MAHONING COUNTY Pumping reminders to be sent

The reminder program began in 1997.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County District Board of Health soon will begin mailing pumping reminders to nearly 800 Berlin and Ellsworth township residents with septic systems.
"There is no law that requires homeowners to get their septic tanks pumped," said Matthew Stefanak, Mahoning County health commissioner. "But reminding homeowners to get their septic systems serviced regularly can save them thousands of dollars in repair costs."
Health board records show that 417 households in Berlin Township and 381 households in Ellsworth Township rely on septic systems to treat their household sewage.
Septic tanks should be pumped at varying intervals depending on household size and water usage. A four-person household with a 1,000-gallon septic tank should have its septic tank pumped every three years.
Recommendations
Homeowners will receive pumping interval recommendations and a list of licensed pumpers with reminder letters. Pumpers notify the health board when they pump a septic tank, and the board uses this information to keep track of when a septic system was last pumped.
The board's reminder program has prompted thousands of homeowners in Mahoning County to do preventive maintenance on their septic systems since the program began in 1997.
More information about preventing water pollution from household sewage disposal systems can be found on the Health Reports/Advisories page of the health board Web site at www.mahoning-health.org.