Be Septic Smart!

September 21, 2015 marked the beginning of the third annual Septic Smart Week. Septic Smart Week is a program created by the Environmental Protection Agency to educate septic system owners about the importance of proper septic system care and maintenance.

Did you know that approximately one-quarter of American households have septic systems, and nearly 60,000 of those are located right here in Thurston County? Septic systems come with homeowner responsibility - you don’t pay sewer fees, but need to save up for regular maintenance costs such as inspections and pumping. A poorly-maintained system may lower your property values and puts the health of our families and communities at risk. If you are unsure if your home is served by an on-site septic system, contact the Septic Helpline at (360) 867-2669 and ask for the septic system record drawings of your home.

If you have a septic system, take steps to prevent its failure. If you notice any of the following, contact a septic system professional immediately to prevent further damage to your system and pollution of the drinking water in your area.

• A strong odor around the septic tank and/or drainfield
• Pooling water and/or surfacing sewage in the area of your septic system
• Bright green, spongy grass on the drainfield, especially during dry weather conditions
• Wastewater backing up into drains in your home

The average cost of repairing or replacing a conventional home septic system can be $10,000 or more, while regular inspection and maintenance typically costs only $150 to $300 each year. Every system and situation is unique and is influenced by four things: size of your household, amount of water used by your household, type and size of septic tank, and soil conditions. Regular care and maintenance of your system protects not only your home’s property value, but your family, your community, and the environment, from exposure to dangerous bacteria and viruses if your system fails.

For more information about how to properly maintain your septic system, visit our website by clicking here, or call our Septic Helpline at (360) 867-2669.

Thurston County Environmental Health maintains a database of septic system professionals who are currently certified to perform services in the county. Click here to access our lists of qualified designers, professional engineers, installers, pumpers, and monitoring specialists. When hiring any contractor, be sure to get multiple estimates, check their references and certifications, and be clear about what services you are requesting.

Wash Away Those Back-to-School Germs

By Kateri Wimsett, Education and Outreach Specialist

September is here once again back to school time here in the South Sound. Kids and parents are adjusting to new schedules and new teachers. As kids go back to school they share close contact with other kids and teachers all day, five days a week. That means they are exposed to lots and lots of germs and can bring illnesses home with them. So right now is the perfect time to talk to your kids about effective handwashing. Handwashing has been called the single most effective way to keep from getting sick. This would depend on how well hands are actually washed.

As a mom of two, the main focus of my efforts is to cease the “rinse and run” my children are inclined to do. They often resort to “washing their hands” by running their soap-less hands quickly under water while running for the door. Because of this I’ve instituted the happy birthday song rule - after soaping they’ve got to sing “Happy Birthday” twice while scrubbing their hands. We’ve talked about how it’s the rubbing and scrubbing of your hands that actually is the most important step to get the germs off of your hands. I’m happy to report that as they’ve gotten older they appreciate the grossness of not washing their hands and are coming along in their efforts. 

A note about hand sanitizer, washing hands with soap and water really is better and advised.  If you are in a place where soap and water are not available and you have to use hand sanitizer use an alcohol based one with at least 60% alcohol (check the label).  Hand sanitizers do not eliminate all type of germs, nor do they remove the chemicals that may be on our hands .  They also are not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. 

It sounds kind of silly, but learning when and how to properly wash hands and making it a habit is important.  Remind your kids to always wash their hands:

• After they use the bathroom.
• Before they eat.
• After touching animals or animal poop.
• When they come into contact with someone who is sick.
• When they come in from being outside.
• When their hands are dirty.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the “right way to wash your hands” includes:

• Wetting your hands with clean running water and using soap. There is no need to use antibacterial soap. Regular bar or liquid soap works best.
• Rub hands together, lathering or scrubbing for 20 seconds. Make sure to scrub between fingers, the backs of your hands, and under your nails. (As a side note it takes about 20 second for the scrubbing action to dislodge and remove germs.)
• Rinse your hands under clean running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Interested in the science behind this? Check out the CDC's "Show Me the Science-- How to Wash your Hands" web page.

FREE Septic $ense Workshops in September

Your home septic system is a major investment that comes with the responsibility for its care and maintenance. Sign up for one of our four free workshops held throughout Thurston County in September. Learn how to prolong the life of your septic system and protect not only your financial investment, but your family’s health and the environment as well. 

These workshops can benefit all septic system owners, from first-timers to those with years of experience. Attendees will be provided with information on:

• The different types of septic systems – gravity flow, pressure distribution, mound, and sand filter
• The three main components of a septic system – tank, drainfield, and soil
• When to have your septic tank inspected and pumped
• Warning signs indicating septic system damage or failure
• How your home water use affects the lifespan of your septic system
• What to avoid putting down the drain
• The availability of loans and grants for septic system repairs and replacement

In addition to a better understanding on how to care for and maintain your on-site septic system, all workshop attendees will receive a $10 discount on septic tank pumping. 

Please sign up here or call (360) 867-2673 to reserve a seat at any of the following workshops:

Wednesday, September 16, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Rochester Community Center, 10140 Highway 12, Rochester

Thursday, September 17, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Pellegrinos Event Center, 5757 Littlerock Road SW, Tumwater

Wednesday, September 23, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

South Bay Fire Station, 3506 Shincke Road NE, Olympia

Thursday, September 24, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Thurston County Fairgrounds Expo Center, 3054 Carpenter Road SE, Lacey

To register, please call 360-867-2673 or click here to sign up online at the Thurston County Environmental Health website. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible. If you are unable to attend any of these workshops but have questions regarding the care and maintenance of your septic system, please call the Septic Help Line at 360-867-2669.

Become a volunteer for the Healthy Homes Program!

What: Thurston County’s Healthy Homes Program trains volunteers to provide free home visits to Thurston County residents to encourage behavior and actions to promote healthy living spaces – such as dealing with and preventing mold, creating healthy indoor air, reducing asthma triggers, reducing exposure to toxins, and more. We have a free volunteer training coming up this fall! You can learn all about housing-related health risks and how to prevent and reduce them. This training includes expert guest speakers, field trips, and opportunities to put what you learn into practice. It’s fun and the knowledge gained is useful in our daily lives.

Who: This training is for people interested (or who work) in housing, improving health, safety, and giving back to the community. No prior experience is necessary; the training teaches all you need to know to conduct Healthy Homes Visits in pairs. These visits are free, voluntary, and completely confidential. We don’t do any sort of enforcement or mediation. We are invited to do the visit by the resident, where we perform a checklist and walk-through. Based on what we find we provide information, guidance, and resource lists to the residents to help them take the next steps. We are flexible with volunteer hours for people who will use the knowledge and skills from the training in their regular work.

Why: Housing conditions can cause health problems or make existing health problems much worse. This is especially the case for children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. There are many simple, low or no cost ways for people to reduce the risks of housing-related health issues and our goal is to educate and empower residents to create habits that promote the healthiest possible living space. Program staff are available to work with and help volunteers to feel comfortable and confident in providing Healthy Homes Visits.

When: The training starts September 15 and runs every Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. through November 17, 2015. This is a total of 30 hours of fun, hands-on training and afterwards we ask volunteers to provide 30 hours of volunteer service (which is about 10 home visits) as their schedules allow. Volunteers can also put in time by participating in booths at community events, performing outreach, or working on special projects. We are flexible with volunteer hours for people who will use the knowledge and skills from the training in their regular work.

Where: The training is held at the Thurston County Public Health at 412 Lilly Rd. NE, Olympia, 98506; across from St. Peter’s Hospital. Intercity Transit bus routes # 60, 62A, and 62B serve the area. To sign up or find out more, contact coordinator, Elisa Kaufmann at HealthyHomes@co.thurston.wa.us  or 360-867-2674 (TDD 360-867-2603.) If transportation is an issue for anyone who is interested, please don’t let that stop you from applying. We are close to bus routes and there is a good chance that volunteers attending the training can carpool.

Healthy Homes Program website: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehhm/healthyhomes.html

Training Flyer (also attached): http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehhm/pdf/HHFlyer.pdf

Apply today!

Volunteer Job Description: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehhm/pdf/HHJobDescript.pdf

Volunteer Application: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehhm/pdf/HHApplication.pdf

Recycle Light Bulbs for FREE

Disposing of your used-up light bulbs doesn’t have to be difficult. Some light bulbs, such as compact fluorescents (CFLs), require special care in use and disposal because they contain mercury. Thankfully, it’s free to recycle them safely. The tricky part is keeping them safe while storing and transporting them to a convenient location, but don’t worry, we’re here to help with that.

Transport safely

Ideally, store the used bulbs back in their original box and take them safely to the recycling location of your choice. Another way is to wrap them in paper and carefully place them into a cardboard 6-pack container. If travelling with loose bulbs, wrap carefully in paper or plastic and place into a box to keep from rolling around.  Don’t tape them together.

What if one breaks?

Avoid breathing vapors or touching broken materials.

Do not vacuum or sweep. Open windows to vent vapors for at least 15 minutes while keeping people and pets out of the area. After this, you can clean up the mess by following these simple steps.

1. Use stiff paper or cardboard to pick up large pieces.
2. Use duct tape to pick up small pieces and powder.
3. Wipe the area clean with a disposable damp paper towel or wet wipe.
4. Place all materials in a sealed container.
5. Wash your hands thoroughly.
6. Dispose of cleaned up, broken blubs at HazoHouse — not in your trash.

Where to recycle

Many bulbs nowadays contain some mercury including compact fluorescent tubes (CFLs), high-intensity-discharge (HID) lamps, neon lamps and mercury vapor lamps. This is why there are special requirements for cleaning up and why they can’t go into your regular trash. They can be recycled at HazoHouse, located at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center on Hogum Bay Rd. in Lacey.  HazoHouse accepts most unwanted household hazardous materials for free and is open everyday from 8 – 4:45.

Thanks to Light Recycle Washington, there are many other locations that accept unwanted fluorescent bulbs and tubes for free – many of these locations limit their acceptance to 10 bulbs per day.

Fluorescent bulbs

• Batteries Plus Bulbs on Capital Mall Dr. in Olympia
• Home Depot (all locations) – Tumwater off Littlerock Rd., Olympia on Fones Rd., Lacey on Marvin Rd.
• Lincoln Creek Lumber/Ace Hardware at 2421 93^rd Ave., SW, Tumwater
• Lowe’s (all locations) – Lacey off Yelm Highway, Olympia on Martin Way
• Olympia Ace Hardware at 400 Cooper Point Rd. SW
• Puget Sound Energy at 2711 Pacific Ave. SE in Olympia

Incandescent

• There is no way to recycle incandescent bulbs, simply place in the trash. 

LED (light emitting diode) lights

• They are not considered hazardous, last many years and can be safely disposed of in the trash.

Common Sense Gardening: Create a healthy brown lawn this summer

A brown lawn is not exactly what we imagine for a relaxing summer oasis but with this hot, dry summer, it may be all that we can achieve!  Common sense gardeners generally consider letting lawns go dormant (turn brown and dry out) in the summer but never has that seemed more important than this summer.  With temperatures well over our average and little rainfall for months, a dormant lawn is likely this summer, whether we prefer the brown look, or not.

Worry not!  When rains return, the lawn will turn green again – until then, embrace the dormant lawn with careful watering and limited use.

Summer Care

• Avoid mowing if possible – weeds will not stop growing so mow if needed for weed control but hand pulling weeds, especially as they go to seed is better for the lawn.  Chemical weed killers can seriously harm dormant or stressed lawns.

• Limit foot and vehicle traffic on the lawn.

• No need to fertilize or add lime to a dormant lawn – wait until fall to add a slow release fertilizer.

• Water one inch of water per month to keep the lawn alive – use a rain gauge to check and record any rain on your calendar so that you are providing one inch, in total, for each drought month.

Fall Care

• It may take 2 weeks for lawns to turn green again after the rains begin this fall. 

• Add slow-release fertilizer after lawn has started to green up again.

• Aerate and overseed with a drought tolerant grass seed blend grown in the Pacific Northwest for a healthy lawn that can survive whatever winter and next summer may provide!

Safe Swimming

This hot weather is great for enjoying lovely lakes and pools in Thurston County. Swimming is fun, great exercise, and is a refreshing way to cool off.  There are some hazards to be aware of when swimming.

Drowning

According to SafeKids.org, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4.  Actively supervise kids in and around water with undivided attention.  Teach kids that they always need an adult with them when swimming. Older, more experienced swimmers should always swim with a buddy and be aware of swimming skill levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of the main factors that influence drowning are lack of swimming ability, lack of close supervision, failure to wear life jackets, and alcohol use. For more information on preventing drowning, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Home & Recreational Safety website.

Blue-green algae

Blue-green algae can produce a toxin that can cause stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea and some people may have allergic reactions to it. Thurston County Environmental Health posts advisories online when local lakes have toxic blue-green algae. To lower your risk of exposure when blue-green algae is present, avoid contact with lake water, avoid drinking untreated surface water, keep pets and livestock out of the water, avoid boating in areas of scum, and if you choose to fish in a lake with a toxic algae bloom - catch and release is recommended. Thurston County Environmental Health has a Lake Watch volunteer program. Sign up here.

Swimmer’s Itch

Swimmer’s Itch is a skin rash that comes from parasite commonly found in aquatic animals. The tiny larvae search for a host. Humans are not natural hosts, but the larvae can remain on our skin as we leave the water. As the water evaporates or runs off, the remaining larvae burrow into the skin. Since humans are not suitable hosts, the larvae die. When this happens, the skin becomes irritated. Symptoms include tingling, burning, and itching of the skin with small reddish pimples appearing within 12 hours which may become small blisters.

The itching can last about a week, but the rash can take up to 30 days to recover. Scratching the rash can lead to a bacterial infection. To relieve some of the symptoms of Swimmer’s Itch you may use a corticosteroid cream, calamine lotion, a cool compress, bathe in Epsom salts, baking soda, or oatmeal baths, or apply a baking soda and water paste to the rash. Consult your doctor for additional information on treatment.

To prevent Swimmer’s Itch avoid swimming in areas where there is evidence of ducks and geese, do not swim or wade in marshy areas, and shower, towel off, or wipe the water off the body with the palms of your hands immediately after swimming.

Leeches

Leeches are an important part of the aquatic ecosystem. They feed on worms, snails, and insect larvae and some feed on fish, reptiles, and mammals. They are food for fish, ducks, and turtles. Leeches prefer shallow, protected areas of lakes with aquatic weeds and submerged branches. Leeches can attach to humans.

If you find a leech on your skin – do not pull it off! This could leave the mouthparts of the leech still stuck in your skin and cause an infection. Instead, use salt or heat to make the leech let go of your skin. Then clean and bandage the leech bite to prevent infection. It is common for a leech bite to ooze for several hours after the leech is removed and there may be itching or an allergic reaction. Leeches in our region are not known to transmit disease to humans.

So far this summer, we have seen a lot of heat! Be safe when you're out enjoying the water and take all necessary precautions to prevent accidents and illnesses.