All waste water systems need to be cared for in order to keep the systems healthy and functioning properly. This is essential for the protection of our aquifer and drinking water from contamination by sewage. In addition, a sand filter will clog up and cease to function properly if not cleaned regularly and a replacement system may cost tens of thousands of dollars, partly due to the expense of excavation in the rock of Mustang Mesa.
There are several types of waste water treatment systems on the Mesa. It is important that you know what kind of system that you have! If you are not sure, consult with a plumbing or septic system speicalist.
The most common are standard septic tanks with leach fields and septic tanks with sand filter systems. There are also a few Biomicrobics FAST systems and Orenco Advantex systems.
All septic tanks need to be pumped regularly to remove accumulated solid waste. Consult with a local septic pumping service to determine the frequency of pumping recommmended for your system and household usage.
In addition to pumping the main tank, advanced systems, including sand filters, Biomicrobics, and Advantex, all need special cleaning done more often, usually annually. Below are links to more information about septic sytems in general and more specific maintenance information about some of the advanced systems.
There are currently two companies in our area certified by Orenco to perform maintenance services for advanced systems:

    JT Hatter Electric - (760) 873-5200

    Drain Pro - (760) 937-1449

As more providers become certified, they will be added to this list.

If you plan to manage your waste water system on your own, John Reed with Orenco is a good source for further information:

John Reed
Alternate Septic Systems
559-683-7474
alternativeseptic@gmail.com
www.alternativesepticsystems.com