Here are 10 easy ways to keep your septic system in great shape.

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1. Conserve water
   You’ve probably seen a note along these lines: If it’s pee, let it be. If it’s brown, flush it down. Cottagers aren’t just being cute: Excessive water use overloads septic tanks and prevents solids from settling on the bottom. The solids get pushed into the leaching bed where they cannot be filtered out effectively. The clogged soil will not accept more water and backups can occur. 
   
   To save water: Flush only when necessary, use a low-flow toilet, install high-efficiency taps and showerheads, tell guests to be conservative with their water use, run your dishwasher and washing machines less often, and fix any dripping taps.
    

2. Flush organic only
   If it isn’t human waste or toilet paper, don’t flush it. Flushing paper towels, disposable diapers and wipes, condoms, sanitary napkins, tampons, facial tissues, coffee grounds, cigarette butts, grease, kitty litter, and such will quickly fill your tank and clog the system. Even if a product’s packaging claims that it’s flushable, don’t.
    

3. Seek biodegradable cleaners
   Avoid using heavy-duty cleaners (especially those with bleach), toilet pucks, and antibacterial soaps. These products kill the bacteria that keep the system running effectively. Use biodegradable products for tasks that involve frequent water use (such as washing dishes).

4. Avoid chemicals
   Never put paints, solvents, pesticides, gasoline, or other toxic chemicals in your system. Don’t flush old medication either. Not only will these kill the beneficial bacteria in the tank, they will also end up in the groundwater.

5. Keep trees and shrubs away 
   The roots of trees, especially aggressive species such as willows and poplars, will travel as far as needed to get to water. Roots can plug up and wrap around distribution pipes in the leaching bed, causing all sorts of damage. Don’t plant deep-rooted trees or shrubs on your leaching bed or within five metres of it, and consider relocating those already there.

6. Plant shallow-rooted species
   A good way to avoid soil erosion is to plant native grasses over the leaching bed. Don’t overwater, as any excess may interfere with the soil’s ability to treat waste. Doug Joy, general manager for the Ontario Rural Wastewater Association, recommends planting periwinkle or other groundcover, as these plantsrequire very little irrigation, if any.

7. Insulate distant systems 
   If your septic system is located far away from the cottage, insulate the pipe running from the building to the septic tank to prevent freezing during the winter. Joy recommends packing rigid foam insulation around the pipe, something many property owners he knows have done recently. To insulate the entire system, let the grass grow long over the tank, increase soil cover, or add a layer of mulch. If a system is constructed properly and buried deeply, freezing is unlikely.

8. Beware of storms
   If you own a system with a submersible pump, installing a lightning arrestor helps protect it from power surges that can ruin your septic’s inner workings. To avoid system overload, ensure that your eavestrough and foundation drains are sending water away from the leaching bed. If it gets too soggy, it won’t absorb enough oxygen or neutralize the waste.

9. Inspect and pump 
   As noted above, have your system inspected and its contents pumped out by a professional every three to five years (or when the tank’s volume is about one-third full). You can open the hatch to look inside, but never stick your head in or enter the tank. The gases inside are not only smelly, they’re dangerous.