Ensure usage matches septic capacity (e.g. a 4-person septic design cannot handle 12 renters).
Excess water makes your septic system work harder. Conserve water and fix leaks.
Failing septic systems can contaminate surface and ground water with nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens, and may be contributing nutrients that stimulate algal blooms in Togus Pond.
Divert storm drains or basement pumps away from your system.
Reduce garbage disposal use by composting kitchen scraps. Foreign items can clog your septic system and cause failure
Avoid flushing bulky items like paper towels and feminine products or fats and greases down the drain.
Harmful substances can negatively impact your system and Togus Pond. Avoid pouring chemicals or unnecessary additives down your drain or toilet. Bleach can kill the bacteria in the tank.
Protect your leach field for optimal system performance. Operate heavy machinery away from your leach field. Keep trees from growing on or near your leach field. Direct runoff away from the leach field so the area does not over-saturate.
Be proactive about your septic system’s health. Waiting for system failure guarantees a costly bill.
Watch for these warning signs: sewage odors, slow flushes, or visible sewage seepage near the leach field.
Your septic system should be properly sized for its intended use, depending on household size and use of garbage disposals. Typically, a 3-bedroom house requires a 1,000 gallon tank.
Pump out your system every 2-3 years (4 if seasonal).
Call a professional to inspect your system if it is older than 20 years. Information on septic inspections here.
Untreated household waste can be harmful to your family’s health and to Togus Pond.
Septic System Tips
According to the Maine DEP, properly functioning septic systems are not likely to contribute large amounts of phosphorus to Togus Pond. However, as few as 1 or 2 failing septic systems can have an outsized, adverse effect on our water quality.
There may be some cases where a pre-1974 property has a cesspool or an undersized drain field, and is located very close to the lake. Cesspools and undersized drain fields lack the ability to filter waste, and the sewage can contaminate the surrounding soil and seep into the lake.
There are some additional cases when you will want to pay careful attention to how your septic system functions:
Systems in the shoreland zone that are sited over fractured bedrock with only minimal depth of soil between the bottom of the system and the bedrock.
Systems that are sited close to the lake on coarse sand and gravel.
Systems that are sited close to the lake and were installed before 1974 (not designed by a site evaluator).
Learn about your septic system and update it, if needed.
This document lists best practices for those who have a septic system, and was written by a septic system expert (David Rocque).
A great information source about lakeside septic systems from Maine Lakes here.