Get matched with top septic tank pros in Jackson, LA

Several things can ruin a septic tank over time, including dumping harsh chemicals (like bleach and ammonia), pesticides, and paint thinners down your drain because they can kill the bacteria in your septic tank. You should also make sure to only flush waste and toilet paper in your toilet—otherwise, you could clog your system.

With regular testing, treatment, and maintenance, water from a community well should be safe to drink. Unfortunately, the EPA does not regulate private wells, and contamination can happen. 

If you have doubts about the quality and safety of your drinking water, you have options for testing. You can pick up kits from your local home supply store or harvest samples and send them to a local testing facility. To get the most complete water quality testing and system diagnosis, seek a local well professional. They know what to test for and can recommend and implement a longer-lasting solution.

Depending on local conditions, a deep well may be a better choice than a shallow well. Deeper well depth accesses groundwater that has been naturally filtered through many layers of soil and rock. This reduces surface contaminants and may offer cleaner water, but deep wells cost more money to build and maintain. The water may be harder and have higher radioactivity, too. 

You may want to increase the size of your leach field, for instance, if you add on to your home or install more bathrooms in your house. You can make your leach field larger by installing more pipes or expanding the area of the field itself. Improving the soil quality in the drain field can also make it more effective without increasing the area.