After you flush, the sewage is not always out of sight, out of mind — especially in Buckingham Township, where roughly half of all homes rely on private wastewater systems instead of public sewer lines.
To help residents better understand those systems, Penn State Extension’s Water Team will host a free seminar on residential liquid waste disposal on Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. at the Buckingham Township building.
The session will focus on how systems like septic tanks and cesspools operate — and how proper maintenance can prevent costly and potentially hazardous problems.
Private wastewater systems are common in more rural and semi-rural communities where public sewer infrastructure is not available. In a typical septic system, wastewater flows from a home into an underground tank where solids settle and begin to break down.
The remaining liquid then disperses into a drain field, where it is naturally filtered through the soil. Cesspools, an older and less common design, collect waste in a pit where it seeps into surrounding ground, often without the same level of treatment.
While these systems are designed to operate quietly underground, neglect can lead to serious consequences. Officials warn that poorly maintained systems can result in expensive repairs, groundwater contamination and pollution of nearby streams, particularly in areas where homes rely on well water.
Despite how common these systems are, many homeowners remain unfamiliar with them.
According to a Penn State poll, a significant number of residents do not know how their systems function — or even where they are located on their property.
The upcoming seminar aims to change that, giving residents practical guidance on maintenance, warning signs of failure and best practices to extend the life of their systems.
For homeowners in Buckingham and surrounding communities, it is a chance to better understand a critical — but often overlooked — part of everyday life beneath their feet.
