LOW RISK
(rank 4) |
LOW-MOD RISK
(rank 3) |
MOD-HIGH RISK
(rank
2) |
HIGH RISK
(rank 1) |
YOUR RANK
|
| SYSTEM LOCATION |
| •
In relation to well |
| System is downslope more than 100 feet from well. |
Tank at grade or upslope more than 100 feet from well. |
Tank downslope less than 100 feet from well. |
Tank at grade or upslope less than 100 feet from well. |
|
| •
In relation to trees |
| No trees within 50 feet of absorption field. |
Big trees within 25 to 50 feet of absorption field. |
Big trees within 10 to 25 feet of absorption field.
|
Trees or shrubs within 10 feet of absorption field. |
|
| •
In relation to soils under absorption field trenches |
| Medium- or fine-textured soils silt loam, loam, clay
loam, clay. |
Medium- to coarse-textured soils sandy loam, sands.
|
Gravelly. |
Fractured bedrock or limestone. |
|
| SYSTEM MAINTENANCE |
| •
Pumping out septic tank |
| Check scum and sludge levels each year or pump out every
4 years or less. |
Check scum and sludge levels every 2 years or pump out
every 4 to 6 years.
|
More than 6 years between pumpouts. |
Don't know if ever pumped out or don't remember the year
it was done. |
|
| •
Traffic over system |
Never driven vehicles or farm equipment over system.
|
Only occasionally drive vehicles over system but never
heavier farm equipment.
|
Frequently drive over system with vehicles or
occasionally with heavier farm equipment. |
Routinely drive over system with heavier farm equipment.
|
|
| •
Root plugging lines |
Never had a problem with roots in system lines.
|
Routinely add root inhibitor (example copper sulfate)
to system or have cut back roots from lines. |
Add a root inhibitor (example copper sulfate) if
suspect a problem.
|
Had roots mechanically cleaned from lines at least once
and have made no effort to prevent regrowth into lines. |
|
| HOUSEHOLD PRACTICES |
| •
Water use |
| Have water-saving fixtures, good maintenance of fixture
leaks, and follow most water conservation recommendations. |
Have some water-saving fixtures, fair maintenance of
fixture leaks, and follow some water conservation recommendations. |
No water-saving fixtures, poor maintenance of fixture
leaks, but follow some water conservation recommendations. |
No water-saving fixtures, poor maintenance of fixture
leaks, and don't follow any water conservation recommendations.
|
|
| •
Waste going into septic system |
| •
Garbage disposal |
| Don't use. |
Minimum use (1-2 times per week). |
Medium use (3-5 times per week). |
Daily use. |
|
| •
Kitchen sink |
| No disposal of grease, oil, fat, or coffee grounds. |
Minimum disposal of grease, oil, fat, or coffee grounds
(1 time per week). |
Moderate disposal of grease, oil, fat, or coffee grounds
(2-3 times per week).
|
Extensive disposal of grease, oil, fat, or coffee grounds
(almost daily). |
|
| •
Toxic substances |
| Never dispose of paints, solvents, pesticides, etc., in
system. |
Minimal disposal of paints, solvents, pesticides, etc.,
in system (1 time per year). |
Moderate disposal of paints, solvents, pesticides, etc.,
in system (2-3 times per year). |
Disposal of paints, solvents, pesticides, etc., in system
more than 3 times per year. |
|
| •
Toilet |
| No disposal of paper towels, sanitary napkins, disposable
diapers, cigarette butts, etc. |
Occasionally dispose of paper towels, sanitary napkins,
disposable diapers, cigarette butts, etc. (1-3 times per month). |
Frequently dispose of paper towels, sanitary napkins,
disposable diapers, cigarette butts, etc. (3-4 times per month). |
Disposal of paper towels, sanitary napkins, disposable
diapers, cigarette butts, etc., in toilet more than 4 times per month. |
|
| •
CONCERNS |
| Septic system age |
| Less than 10 years old. |
10-20 years old. |
20-30 years old. |
Over 30 years old. |
|
| Sewer backup into house |
| Never. |
Sometimes once per year or less. |
Occasionally 1 to 3 times per year. |
Frequently more than 3 times per year. |
|
| Sink, tub, shower, and wash water disposal |
| Goes into septic tank. |
Piped to an outlet downslope and 100 feet from any water
source. |
Piped to an outlet upslope and greater than 100 feet from
any water source. |
Piped to an outlet upslope from and within 100 feet of a
water source. |
|
| Surfacing of sewage |
Never notice.
|
Notice 1 or 2 times per year.
|
Notice more than 2 times per year.
|
Green grass, septic smell, and wet soil conditions exist
around absorption field nearly all the time. |
|
| |
RANKINGS TOTAL
(Add up numbers in Your Rank column) |
|
| |
# OF AREAS RANKED
(15 if ranked all) |
|
| |
Use these two numbers to calculate your risk ranking. |
