Tools
Free tools
Four free tools for septic and well owners. The math and the standards behind each one are shown on the page.
Septic pumping interval calculator
Estimate how often your tank needs pumping from tank size and household, using Penn State Extension’s sludge-accumulation method, next to EPA’s 3-to-5-year guidance.
Open the tool →Well water test result reader
Type in the numbers from your lab report. See each result next to EPA drinking water standards, with plain notes on what it means.
Open the tool →What not to flush (or pour)
Search a list of common household items and see whether they belong in a septic system, based on EPA SepticSmart guidance.
Open the tool →First-year and buyer checklists
Tick-off checklists for new septic and well owners and for buyers inspecting a property. Progress saves in your browser.
Open the tool →How our tools work
The pumping calculator uses the sludge-and-scum accumulation estimate published by Penn State Extension and shows EPA’s general guidance alongside it. The well test reader uses EPA’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and secondary standards. Each tool explains its assumptions on the page.
New to septic? Start with the pumping calculator to get a rough interval for your tank, then compare it with EPA’s guidance that household tanks are typically pumped every three to five years and inspected at least every three. The only way to know for sure is to have the sludge and scum layers measured at an inspection; the calculator helps you plan until then.
On a private well? EPA recommends testing every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH. When the lab report arrives, the test reader places each number next to the EPA standard and explains it. The checklists pull the most important habits into one place, and the flush list answers the question every new septic owner asks.
Nothing you type into a tool is saved on our servers unless the tool says so. Letter builders and checklists run entirely in your browser.