How to Prepare a Septic System for a Large Event March 22, 2024 By Laura Schultz Decentralized Wastewater, Onsite, Wastewater decentralized wastewater, onsite wastewater, septic systems, septic tanks 0 Residential septic systems are designed to accommodate the wastewater from a specific number of people, typically judged by the number of bedrooms in the home. This normally doesn’t represent any issues for the regular residents, but the extra bathroom use necessitated by holding a large party or gathering can pose overload challenges for the septic system. If a septic system is flooded by the overload of water from party guests in a concentrated timeframe, the overwhelming of the tank and drainfield could lead to sewage backups and flushing untreated effluent into the drainfield. In short, a quite possibly ruined party! There are steps that homeowners can take to prepare for the impact on the septic system ahead of the party; mostly involving efficient use and management of water ahead of time. These are the steps advised by the septic education program at Michigan State University Extension: In the days leading up to the party, minimize the amount of water used for laundry, dishwashers, and showers. If the planned cooking is water intensive, do as much food prep and cooking ahead of time as possible. Rent a portable bathroom. Post bathroom rules to advise guests what can be flushed and other bathroom/septic safety tips. Have the septic system inspected and pumped before the party. Make sure that other outside sources of water, like eavestroughs or gutters, are routed away from the septic drainfield. More Advice Things to Do to Save Septic System During Holidays | Crews Environmental A Guide to Holiday Guests and Septic Systems | West Coast Sanitation Why You Need to Prepare Your Septic Tank for the Holidays | A1 Tank Service Summer Gatherings and Your Septic System | All-Clear Septic & Wastewater Services Comments are closed.