Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Assessment Worksheet 1 - Septic System Design and Location
The assessment worksheet below will help you identify potential environmental risks related to your drinking
water and the treatment of your home’s wastewater. For each question indicate your risk level in the right-hand
column. Some choices may not correspond exactly to your situation. Choose the response that best fits. When
finished, turn to the Household Wastewater Treatment Action Worksheet on page 4-12 and record your medium
and high-risk practices. The goal is to lower your risks. Use the BMP recommendations provided in this section
to help you decide how to best reduce pollution.
LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
YOUR
RISK
Capacity of
system
My tank is designed
to handle more
wastewater than is
required, based on the
size of my home.
My capacity just meets
load requirements, but
I watch out for factors
indicating system
overload. I use water
conservation mea-
sures.
I’ve added bath-
rooms, bedrooms, or
water-using applianc-
es without reexamin-
ing the capacity of
my wastewater sys-
tem.
Low
Medium
High
Drainfield
My drainfield is over
100 feet from my
well. Depending on
soil type, the drain-
field is between 100-
300 feet from any sur-
face water source.
My drainfield is 100
feet away from my
well and surface wa-
ters.
My drainfield is less
than 100 feet from the
lake or a drinking
water well.
Low
Medium
High
Soil type
My soil is fine-
textured like clay
loams or silty clay.
My soil is made up of
medium to fine sands,
loamy sands, or silt
loam.
My soil is coarse-
textured like sand,
sandy loam, or gravel.
Low
Medium
High
Safety devices
An alarm is installed
on the pumping cham-
ber or lift station to
indicate that the tank
is full or power has
been cut off to the
pump.
No alarm is installed
to indicate tank over-
flow or that power
has been cut off to the
pump.
Low
Medium
High
Tank
My tank is more than
50 feet from wells and
surface waters.
My tank is less than
50 feet from wells or
surface waters.
Low
Medium
High
Risk Assessment Worksheets
Household Wastewater Treatment
4-9
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Assessment Worksheet 2 - On-Site System Maintenance
Use the worksheet below to rate your risks related to maintaining the septic system. When finished, turn to the
Household Wastewater Treatment Action Worksheet on page 4-12 and record your medium and high-risk prac-
tices.
LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
YOUR
RISK
Age of system or
holding tank
My system is 5 years
old or less.
My system is between
6 and 20 years old.
My system is more
than 20 years old.
Type of tank
I have a cement tank. I have a steel or fiber-
glass tank.
I have a cesspool.
Condition of
tank
My tank and baffles
are inspected for
cracks; repairs are
made promptly.
I do not know the con-
dition of my tank and
baffles.
Tank pumping
My septic tank is
pumped on a regular
basis as determined
by an annual inspec-
tion. The holding
tanks are pumped as
needed.
My septic tank has
been pumped, but the
date is unknown.
My septic tank has
never been pumped.
The holding tank over-
flows or leaks.
Drainfield
protection
I keep vehicles and
other heavy objects or
activities away from
the drainfield area.
Occasionally, the
drainfield is compact-
ed by heavy objects
or activities.
I allow vehicles, live-
stock, heavy objects,
or other disturbances
in my drainfield area.
Diverting surface
water
I divert all surface
runoff away from the
drainfield area.
Some surface water
flows into the drain-
field area.
All runoff from land,
rooftops, and drive-
ways flows into my
drainfield.
Plantings over
the drainfield
I have grass or other
shallow-rooted plant-
ings over my drain-
field.
I have trees, shrubs, or
vegetables growing on
or near my drainfield.
Signs of trouble
My household drains
flow freely. No sew-
age odors inside or
outside are evident.
My soil over the
drainfield is firm and
dry and my well wa-
ter tests negative for
coliform bacteria.
My household drains
run slowly. Soil over
the drainfield is
sometimes wet.
My household drains
back up. Sewage
odors can be noticed
in the house or yard.
The soil is wet or
spongy in the drain-
field area. My well
water tests positive for
coliform bacteria.
4-10
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Assessment Worksheet 3 - Septic or Sewage System Inputs
Use the worksheet below to rate your risks relating to system inputs. When finished, turn to the Household
Wastewater Treatment Action Worksheet on page 4-12 and record your medium and high-risk practices.
LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
YOUR
RISK
Solids
I do not use a garbage
disposal. I do not dis-
pose of bulky items
(disposable diapers,
sanitary napkins) in the
toilet.
I sometimes use a
garbage disposal.
I almost always use a
garbage disposal, and
sometimes dispose of
bulky items in the toi-
let.
Low
Medium
High
Dissolved sol-
ids (household
chemicals)
I use household chemi-
cals carefully (paints,
cleaning products). I
never pour solvents,
fuels, or other hazard-
ous chemicals down
the drain. I do not use
a water softener.
I sometimes pour di-
luted household
chemicals down the
drain.
I frequently pour dilut-
ed household chemi-
cals down the drain.
Low
Medium
High
Floatable solids
I do not dispose of
cooking grease or oils
into my septic system.
I wipe off oil and
grease from cooking
utensils before wash-
ing.
I routinely dispose of
grease or oils into my
septic system and
have made no attempt
to reduce their dispos-
al.
I always dispose of
cooking grease or oils
in my household septic
system.
Low
Medium
High
Water use
I use water conserva-
tively and maintain my
water fixtures regular-
ly.
I do not use any water
conservation measures.
I have no water-
conserving fixtures.
Some of my fixtures
are leaking.
Low
Medium
High
4-11
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan - Lake*A*Syst Manual: IDEQ (208) 769-1422 and the CDA Tribe (208) 667-5772
Action Worksheet
Household Wastewater Treatment
Write all high and medium risks
below.
What can you do to reduce the risks?
Set a target date
for action.
Sample: Toilets frequently back up. Have septic system inspected by li-
censed inspector.
Today
4-12