Maintaining your septic tank

• Check sludge level, pumps, alarms, disposal area and pipes often, at least once a year.
• Desludge (empty by pumping out) the tank at least every three years as stated in your permits, or sooner if needed. Please make sure you send us a copy of the maintenance report from your contractor.
• Do not wash or disinfect tank after desludging.
• If you have an Aerated Wastewater Treatment System, also known as a 'treatment plant', ensure you have it serviced regularly. Servicing is to be done as set out in the Certificate of Approval from the Environment Protection Authority and the manufacturer's guidelines. This is to be done by an accredited service agent and copies of the agent’s service reports need to be sent to us.
• Do not build over or disturb the system, including the effluent area.
• Do not drive over or allow livestock to disturb the effluent trenches.
• Do not cover any of the system with concrete or pavers.
• If there is an odour from your system, flush a cup of garden lime down the toilet each day until the odour is gone. If odour persists, seek professional advice.
• Limit the use of germicides, such as strong detergents, disinfectants, toilet cleaners or bleaches. 
• Use soapy water to clean toilets and other fixtures.
• Use only detergents with low alkaline salts and chlorine levels.
• Do not flush sanitary napkins or disposable nappies down the system.
• Use a sink strainer to stop food scraps from going into your system.
• Do not use a garbage disposal unit.
• Minimise the amount of oil and fat that goes into the system.
• Fill the septic tank with water to reduce odours on start up and after desludging.
• Make sure only a suitably trained person works on your system.
• Get our approval before altering or adding to your system.

Signs of a failing system may include:

• blocked fixtures
• high sludge levels
• water draining away too slowly
• pipes making noises or gurgling when draining
• sewage smells
• water ponding in the area of the effluent (absorption) trenches
• a lush green growth down slope of the soil effluent (absorption) trench lines
• soil effluent (absorption) trench lines that become waterlogged following storms
• presence of dead and dying vegetation around, particularly down slope of the land disposal area.