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Septic Systems

Regulation and Policies

Inspecting Your Septic System

See the information sheet pertinent to your septic system in the second part of the manual for more information. The frequency of inspections depends on the type of septic system you have on your property. 

Septic System Manual

System

Suggested Frequency

Gravity System Every 4-6 years
Pressure Distribution System Every year
Sand-Filter System Every year
Mound System Every year
Subsurface Drip System Every 6 months
Aerobic Treatment Unit System Every 6 months

*Iowa requires that all septic systems are inspected by a certified time of transfer inspector before properties with septic systems can be sold. This is a separate inspection from annual maintence inspections.

Pumping Your Tank

Solids that are not decomposed remain in the septic tank. It is important to remove solids from the tanks periodically by pumping them out. If they are not removed, they will continue to accumulate until they overflow into the drainfield. This eventually leads to drainfield plugging and failure. The first signs may be slow draining fixtures, however the system may fail by discharging sewage effluent to the ground or backing up into the house. 

The speed at which solids accumulate in the septic tank is impacted by the number of people using the septic system, the type of water use, and any other household characteristics. The only way to really know when your septic tank needs to be pumped is to measure how many solids are in the tank. A mantainer will do this as part of their routine inspection. 

The tank should be pumped when: 

  • There are less than 4 inches between the bottom of the floating solids (scum) and the bottom of the outlet baffle.
  • There are less than 16 inches between the top of the settled solids (sludge) and the bottom of the outlet baffle.

Resources

South Panorama Sanitary District & Lake Panorama On-Site Wastewater Management District

Lake Panorama Septic Inspections

As part of the South Panorama Sanitary District Maintenance program all septic systems except for those systems that are mechanical and under yearly outside maintenance contracts are fully inspected on 4 year cycles. These inspection are not time of sale (transfer) inspections.  

Each year an annual fee of $20 is billed to homeowners for each septic system.

Request Copy of Septic Information Pay the Annual Maintenance Fee

Policies

 

County Courthouse

200 N. 5th St.
Guthrie Center, IA
Contact Us

Courthouse Hours

M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed Holidays
Department Hours May Vary