Gene's Water and Sewer | Twin Cities Water & Sewer Systems

Here are some more of the septic systems questions Gene’s Water and Sewer gets: How does a septic system work? The system contains a holding tank where natural bacterial action disintegrates human waste into environmentally acceptable components. Do I have to use a certain kind of toilet paper? No. Most toilet papers break down quickly and easily. Tissues, however, don’t easily break down and shouldn’t be flushed into the toilet. How do I know if my system needs repaired? Your septic system will give off clues, like muddy soil or pools of wastewater around the tanks; or sewage smells around the tank or inside the house. Contact a septic system contractor right away. Do I really need to take care of my system? You should if you don’t want smells or to spend a lot of money. Pumping your system costs on average $150 to $200. A new system can cost up to $40,000. How do I find out my tank’s capacity? Check with your local Environmental Health Office to see if they have your system’

Septic system owners ask the Gene’s Water and Sewer staff a lot of questions. Here are the most common: How do I know if I own a good septic system? There are a few telltale signs of bad septic systems . Here are the most frequent: Incorrect Riser and Filter Positioning: Older septic tanks were built without allowing access to risers, as the tanks were buried completely under the lawn. Newer systems were built to allow access risers with an access filter. Cheaper systems are built without the filter. Missing Control Panel: True subpanels should be located within 50 feet of the system and allows access to killing the power should it be necessary. Unfortunately, electric inspectors often skip over septic systems, and some installers know this and install cheaper alarm boxes. Missing Controls: A time counter will tell homeowners how long the system has been running, and some won’t install this, seeing it as a luxury item. The information it provides, however, is critical to diagnosin