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What is Septage and How Should it be Managed?
What is Septage?: The PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) defines residential septage as "a liquid or solid material removed from a septic tank, cesspool, portable toilet, or similar device that receives only domestic sewage. This excludes greasetrap waste and industrial waste".
How Often Should My Septic Tank Be Pumped? Many municipalities have ordinances that outline how frequently septic tanks should be pumped. Call your municipal office to see if your township or borough has such an ordinance. If not, depending on capacity and usage rates, it is recommended that septic tanks be pumped every three to five years.
Who should I Contact to Service My Tank? To ensure that your septage is properly managed, be sure you hire a licensed hauler. Contact the Authority at 717-845-1066 for information about licensed haulers, or check your phone directory's yellow pages for a septage hauler near you and be sure to ask if they are licensed to operate in York County. You should receive a manifest after your hauler is done pumping your septage tank.
How is Septage Monitored? The PADEP regulates the management, disposal and land application of septage for use as a soil conditioner. The York County Solid Waste Authority licenses all haulers who collect and transport septage and requires them to submit individually numbered manifests to document each load of septage pumped and transported to ensure it is taken to a permitted disposal site or to a licensed wastewater treatment facility.
How Much Septage does York County Generate?: In 2002, 15.3 million gallons of septage were pumped in York County.
How is Septage Managed at a WWTF?: Septage is delivered to a wastewater treatment facility that has been designed to accept and treat this waste along with its normal sewage flow. The septage is usually delivered to a septage receiving station where it is sampled before it is mixed with the sewage flow. The septage sometimes undergoes separate pretreatment before it is mixed with the sewage flow. This varies with the facility design.
If you have additional questions about septage call us at 717-845-1066 or e-mail us at: webmaster@ycswa.com
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