lead to big, messy, gross, disgusting, expensive problem. Have I enticed you enough thus far?   Great, let’s dig in! Today, I’m going to write an overview of how a septic system functions.   I mean, if you’re going to understand something you need to start with how it works, right?  Right. The diagram above is a basic description of what happens to all the wastewater in your home.  I realize the picture just attaches to two toilets, but in your typical house,  ALL  the

So, I have written several posts 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 i