Yes, it is very important to have your septic tank pumped to remove floating scum and sludge before they accumulate. If scum or sludge reaches the soil treatment system (cesspool) it can cause expensive and often irreparable damage. Never go more than 36 months between cleanings, and always have it done by a licensed and bonded professional who removes all scum, sludge, and liquid from the tank.

Have proper maintenance performed on the septic tank; avoid overloading it with water (spread laundry and heavy use through the week); do not add anything you would not normally put down the drain or toilet; avoid septic tank additives, which do more harm than good; and never flush sanitary napkins, diapers, paper towels, coffee grounds, or cigarette butts.

Check county or city permit records first. Otherwise, determine the direction the sewer pipe leaves the basement and probe the soil 10 to 15 feet from the foundation in that direction; a metal detector helps locate a concrete tank's reinforcing rods. For a cesspool, look for areas where the grass grows differently, a slight depression or mound, or soggy soil. A licensed contractor also has tools to locate it - and once found, map the components for next time.

The odor comes from gases produced as waste decays. Common causes and fixes: sewage surfacing in the yard (have the tank pumped and reduce water use, and call a professional if it persists); damaged or missing inspection pipe caps (replace them); and a house vent not high enough to diffuse odor (increase the vent height). Diagnosing the exact cause often requires a professional.

Not necessarily. The grass is greener over the soil treatment area because the roots consume the water and nitrogen in the wastewater; if the ground is not wet, that is a natural process. But if the surface is WET, it poses a health hazard - fence off the area and call a professional to diagnose the cause.

Yes. Wet ground means wastewater is surfacing (ponding), which poses a health risk to people and animals. Fence off the area to keep everyone away from the sewage and call a professional, as diagnosing the specific cause can be difficult.

It can be caused by several things: excess water usage (reduce use and see if it returns to normal); improper plumbing slope or a hump in the line; a blockage where grease or improper items hang up on pipe joints; frozen lines; pump failure (check the pump and floats, replace with the same type and model); or roots clogging the pipes (have the line rooter-serviced and checked for cracks or broken joints).

A licensed ISTS Evaluator/Designer conducts soil borings in the proposed soil-treatment area, within the setback boundaries set by regulations, to protect the groundwater, your well, and nearby lakes.

Installation of an individual on-site septic system typically ranges from about $3,000 to more than $10,000, depending on the size of the home, the site conditions, and local ordinance requirements.

A properly installed and maintained system should perform for 15 to 40 or more years. Without proper maintenance - or with repeated water use in excess of the designed flow - the life of the system will be shorter.

There are four basic kinds of septic systems: cesspools (concrete with drainage holes, open to the sand below); trenches (drainpipe laid in rock, gravel-less pipe, and chambers); pressure beds (small perforated pipes in rock that spray wastewater under pressure across the bed); and mounds (a constructed sand hill with a pressure bed inside, covered with soil). An ISTS Designer determines the right type from the site evaluation done before designing your system.

No. Gardens require constant tilling and add unnecessary water, and wastewater carries pathogens that are harmful. Tree roots tend to block the flow of water through the soil pores and clog the system.

House plumbing funnels wastewater to the septic tank, where solids separate from liquids and natural bacteria break down the organic solids. Remaining solids are stored until the tank is pumped (every one to three years). Septic tanks do not destroy disease-causing pathogens; they prepare the liquid for final treatment by the soil, which is distributed through a cesspool, mound, or drip system. A layer called biomat forms where sewage meets soil and destroys harmful pathogens. If the tank is not pumped often enough, solids clog the biomat, liquids cannot pass, and the system fails - surfacing or backing up into the home.

No, but mowing increases evaporation of the wastewater, which helps the filtration process of the nitrogen present.

No. A properly designed, constructed, and maintained septic system will not contaminate the groundwater (your wells) or the lake - it is designed to protect them.