Your restaurant’s septic system plays a primary role in the functionality of your business. Although your septic system may not be at the forefront of your mind, it is responsible for processing all waste from diners and therefore requires special attention to ensure optimal performance. Failing septic systems can result in various consequences, including wastewater backup into your restaurant’s toilets and drains, adverse health effects, and costly repairs. Here, we will highlight three key ways you can keep your restaurant septic system in proper working order to prevent these issues.
Have Your Septic System Routinely Inspected
Routine septic system inspections are essential in ensuring proper function. Professional septic tank inspectors can assess the condition of your system and identify any issues with the septic tank, drain field, and other septic system components. The ability to pinpoint issues before they happen or before they grow into bigger problems will save your business a lot of time and money.
Routine inspection of your septic system also ensures it is compliant with local commercial building codes. Restaurant owners must comply with strict health regulations regarding grease trap maintenance, as dirty and overflowing grease poses serious health hazards and other risks.
Practice Water Conservation
Restaurant kitchens can use high volumes of water during dishwashing periods, resulting in surge water loads. These loads push wastewater through the grease trap too quickly, meaning the grease doesn’t have enough time to separate. Without proper separation, grease can make its way into the septic tank and cause damage.
To prevent surge loading, it’s important to practice water conservation. Try following these tips:
- Run the dishwasher only when it is full.
- Install low-flow faucets to conserve large amounts of water.
- Use garbage disposals only when necessary, as they require high volumes of water.
- Fix leaky faucets to reduce the amount of water entering the system.
- When hand washing dishes, conserve water by washing dishes in one bowl and rinsing them in another.
Scrape the Plates!
Restaurants often encounter extra food on the plates when a meal is over. Although it might seem easier to rinse food debris into your garbage disposal, make sure your kitchen staff knows not to use it as a trash can. Cooking oils, gravy, cream sauces, and other greasy or ground-up ingredients can result in numerous problems for your septic tank, including:
- More frequent pumping. Fine food waste particles can float on the effluent layer of the septic tank and enter the drain field, clogging the pores that filter wastewater. While most kitchens need to pump their septic tank every three years, septic tank professionals recommend annual pumping for restaurants that use a garbage disposal.
- Higher risk for blockages. Certain foods can swell and cause clogs when exposed to water. For example, pasta and other starchy foods can absorb water quickly, putting you at a higher risk for troublesome septic system blockages.
To prevent these problems, it’s best to keep food waste from entering your septic system. Rather than cleaning off plates in the sink, dispose of any leftovers in the trash before washing or rinsing dishes.
Keep Your Restaurant Septic System Running With Service Pumping & Drain Co. Inc.™
A functioning septic system is vital to your restaurant operations. At Service Pumping & Drain Co., Inc.™, we offer comprehensive septic services to help your restaurant reliably manage large volumes of waste. Our septic cleaning, maintenance, and pumping services ensure smooth restaurant operations as well as compliance with strict health and safety regulations.
If you’re noticing any issues with your restaurant septic system, the experts at Service Pumping & Drain Co., Inc.™ are here to help. For more information about our septic system services and capabilities, contact us today.
