Conserve water whenever and where-ever you can.  The more water that enters the system, the less effective the treatment system is. Conserve water by:

Flush toilets less often;

Replace less older appliances with modern water-efficient models;

Use moderate amounts of toilet paper;

Take showers instead of baths, and make them shorter;

Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes;

Use liquid detergent in the dishwasher;

Use a front loading washer;

Install a filter on the washer to remove lint;

Use no-phosphate detergent;

Hand wash dishes whenever possible;

Use bio-degradable detergents;

Route roof drains, storm drains, sump pumps away from the septic system drain field;

Consider replacing your toilet system with a composting or incinerating toilet;

Landscape the absorption field with only grass;

Properly design for septic system expansion if additional bedrooms, bathrooms, or other water generating additions are planned;

Have you septic tank system inspected annually; and

Have you septic system pumped at least once every three years, but more frequently based upon the table below:

Use an excessive amount of water;

Use toilet bowl disinfectants, they can kill the bacteria that treat the wastewater in the septic tank;

Flush facial tissues, paper towels, personal hygiene products, cigarette butts;

Flush prescription drugs or over the counter medications, they can kill the bacteria that treat the wastewater in the septic tank, and can contaminate local groundwater or surface water;

Use drain cleaners indiscriminately;

Allow hair or other material to enter drains;

Use a garbage disposal, such use could result in the need to pump the system twice as frequently as not using one;

Pour cooking fats, oils or greases down the sink drain;

Wash more than two clothes washer loads per day and evenly distribute over the day, this will keep the water from flushing through the septic tank without proper treatment;

Send water softener water to the system;

Send chlorine-treated pool water through the system;

Drive or place heavy equipment on an absorption field;

Cover over an absorption field with concrete, asphalt, or other impermeable materials;

Build on an absorption field, such as a storage shed, addition, garage or swimming pool;

Allow storm drains, sump pumps and other water to drain over the absorption field;

Plant trees, bushes, etc. over an absorption field that could penetrate to the pipes and clog or destroy them;

Enter a septic tank, toxic and explosive gases are formed in the tank, and could disable or kill;

Use septic system additives such as starter enzymes, feeders, cleaners, degreasers, or chemicals designed to prevent pump-outs, they don't work and can contaminate local groundwater or surface water;

Wash latex paint brushes or rollers in the sink; and

Flush solvents, paints, antifreeze, and other chemicals, they can kill the bacteria that treat the wastewater in the septic tank, and can contaminate local groundwater or surface water.