More New Hampshire septic tanks are failing, and the pandemic could be to blame.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said it received more replacement applications in May of this year than in May 2019.
These replacements can be expensive, costing anywhere from $ 10,000 to $ 30,000.
DES spokesman Jim Martin believes more people working from home could be responsible for this.
“In the situation we live in today, where many, many households have their entire families at home a lot more than ever before, their sewer systems are becoming much more polluted,” he says.
Because of the coronavirus, people may also be using more antibacterial cleaning products in their homes. Overuse and disposal of these products can be bad for septic tanks, which need healthy bacteria to function well.
Martin recommends monitoring detergent use and reminding people that septic tanks should be pumped every three to five years.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are generally fewer applications this year, and the percentage of application systems failed has increased from a third of all applications a year ago to 45% of all applications in May 2020, according to DES.
The number of failed wastewater treatment plants rose last month from 239 a year ago in May to 250.
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