Most people who have septic system problems are very reluctant to discuss the issue with anyone other than their pumper or a contractor. Why is this so?
Probably the biggest reason for this behavior is fear of government involvement. Government regulators are extremely powerful and can employ a variety of fines and fees on homeowners who have septic system problems. This kind of power works well in some cases because it forces procrastinating homeowners into action for a problem that can affect neighbors and be a health hazard. Imagine trying to sell your house with a neighbor that has sewage ponding on his back lawn! Or imagine trying to hold a summer cookout with rotten egg gas wafting into your yard! Neither of these is an attractive image and, thankfully, regulators can step in to help.
In other cases, especially for the homeowner researching alternatives to system replacement, it does not work out so well. Some regulators can be obstructive, dogmatic and impatient with regards to alternative solutions to septic system problems. For alternative solutions involving chemicals, this is understandable because water table quality is at stake. For solutions involving controlled septic aeration, however, this is irrational behavior. To prove the point, why are permits required in some areas of the country for a proven and controlled septic aeration system that retrofits into an existing system? Certainly, permits and fees have become too much apart of our lives, but a permit for controlled septic aeration seems over the top.
Another reason people keep septic system problems to themselves is negative connotations the problems can have when the home is put up for sale. In some respects, septic system problems have a stigma associated with them similar to lead paint, asbestos, radon, being located in a flood plain, etc. People equate all of these issues with huge cash outlays and, in the worst cases, legal fees. They believe it can become a “scarlet letter” on their property.
It is too bad people do not talk openly about septic system problems and septic aeration. There are huge savings that could be realized by greatly extending the service life of existing septic systems through septic aeration. Because an aerobic septic system performs so much better than an anaerobic septic system, municipalities could put off expansion of waste treatment facilities and avoid the costs of ripping up streets to lay sewer lines. Homeowners could pay down mortgages or buy a new car with the savings they realize from avoiding system replacement.
Unfortunately, each homeowner with septic system problems has to individually discover the great benefits of septic aeration.
