Ensure vents have mosquito-proof mesh fitted

Ensure inspection openings and tanks are sealed

Prevent solids from leaving the tank. First of all, get your tank pumped at regularly scheduled intervals to prevent excessive accumulation of solids in the tank. Under normal conditions, you should have the tank pumped and inspected every 1-3 years. Very Important - tanks should be pumped and inspected through the manhole cover, not the inspection pipe.

Some materials simply must not enter your septic system, otherwise problems will almost certainly occur. These include:

Storm-water from downpipes or rainwater tank overflows.

Back-wash water from pools, spa pools or water softeners.

Solid materials such as paper, plastic, sanitary napkins, tampons, nappies or nappy liners.

Trade waste from commercial or industrial premises.

Paint, petroleum products or other solvents, strong alkaline, acid or bleaching agents.

Do not plant trees within 30 feet of your system or park/drive over any part of the system. The pipes and drain/leach field will clog, rendering the system inoperable and ineffective.

Waterlogged drain-fields will have trouble absorbing the liquid by-product of your septic system. This means that the septic system process of breaking down waste will be interrupted and waste may still be harmful. The solution is to divert excess water from the site of the drain-field.

Septic tanks need to operate under alkaline conditions. Some factors which can cause odour problems include:

Excessive use or use of the wrong type of cleaning chemicals

Shock volumes of incoming water (eg. From several loads of washing in quick succession.

Lack of use of the system while the house has been vacant.

The normal bacteria may die off under acid conditions resulting in offensive odours. It is quite simple to restore the balance using hydrated lime available from hardware stores. Mix 0.5kg of lime with 5 to 10 litres of water. Flush the mixture down the toilet 2 times a day for 5 days, until a total of about 5kg is used. If the odour persists repeat after 7 days.

For the average sized septic tank pour a cup of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) down a toilet or drain once a week. If you do this every week, you will create a favourable pH environment for microorganism - naturally present in your septic tank - to digest sewage, so that the effluent going to the drainage field is clearer. A clearer effluent helps prevent clogging in the drain field, and backing-up in the house.

Usage of Household Cleaning Products. Some argue that the use of leading brand laundry detergents, bleaches and fabric softeners can kill the useful bacteria in your septic system, causing it to fail. However, normal use of these products should not effect the operation of your septic system.

These products do kill a small amount of bacteria, but septic tanks harbour a large bacterial colonies and the effect is negligible. Excessive use of these products can contribute to septic system failure. If you wash over 5 loads a week using bleach, problems could arise.

Use liquids instead of powders for washing as they are less harmful to the septic tank.

Use products labelled as biodegradable or septic-safe.

Keep to the same brands of chemicals as eventually, the bacteria in your septic tank will build up some resistance.

Instead of chemical bowl cleaners, add a gallon of vinegar to the water in the toilet bowl, let it sit for a few hours, then flush it away.

Soda Crystals, Soap Flakes, Bicarbonate of Soda, Borax and Vinegar are all safe to use with septic tank sewage systems.

Washing machines are one of the leading causes of septic system failure. The primary culprit is lint generated by washing machines, which clogs the soil in drain fields. Did you know that typical family washing machine produces enough lint every year to carpet an entire living room floor. Lint screens and nylon socks trap less than 5 percent of these contaminates. These minute particles, because they are so small and light, do not settle in the septic tank. Instead, they stay in suspension and are flushed out to the drain field where they plug-up the pores of the soil bed. Lint can be prevented from entering the septic system through the use of a reusable, inline filter which attaches to your washing machine discharge hose.

Ensure that there are no leaking taps or other plumbing fixtures. Routinely check the float valve on all toilets to be sure it isn't sticking and the water running continuously. This constant flow to your septic tank can overload it. The same goes for other unnecessary expenditures of water.

Put food colouring in toilet tank overnight to check for leakage through flapper valve, replace if needed

Installing a water meter is a sure way to know how much water you are using and how much the water use will be reduced by doing certain things.

The most effective way to reduce the sewage flow from a house is to reduce the toilet usage which usually account for about 40% of the sewage flow. Many toilets use 5-6 gallons per flush.

Baths and showers can use lots of water.

Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Then it won't be necessary to run water from your taps in order to get a cool drink.

Never allow the following to enter the septic tank:-

Cooking fat or grease

Food scraps

Coffee grounds

Cigarette ends, facial tissues, newspaper, paper towels, sanitary towels

Medicines, milk, beer or brewing dregs

Paint thinners, polyurethane, anti-freeze, pesticides, some dyes, disinfectant, water softeners and other strong chemicals.

Small amounts of standard household cleaners, drain cleansers, detergent, etc., will be diluted in the tank and will cause no damage to the system.

Cleaning water for latex paint brushes and cans into the house sewer.

Use a good quality toilet tissue that breaks up easily when wet. One way to find out is to put a hand full of toilet tissue in a jar half full of water. Shake the jar and if the tissue breaks up easily, the product is suitable for the septic tank. High wet-strength tissues are not suitable. As long as the tissue breaks up easily. Colour has no effect on the septic tank. Many scented toilet tissues have high wet strength.

While doing research for this topic I came across this site and have added it for you to view - I assume the information in it also applies to the Creuse region:

Septic Tank in France & SPANC

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