Cottage Q&A

QUESTION
I own a cottage on an island. I've always been extremely careful as to what goes into the septic tank - no greases, fats, or non-digestible materials, and we've also attempted to minimize the amount of solids loading. I use the cottage only between April and November. Is there such a situation as not using the septic tank enough? Am I setting the system up for failure?

John Barker, via e-mail


ANSWER

During most of the year, there's no such thing as underusing a conventional septic system, says Alex Campbell, an on-site waste management specialist with R.J. Burnside and Associates in Orangeville, Ont. Given minimal or sporadic use, your system will simply tick along at a low level of activity. It could even sit unused for a decade and still work fine once you start using it again. Of course, the anaerobic bacteria that decompose sewage wastes won't wait around for 10 years to get fed, but they'll re-establish themselves when there's waste to work on.



Jo Currie



* Published in the March 2002 issue of Cottage Life