HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-06-30, Page 21THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1993. PAGE 21.
Proper septic system maintenance relies on conservation
Household water conservation
and regular servicing are important
in keeping a septic system working
properly. A system will fail when
the owner attempts to dispose of
more waste water than the system
can handle, or when a full tank is
not pumped. It is costly to replace a
failed septic system. In addition, a
failed or poorly maintained system
can pollute nearby watercourses
and groundwater with bacteria and
nutrients.
"Most homeowners can take
some simple and inexpensive steps
to reduce water use in their home,"
noted Anne Loeffler, Rural Water
Quality Technician with the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority (MVCA). Leaky faucets
and running toilets should be
repaired immediately, said
Loeffler. Low-flow shower heads
and flow restrictors for water
faucets are readily available and
will reduce the volume of waste
water entering the septic system.
Toilet tank dams and water saving
toilets are also available. These
devices reduce the amount of water
used on each flush.
Septic systems are designed to
take household wastes such as
sewage and waste waters from
bathrooms and kitchens. The solid
waste is treated and stored. The
liquid part is dispersed into the
ground. A typical system consists
of a tank to store solids and a series
of drainage tiles called a weeping
bed which distributes the liquid
waste. When more water runs
through the system than it is
designed to handle, there are
problems. Solids that normally stay
in the tank are washed into the
weeping bed, and can plug the tiles.
This can leave a homeowner with
waste water backing up into their
basement.
Besides water conservation
measures it is important to have
systems inspected every two years
and to have the septic tank pumped
when necessary. Failure to pump
out a septic tank when required
may result in a plugged weeping
bed. Inspections and pumping must
be conducted by licensed personnel
only.
Do not dispose of toxic items
such as paints, varnishes, oils,
acids, and medicines through your
septic system. These may kill
microorganisms needed to keep the
system operating, or may
contaminate groundwater.
Substances that will not break
down such as cat litter, ash tray
contents, diapers, fat from cooking,
garbage disposal refuse, and paper
(other than toilet paper) should not
enter the septic tank. These will
clog pipes, and fill your septic tank
more quickly.
Soaps, household cleaners,
disinfectants and bleach can all
interfere with proper functioning of
the system. Use phosphate-free
soaps and limit the use of other
cleaners.
Keep excess water such as
drainage from eavestroughs and
basement sumps out of the septic
tank and away from the weeping
bed. Excessive water can cause
ponding on the weeping bed
surface, creating a health hazard.
If automatic washers and
dishwashers are used, make sure
full loads are washed each time.
Excessive water use (such as doine
many loads in one day) should be
avoided because it could flush
solids from the tank to the weeping
bed.
Protect your weeping bed tiles!
Keep all vehicle traffic off the
weeping bed to prevent the tiles
from being crushed. Trees or
shrubs should not be planted in the
weeping bed area, since their roots
may clog the tiles.
Grass on the surface of the
weeping bed should be mown
regularly to promote evaporation
from the soil.
Have your system inspected and
serviced regularly by licensed
personnel.
Know the location of your septic
tank and weeping bed, and keep a
record of when your tank was
pumped out and inspected.
Government agencies eliminate confusion when hiring farm help
By Brian Hall
Farm Management Specialist
for Huron County
When hiring farm employees or
considering employing family
members on the farm, the
regulations, deductions and forms
can be confusing. There may be a
number of government agencies
you will need to check with,
depending on the nature of the
employment.
The first thing many farmers ask
is whether they need to pay
Workers' Compensation. Workers'
Compensation assessment must be
paid for all employees regardless of
age or length of employment. If for
example, you hire a neighbour's
son or daughter to help with haying
or a retired farmer to help do some
fencing, then Workers' Compen-
sation must be paid.
Contractors such as custom
operators or individuals hired on a
fee for service basis are responsible
for paying their own assessment.
You are required to register for
Workers' Compensation within 30
days of hiring someone. The
premium rate varies according to
the type of farm. The 1993 rate for
livestock farms is $4.88 per $100 in
wages paid and cash crop
$4.67/$I00 in wages. Workers'
Compensation not only protects the
employee should an accident
happen but also the employer.
Other deductiAs that may need
to be made are Income Tax,
Canada Pension, Unemployment
Insurance and Employer Health
Tax.
Employer Health Tax is payable
on all employees receiving a wage,
regardless of age, length of
employment (or if the employee is
a dependent). Unlike Workers'
Compensation where premiums are
paid based on your estimated
payroll for the year the health tax
for 1993 is payable in March 1994
based on your actual 1993 payroll.
If you hire someone this year the
rate is 0.98 per cent of wages paid.
New employers would register
after December for the Health Tax
by contacting the Ministry of
Finance at 1-800-263-7965.
All employment is insurable
under Unemployment Insurance
where you hire an employee for
more than 15 hours per week or
whose cash earnings are more than
$149 per week. Thus, if you hire a
student for more than these
minimum amounts in a week, their
earnings are insurable. Employ-
ment of a person 65 years of age or
older is exempt. A dependent of the
employer is usually not eligible for
coverage.
A general guide is if you claim a
child as a dependent for Income
Tax purposes then they would not
likely need Unemployment
Insurance coverage. There are other
specific circumstances where U.I.
coverage is not required and it is
best to check with your local
District Taxation Office.
Many things influence the
payment of Canada Pension Plan
premiums, age being one factor. Up
to age 18 and over 70 years of age,
no payments need to be made.
Payment is also not required if the
employee earns less than $250 per
year or is employed less than 25
working days. Children employed
by parents must contribute to
C.P.P. when they reach 18 years of
age.
Employers must deduct income
tax from an employee's wages or
salary, unless the employee
certifies that the total earnings for
the year will be less than $6,456.
This amount is the basic personal
exemption that everyone can claim
on their personal tax return. An
employee certifies they are exempt
of income tax by completing the
TD-1 form which the employer
keeps on file.
In 1993, children may receive a
net income up to a maximum
$3,107 (or $3,524 for the third
dependent) before the parent loses
a dependency claim for that child.
Children can be considered
dependents if they are under 18
years of age or over 18 and
physically and mentally infirm.
Employers are also required to
ensure anyone they hire has an
Unemployment Insurance number.
Students and others you may hire
can apply for a number throu h
your local Canada Employment
Centre.
Further information on Canada
Pension, Unemployment Insurance,
and Income Tax Deductions are
available from the Source
Deductions Section of the District
Revenue Taxation Office. If you
are a first time employer required
to make these deductions, you
should apply for an employer's
number and obtain an employer's
kit from the District Revenue
Taxation Office.
That's what you get when you advertise in The
Citizen. Every week your message, whether a tiny
classified, or a full page ad, goes to more than 2000
homes in North Huron . . . and unlike many
salespeople, we're welcomed inside. What's more,
we're often asked to stick around for a whole week.
If you're not taking advantage of this opportunity
to tell people about your business call today.
Put your sales staff to work for you. Call:
Jeannette McNeil or Julie Mitchell: 523-4792 or 887-9114
Imagine you had a
sales staff calling on
2000 homes a week