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Minnesota <br />Pollution <br />Control <br />Agency <br />wq-wwists4-35 <br />Septic Tank Maintenance <br />The purpose of this fact sheet is to <br />discuss Subsurface Sewage <br />Treatment System (SSTS) tank <br />maintenance requirements. <br />Why is proper septic tank <br />maintenance necessary? <br />Periodic removal of solids in septic tanks <br />will ensure long-term and cost-effective <br />service of the SSTS. Without proper <br />maintenance the sludge layer at the bottom <br />of the tank, and the floating scum layer, <br />will accumulate and begin to flow from the <br />tank into the soil dispersal system, <br />commonly called the drainfield, leading to <br />premature failure. Repair of a failed <br />drainfield can be costly. Also, lack of <br />proper maintenance can result in a sewage <br />backup into the home. <br />Scum <br />Sludge <br />Inspection Pipes <br />Maintenance <br />Hole <br />Baffles <br />To Soil <br />Dispersal <br />System <br />When is proper maintenance <br />required? <br />Minn. R. 7080.2450 requires a SSTS <br />maintenance assessment at least once every <br />three years. A local government's SSTS <br />ordinance may contain stricter or additional <br />Water Quality/Wastewater #4.35 • July 2008 <br />requirements, therefore, it is important to <br />know and follow the local requirements. <br />Who is responsible for proper <br />maintenance? <br />It is the system owner or the owner's <br />agent's responsibility to assure <br />maintenance is accomplished. <br />What is proper maintenance? <br />Minn. R. 7080.2450 requires the owner or <br />owner's agent to regularly, but in no case <br />less frequently than every three years. <br />• assess whether the sewage tank leaks <br />below the designed operating depth <br />• assess whether sewage tank tops, riser <br />joints, and riser connections leak <br />• measure accumulations of scum and <br />sludge depths <br />• remove all tank contents when <br />necessary <br />Also, local governments are required to <br />have a management plan for all new or <br />replacement SSTS within their jurisdiction. <br />This management plan must include a <br />maintenance component. <br />When must the solids and liquids <br />be removed from the tank? <br />All solids and liquids must be removed <br />when the top of sludge layer is less than 12 <br />inches below the bottom of the outlet <br />baffle, or the bottom of the scum layer is <br />less than three inches above the bottom of <br />the outlet baffle. <br />Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • 520 Lafayette Rd. N., St. Paul, MN 55155-4194 • www.pca.state.mn.us <br />651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats <br />