MAHONING CO. HEALTH BOARD Letters to tell 875 residents to get septic tanks pumped

The reminder program started in 1997.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County District Board of Health will begin mailing pumping reminders to nearly 875 Coitsville and Poland township residents with septic tanks.
"There is no law that requires homeowners to get their septic tanks pumped," said Matthew Stefanak, county health commissioner. "But reminding homeowners to get their septic systems serviced regularly can save them thousands of dollars in repair costs," he said.
Health board records show there are 652 households in Coitsville Township and 1,283 households in Poland Township that rely on septic systems to treat their household sewage.
Septic tanks should be pumped at different 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, health officials said.
Homeowners will receive pumping interval recommendations and a list of licensed pumpers with their reminder letter. Pumpers notify the health board when they pump a septic tank, and the board uses the 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.
"We believe the program has helped keep many septic systems functioning properly that would have otherwise malfunctioned and threatened public health and the environment," Stefanak added.
More information about preventing water pollution from household sewage disposal systems can be found on the Health Reports/Advisories page of the health board's Web site at www.mahoning-health.org.