Pumping your septic tank could make you a contest winner

Friday, Sept. 5, 2008

This year’s ‘‘Pump for the Bay” contest encourages Calvert County land owners to have their septic tanks pumped out or upgraded to a nitrogen-removing system to help reduce excess nutrients from entering local streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, according to a release.

Previous contest winners have received monetary reimbursement towards the cost of the pump or upgrade or numerous other prizes supplied by local businesses.

Septic systems should be pumped every three to five years to prevent thousands of dollars of needless repair due to system failure.

Also, nitrogen-removing systems are increasingly affordable options for new or retrofitted tanks.

To be eligible to win the contest, you have to have had your system pumped or upgraded between Oct. 7, 2007, and Oct. 10, 2008, and submit a copy of your receipt for the service with your name, address, phone number and date of work performed to ‘‘Pump for the Bay,” Department of Planning & Zoning, 150 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. Call 410-535-1600, Ext. 2356, or go to www.co.cal.md.us⁄ business⁄planning⁄committees⁄environment⁄default.asp for details about the contest.

Entries must be received by the Department of Planning and Zoning no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10.

If you are interested in getting a grant to install a nitrogen-removing septic tank, call Steve Kullen, Department of Planning and Zoning at 410-535-1600, Ext. 2336, or go to www.co.cal.md.us⁄government⁄departments⁄planning⁄environmentalpreservation.