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Your Maintenance Schedule How often must my septic tank be pumped? Up to 50 percent of the solids retained in the tank decompose; the remainder accumulate in the tank. A septic tank should be pumped out at regular intervals to prevent a failure of the system due to sludge accumulation. Normally, a 900-gallon septic tank would be used for a home with three bedrooms or fewer. If six people reside in a three-bedroom house, the tank should be pumped every year. If the same system serves a family of two, the tank would be pumped every 2 years. Systems installed before 1971 may have septic tanks smaller than 900 gallons. These tanks may need to be pumped more than once a year.

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