I am taking this time to remind lake owners that they should review their property's waste management. Even septic systems that have worked well can go bad without maintenance. First, do you know where your system is? Do you know what your components are? Do you have a maintanence schedule? Replacement of a failed system is expensive. Failed septic systems around the lake can be a major contributor to phosphates in the lake and therefore cause algae.
Mike Mader at TLBP [Tenmile Lakes Basin Partnership] has offered to do a free and confidential dye test of your system. He can recommend further steps based on results. This is a helpful way to determine if your septic is operating correctly.
Alan Whitney
