Drain flies (aka moth flies or sewer flies) are a common but relatively harmless pest. Even new homes can have them if the house is hooked up to old pipes.

Adult flies (about the size of the tip of a pencil eraser) usually show up in bathrooms and kitchens emerging from drains. Drain flies make masses of from 30 to 100 eggs, which hatch within two hours of being laid. The larvae live in the thin film of slime that lines your pipes. They feed on the sediment that collects there.

The maggots grow for nine to 15 days, pupate for a day and a half and emerge as adults and start the cycle all over again. You've probably never seen any of the young maggots. The adults, however, are most often observed on the walls of basements, bathrooms, kitchens or other sites where sewer drains and plumbing fixtures are found. They are quite poor fliers and most often hang around drains or other areas where they can have good access. The young live in drain traps, pipes, garbage disposals, toilet tanks, or in wet areas around septic tanks, leaking pipes or sewer lines -- even in wet mops.

Fortunately, despite their preferred choice of residence, the moth fly doesn't pose any particular risk for disease transmission. They don't bite. They're just a general nuisance. However, they may be an indicator of septic or sewer problems that needs to be corrected.

To check for possible breeding sites, you'll need to make an X across each drain with masking tape. You can also use an inverted clear plastic cup sprayed with cooking oil set above the drain. Make certain that you don't completely cover the opening. If you do, there will be no air flow and the flies won't try to emerge. Check the traps periodically. If you find adult flies stuck to the tape or inside of the cup, it's probably the source of your infestation or, at least, one of the sources.

The only way to rid yourself of drain flies is to completely eliminate their food, and that means thoroughly cleaning the drain lines and plumbing fixtures where they might live and breed. Pouring bleach or boiling water down a drain may help to knock down the numbers of immatures. An enzyme or bacterial based drain cleaner can be used to eliminate the gelatinous layer.

The adults can be killed by almost any household insecticide or a good flyswatter (they tend to "puff" when swatted). However, to significantly reduce their numbers for any significant period of time will require your hiring a professional plumber to clean out your pipes.

Tim Lockley, a specialist in entomology, is retired from a 30-year career as a research scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For answers to individual questions, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Tim Lockley, c/o Sun Herald, P.O. Box 4567, Biloxi, MS 39535.

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Drain flies find slimy pipes ideal neighborhood

Although All-Out Sewer and Drain owner Ray Caldwell was convicted Monday in federal court of 33 felonies related to illegally dumping septic waste, the Longview business can remain operating for now.

Longview and Cowlitz County officials wouldnt say Wednesday whether they intend to revoke All-Outs licenses. Longview Public Works Director Jeff Cameron declined to comment regarding All-Outs city general business license, which expires in May.

Chris Bischoff, environmental health manager for the Cowlitz County Health Department, said the county was investigating the possibility of revoking Caldwells septic pumping license and would make a decision by January.

Were proceeding with due caution to make sure everything is done correctly as were evaluating the verdict of the federal trial, Bischoff said. Were ensuring hes getting due process.

In mid-November, the county revoked the license of Caldwells business partner, Randy Dingus, who pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the federal Clean Water Act. Dingus held a license as an operations and maintenance provider of septic systems, Bischoff said. He will be sentenced Jan. 27 for participating in the illegal dumping scheme.

Caldwell, 60, started the drain cleaning and septic pumping business in 1990. Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle found Caldwell guilty of all 33 counts he faced: 25 felony counts of violating the federal Clean Water Act, six counts of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements. He will be sentenced March 10.

Caldwell was accused of pumping septic waste from his collection trucks into the city sewer system on 25 different dates last year to avoid disposal fees of 10 to 25 cents per gallon. He also is accused of underreporting by hundreds of thousands of gallons the amount of septage he collected from customers.

The mail fraud charges stem from Cowlitz County mailing invoices to All-Out for per-gallon collection fees based on fraudulent information the company provided.

The judge also found the company All-0ut Sewer guilty of 32 of the same charges.

Violations of the Clean Water Act are punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $5,000 to $50,000 per violation, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

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Despite conviction, All-Out Sewer licenses still valid for time being

TACOMA A federal judge on Monday found Longview businessman Ray Caldwell guilty of multiple violations of federal clean water laws and other charges, ending a four-month trial that documented how his business repeatedly dumped raw septic waste into the Longview sewer system.

U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle found Caldwell, owner of All-Out Sewer and Drain, guilty of all 33 counts he faced: 25 felony counts of violating the federal Clean Water Act, six counts of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Oesterle said the government vigorously pursued the case because Caldwell had a long history of illegal dumping septage that continued even after U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agents raided his business in August 2012.

It became apparent to us that he wasnt going to stop until we prosecuted him, Oesterle said Monday.

The judge said the court rejected as not credible the defense theory the water was nothing more than graywater, which is the equivalent of dishwater. Although septage may separate into layers as it settles in collection trucks, the water in the middle nonetheless contains bacteria, contaminants and pollutants, he said, adding that Caldwell was aware of this.

The case depended partly on circumstantial evidence, which was overwhelming, and led the court to the only conclusions it could reach, Settle said.

Caldwell, wearing an olive-colored suit and cream shirt and tie, did not visibly react when the judge read the verdict.

Sentencing will take place at 11 a.m. March 10. Caldwell will be free on bond until then.

For each Clean Water Act violation, Caldwell, 60, could face up to three years in prison, fines of $5,000 to $50,000 per day of violation and supervised release of up to one year.

The judge also found the company All-0ut Sewer guilty of 32 of the same charges.

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All-Out Sewer owner guilty on all counts at Clean Water Act trial

The Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority is using a state grant to connect homes in an Okatie neighborhood to a new sewer line, but one resident worries that's a waste of money.

Some homes in the neighborhood on Old Bailey Road, just off S.C. 170 near Callawassie Island, had new septic tanks installed in late 2011, also with the help of a state grant, resident Lula Hamilton said.

Less than a year later, representatives from BJWSA and the Lowcountry Council of Governments, which partnered with the utility to secure a sewer grant, were visiting the neighborhood to gauge interest in installing a new sewer line, Hamilton said.

"Look, if you guys thought that you were going to bring this sewer system in, why waste my money putting down new septic tank systems?" she said.

Both projects are meant to improve the Okatie community and the river basin environment, according to Michelle Knight, Lowcountry Council of Governments' community and economic development director.

"There are going to be times where we do a (community development) block grant, where we're going to hit somebody who's already received assistance in some way, shape or form," Knight said. "Does that mean we shouldn't do it? I would think not. With (the sewer), we're doing something that's much more permanent."

The Council of Governments is a regional organization involved in planning, economic and workforce development in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. During the past three years, the council has used a state grant to repair septic systems across the Okatie River basin to reduce water pollution, said Ginnie Kozak, the council's planning director.

The new sewer line will be a permanent fix, BJWSA spokesman Matt Brady said. Instead of relying on individuals to maintain their septic systems, the neighborhood will have the support and reliability of BJWSA regular maintenance, he added.

"The grant is a long-term solution for wastewater services in the area," Brady said. "It benefits these residents by providing a sustainable public wastewater system, and it also benefits our sensitive environment."

The new sewer project will cost nearly $390,000, funded by a community development grant awarded in July, Brady said. The state awards such grants for revitalizing neighborhoods and improving community infrastructure, and the program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Sewer authority to connect to 40 homes in Okatie; resident concerned

By Gregory Phillips Staff writer

SPRING LAKE - Woodrow Mainor remembers leaving his septic tank uncovered overnight after he had it pumped out.

"The next morning, it was full of water," he said. "You couldn't get rid of it."

Mainor lives in Bragg Estates, an unincorporated neighborhood of 173 homes along Vass Road, north of Spring Lake.

Properties there have long struggled with failing septic systems. By 2011, the problems had forced one home to be vacated and six more systems had been declared irreparable. Four other systems were repaired, with one drain field moved to an adjoining property.

"This was a swamp," said Mainor, gesturing from his driveway on Riverside Circle. "There's nothing they can do about it."

Cumberland County plans to try. The county Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday night and may vote to create a Bragg Estates Water and Sewer District. That would enable the county to seek grants and loans at low interest rates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to provide sewer service to the neighborhood.

"It's strictly for sewer," said Jeffery Brown, the county's director of engineering and infrastructure. Aqua, a private company, provides water to the neighborhood.

The county took a similar approach to providing water to the Southpoint neighborhood in Gray's Creek, which had been supplied by tainted wells. Lines were installed, homeowners had the chance to tap in at a reduced fee and anyone who didn't is charged a small monthly access fee.

How those fees would be structured at Bragg Estates would depend on a number of variables not yet known, including the public funding available and the amount of homeowners interested in the service. Any changes are likely years away, with the creation of the district the first step in a very long process.

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Hearing set to address failing septic system at Bragg Estates

Hundreds of homeowners in Lower Macungie will be required to have their on-lot sewer systems pumped out every five years under a new ordinance that takes effect next year.

Township officials will detail their plans for their new on-lot sewage management program during a 6:30 p.m. meeting on Wednesday at the Lower Macungie Community Center, 3450 Brookside Road, Lower Macungie.

The new law, approved earlier this year, requires all residents to do regular maintenance on their septic systems, in five-year intervals. Guy Bieber, the township's sewage enforcement officer, has estimated that 1,000 property owners have on-lot systems. The remainder of the township is served by the public sewer system.

Owners of on-lot systems are required to hire a township-registered septic pumper/hauler to clean out their tanks and submit to the township an on-lot system pumping and inspection form. The new ordinance can be found on the township's website.

The township is dividing properties into five sewer management districts. Those in District 1 will be required to have their systems pumped in 2014, District 2 in 2015, District 3 in 2016, District 4 in 2017 and District 5 in 2018. The five-year cycle would start over again in 2019.

A map showing the locations of the five districts is on file at the township building, 3400 Brookside Road. Residents in each district will receive a notice about the pumping requirements in the year they're required to have their systems pumped. They'll have until Dec. 31 of that year to get it done.

Residents who don't comply with the ordinance face fines of between $500 and $1,000.

In a letter to residents posted on the township's website, Bieber wrote that the program "has many proven benefits."

"They include the reduced chance of malfunctioning system that will result in costly repairs, a better functioning and longer lasting on-lot system, protecting your family's health and improving your property values," Bieber wrote.

Township engineer Bill Erdman has said it typically costs homeowners about $200 to $300 to have their systems pumped out.

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Lower Macungie to detail plans for on-lot sewer program

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Drain Line Cleaning and Maintenance Toilets won't flush? Laundry or bath tub won't drain? Call us and we can get your clogged drainline flowing quickly. We can also determine why your line plugged and provide a remedy to prevent it from happening again. If it's broke, we can fix it. to schedule or call us at 231-228-7499 or 231-947-3535

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Septic System Repairs :: Septic Tank Pumping :: Portable ...

home section Interior Design Housekeeping Entertaining Home Improvement Gardening & Plants Landscaping eHow Home & Garden Home Repair & Maintenance Plumbing How to Clean a Septic System

Tom Raley

Tom Raley is a freelance writer living in central Arkansas. He has been writing for more than 20 years and his short stories and articles have appeared in more than 25 different publications including P.I. Magazine, Pulsar and Writer's Digest.

A septic system consists of two primary components, the field lines and the septic tank. In most areas the minimum septic tank size required will be 1,000 gallons. On an average home the septic tank will need to be cleaned out every 3 to 5 years. The time between cleanings can be increased if the homeowner practices water conservation and keeps harsh chemicals out of the system.

Excavate an opening to the septic tank, or open the access hatch provided above ground level. If there is no access from the surface it will be necessary to remove the dirt from the top of the tank in order to expose the access lid. The tank should not be buried more than 10 to 18 inches below the surface.

Check the amount of sludge or solid waste located at the bottom of the tank. This can be done with a long stick or pole. A section of small 1-inch PVC pipe works well as a measuring rod as well. Determine what percentage of the tank contains sludge. If the tank is 5 feet high and has 2 feet of sludge, it would be 40 percent filled. Any tank which is 35 percent or more filled with sludge is considered to be full. Allowing the tank to be filled above this level could result in clogs or waste back flowing into the home.

Pump the sludge out of the tank using a pumping truck designed to hold this type of waste. On a 1,000 gallon tank that is 35 percent filled you will have the equivalent of 350 gallons of sludge to remove. It is not necessary to remove all of the water from the tank, your only concern is the sludge. The tank should always be filled with water and will only work properly when it is filed.

Re-seal the tank and replace the dirt removed at the beginning of the project. If possible, install an access port so the tank can be emptied without the need to excavate the tank lid each time. Do not allow any dirt to enter the tank during the pumping process or when re-sealing the tank.

Empty the hazardous waste from the truck at an approved location. Dumping it in an unapproved manner is not only criminal, but also very unsafe and unsanitary.

This process is best done by professionals who have the equipment and experience to complete the task in a very timely manner. They will also have permits and know where to dump the waste. For an average tank you can expect to spend from $300 to $500.

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How to Clean a Septic System | eHow

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Portable toilet rental, septic tank cleaning, drain cleaning

The purpose of Olympia's Wastewater Utility is to protect public and environmental health by ensuring that wastewater is collected and conveyed to treatment and disposal facilities with minimal risk.

With the exception of properties served by septic systems, also known as Onsite Sewage Systems (OSS), the Utility performs the collection of all wastewater within the Olympia urban growth area.

The Olympia City Council made septic systems a key policy issue of the current Wastewater Management Plan. For the protection of public and environmental health and to meet zoning densities, the Plan significantly limited the use of septic systems for development within the city limits and recommended establishing a program to gradually promote the conversion of properties from septic systems to the sanitary sewer.

There are more than 2,000 septic systems within the Olympia City limits and an additional 2,200 septic systems are located within the City's urban growth area. Even at low to moderate housing densities, unfavorable soil conditions combined with shallow groundwater levels, challenge development served by septic systems.

Water quality problems associated with septic systems in our region are well documented. Even properly functioning septic systems still discharge only partially treated wastewater to the environment. Under the authority of the Clean Water Act, the State of Washington has listed several Olympia streams as impaired by bacteria and the State is developing recovery plans. Failing septic systems are also a principal cause of shellfish harvesting restrictions in Henderson Inlet.

The Olympia City Council approved revisions to the municipal code establishing the Septic to Sewer program (effective August 17, 2009). The voluntary program provides incentives for residential connection of septic systems to sanitary sewer as well as cost recovery mechanisms for the City to make sewer extension projects possible.

If you currently have a septic system and you are interested in connecting to the sewer system, the City will waive the sewer general facility charge if you make the connection within two years of notification of the sewers's availability. The City will notify property owners by mail when the sewer becomes available and when the GFC waiver will expire for their property. If you know that the sewer is currently available to your property, there is no need to wait for notice from the City to benefit from the GFC waiver.

The Utility also has funding available to construct a limited number of neighborhood sewer extension projects. Property owners that choose to connect with a new sewer project will be required to reimburse the City some portion of the cost of constructing the sewer infrastructure. In neighborhoods selected for a sewer extension project, the City will:

Neighborhood sewer extension projects will be selected based on the following criteria:

The City continues to seek neighborhoods interested in sewer extension projects. The key factor in selecting a sewer extension project will be the neighborhood's level of interest and commitment. Sufficient interest is needed to make a project cost effective and successful.

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Septic to Sewer - Olympia, WA