Most people do not spend much time thinking about what happens to the water and other substances disappearing down their drains every day. However, the actions you and your family or business take regarding sewage waste management can have major impacts on water quality and your local environment. Thankfully, A&L Cesspool is here to share these five helpful, eco-friendly sewage management tips. 

Eco-Friendly Sewage Management Tip 1: Do Not Flush Hazardous Substances

When we pour hazardous substances down our drains, they pass through wastewater treatment systems and out into our environment. Household wastewater is a major source of pollution threatening our rivers, lakes, streams, groundwater aquifers, oceans, and other bodies of water. This is why you should never dump cooking grease, fats, or oils into your drains: they can pollute the wastewater and clog your pipes. Instead, you should store these waste products until they can be safely thrown out, or you can have them collected by A&L Cesspool. In the same vein, you should never flush household cleaners, including drain cleaners, down your pipes; these chemicals can threaten water quality, wildlife, and human health.

Eco-Friendly Sewage Management Tip 2: Only Flush the Three Ps 

Wastewater treatment systems are only designed to handle the three Ps: poo, pee, and (toilet) paper. So not only should you avoid flushing hazardous materials down your pipes, you should avoid flushing anything but the three Ps. If you flush anything outside of the three Ps, like baby wipes, paper towels, masks, or gloves, these materials can cause clogs and blockages in septic tanks and sewers. Clogs can prevent the normal flow of wastewater and result in sewage backing up into streets, yards, and even your bathroom. Sewage backups are not only gross and unpleasant for people they also allow raw sewage to pollute our water supplies. It is best to only use your toilet to flush the three Ps and not any other substances or objects. 

Eco-Friendly Sewage Management Tip 3: Limit the Use of Your Garbage Disposal 

Garbage disposals are a convenient staple of many kitchens, but when overused, they can threaten the environment and your pipes. Garbage disposals dump large quantities of organic matter into septic tanks and sewers, which can lead to them requiring a cleanout sooner than they otherwise would. Do not use your garbage disposal as your main method of disposing of kitchen waste. If food scraps can be put into the normal garbage or, better yet, composted, it is a better solution for those who care about eco-friendly sewage management.

Eco-Friendly Sewage Management Tip 4: Practice Good Septic System and Cesspool Care

Properly maintaining your septic or cesspool system is another good way to practice eco-friendly sewage management. For instance, if you have a septic system or cesspool, you should get it pumped out at least every two to three years. You should also have your system inspected to look for leaks and damage at least every three to five years. A&L Cesspool can assist you with both of these services if you live in New York City or on Long Island. You should also avoid using septic additives since these chemicals ironically make your system less effective. Additionally, you should fix leaky pipes, turn off faucets when they are not in use, and take other steps to use less water

Eco-Friendly Sewage Management Tip 5: Consider Upgrading Your Fixtures and Septic System

Upgrading your plumbing fixtures and home sewer system is another good solution for eco-friendly sewage management. Switching out your shower heads, faucets, toilets, washing machines, and dishwashers for versions of these household items that use less water is a great way to reduce the amount of sewage your household produces. You can also manage your sewage in a more environmentally friendly way by switching from your current cesspool or septic system to an advanced septic system. These newer septic systems are more effective at keeping nitrogen pollution from leaking into local bodies of water than conventional septic systems. Nitrogen pollution can lead to fish kills, toxic algae blooms, and beach closures. Advanced septic systems can reduce nitrogen pollution by 90 percent. Many governments, including those of New York State, Nassau County, and Suffolk County, offer programs to help homeowners and small business owners offset the costs of upgrading their systems. 

Let A&L Cesspool Handle Your Sewage Management Needs

The next time you need sewage waste removed from your property, call A&L Cesspool so that we can help you with this dirty job. Our sewage vacuum trucks can remove up to 3500 gallons of sewage from your property every time. We also provide grease waste management services and numerous other sewer and drain services. Give us a call today!