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Understanding Your Cesspool
A HOMEOWNER'S GUIDE
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Ever Wonder What Happens After You Flush?
Beneath your yard, a cesspool goes to work. Wastewater flows from your home through an inlet pipe into a large underground pit made of porous brick. Inside, heavier solids settle to the bottom — forming sludge. Meanwhile, the liquid waste seeps through the permeable walls into surrounding soil. That soil acts like a natural filter, absorbing and dispersing the water safely. Over time, solids build up, and the pit fills. That’s why routine pumping is essential. No leaks. No backups. Just a simple system doing a dirty job quietly. Now you know what’s going on underground.
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY CESSPOOL
Maintain your Septic Tank
1
Septic Tanks over 10 years old should be professionally maintained every 3-8 years, depending on household size and usage. Regular maintenance prevents solids from clogging overflow pipes.
Watch for Slow and/or Gurgling Drains
2
If sinks, tubs, or toilets start draining slowly — or you hear gurgling sounds — it may indicate that waste isn’t moving through the system properly. These are early warning signs of a clog or an overfull cesspool, and catching them early can save you from needing emergency services.
Keep grease & oil out of the drains
3
Grease solidifies once it cools, coating the inside of pipes and restricting flow. Over time, this buildup will cause a backup and force waste back toward the house.
Avoid excessive chemical cleaners.
4
Harsh chemicals like bleach, ammonia, drain openers, and antibacterial soaps kill the natural bacteria that break down waste inside the cesspool. When those bacteria die off, solids build up faster and required maintenance becomes more frequent, or the system can fail altogether.
Spread out water usage throughout the day.
5
Dumping large volumes of water into the system at once (multiple showers, laundry loads, dishwasher cycles) can overwhelm and cause backups for cesspool systems over 20 years old.
Fix running toilets as soon as possible.
6
A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons per day, quietly overwhelming your septic system. Not catching this problem soon enough will cause the system to fill-up prematurely.
Only flush things that break down naturally.
7
Parking cars, storing equipment, building sheds, or placing heavy landscaping features over the cesspool can crack the tank, collapse the structure, or compact the soil around it. A damaged cesspool is extremely costly to repair or replace, so keeping the area clear is essential.
Keep heavy items off the cesspool area.
8
Parking cars, storing equipment, building sheds, or placing heavy landscaping features over the cesspool can crack the tank, collapse the structure, or compact the soil around it. A damaged cesspool is extremely costly to repair, so keeping the area clear is essential.
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