Board of health to mail reminders to pump

YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County District Board of Health will begin mailing pumping reminders to 631 Goshen Township residents with septic systems.
"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."
Health board records show 1,177 households in Goshen 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 tank pumped every three years. Homeowners will receive pumping interval recommendations and a list of licensed pumpers with their reminder letter.
Notifications
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 health board reminder program has prompted thousands of homeowners in the 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 said.
More information about preventing water pollution from household sewage disposal systems can be found on the Health Reports/Advisories page of the district health board Web site at www.mahoning-health.org.