Why Regular Septic Maintenance Is the Cheapest Insurance You’ll Ever Buy
True Water Septic | Victoria ∙ Langford ∙ Colwood ∙ Sooke ∙ Saanich ∙ Sidney ∙ Metchosin ∙ Highlands ∙ Gulf Islands
Most Island homeowners only call us when the toilets won’t flush, the yard is soggy, or Island Health is knocking. By that point the damage is done — and the fix usually costs $8,000–$35,000.
The truth? 90 % of those emergencies are completely preventable with simple, regular maintenance on your Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 septic system.
Here’s why skipping it is the most expensive “saving” you’ll ever try.
1. The Real Cost of Neglect (Real Jobs We’ve Seen This Year)
Routine annual or bi-annual maintenance visit: $325–$650
Emergency service call after a backup into the house: $1,500–$4,500
Partial or full treatment-plant or drain-field replacement: $18,000–$45,000+
We’ve done all three in the last 12 months. The families who stayed on a maintenance plan paid the first price. The ones who waited paid the last two.
2. What “Regular Maintenance” Actually Means in 2025 (BC Guidelines)
System Type Household Size Recommended Service Frequency
Type 1 (standard) 1–3 people Inspection + service every 2–3 years
Type 1 4+ people Every 1–2 years
Type 2 / Type 3 Any size Annual maintenance strongly recommended
Garbage disposals, hot tubs, or frequent guests? A shorter interval is recommended.
3. The Silent Killers You Can’t See Every month without service:
Effluent filters clog → solids escape into the drain field or treatment plant
Biomats grow and harden → permanent loss of percolation
Pumps, floats, and alarms fail → untreated sewage backs up or overflows
We’ve opened Type 2 and Type 3 control panels in Langford and Sooke that hadn’t been checked in 5+ years — alarms were dead, pumps were burned out, and the field was already failing.
4. 7 Habits That Protect (or Destroy) Your System Do these and sleep easy:
Schedule your annual or bi-annual maintenance visit
Use only septic-safe toilet paper
Fix dripping faucets and running toilets immediately
Spread laundry and shower loads throughout the week
Never do these:
Flush wipes (even the ones that say “flushable”)
Pour grease, paint, chemicals, or medications down any drain
Park or drive over the tank, field, or treatment plant
Ignore alarm lights or strange odours
5. What You Actually Get With a True Water Septic Maintenance Visit
(We don’t pump tanks — we leave that to the pumping companies — but we do everything else, and we do it better.)
Every service includes:
Full visual and functional inspection of your Type 1, 2, or 3 system
Cleaning or replacement of effluent filters (the #1 cause of premature field failure)
Pump and float testing + alarm verification
Control-panel diagnostics and minor adjustments
Drain-field probe check and surface inspection
Detailed written report
Free reminder service — we’ll contact you when you’re due again
Stay dry out there,
The True Water Septic Team
Keeping Greater Victoria flowing
P.S. Forward this to the neighbour who still thinks “out of sight, out of mind” works for septic systems. You might just save them a small fortune.
