You will receive your inspection report with the invoice at the email address you have provided to us, approximately 6-8 weeks after the inspection. For a preview of what your report will look like, see the sample report and instructions on what your report means.

As a general rule of thumb our technicians aim to let their presence on the property be known. When a technician arrives, they will knock and attempt to make contact with the owner. In addition to making notes about their findings and actions when doing an inspection, technicians also take photos for reference.

During the annual inspection the technician will perform a visual inspection of the condition and safety of all tanks, enclosures, and access hatches. With the lids open, the technician will examine the health of the system, including both the pre-treatment tank and the Biofilter treatment medium. The technician will test the operation of the pumps and floats to ensure they are operating, and will assess the spray nozzles, clean the nozzles as needed, and adjust them to promote even distribution of the sewage as it sprays over the Biofilter medium. The control panel is checked, and the settings are adjusted as needed. Where available, the technicians will collect samples of either or both, the sewage and the final discharge for lab testing. The technicians also assess the leaching bed area and make notes where needed; repairing leaching beds is beyond our scope. Finally, the technicians close and secure all the lids and ensure the system is returned to its regular operating mode before leaving. After completing the inspection, the technicians spend time entering their observations and notes, recording measurements and data collected on site, recording any adjustments or minor repairs they made to the system, and any recommendations or actions that need to be taken by the owner. The technician is recording a snapshot of your system as it appears or functions on that day.

The best location for the control panel to your septic system is for it to be located outdoors, on the exterior of the building near the septic system or alongside other utility panels such as your water, hydro, or gas meter. If the septic system is located a distance from the nearest building, some owners will install the control panel on a post located next to the septic system. Panels should not be located indoors, or have locks on the panel doors.

You do not need to be home at the time of your inspection. The treatment system is located outside of your home and can be inspected without access to the home. If your property is locked or gated, owners will need to provide a gate code or leave their gate unlocked to allow access.

If you are not home when the technician comes to do service work, the technician may need to get a hold of you if there is an issue with the system that needs to be addressed. The technician may need the owner’s approval for fees associated with repairing or replacing a part, such as a float or a pump, or the technician may need to draw the Owner’s attention to a serious system performance issue. Providing Waterloo Biofilter with a current phone number where we can reach you allows issues to be resolved without requiring additional service visits.

You will receive an email at the beginning of your regular service inspection season (spring, summer, fall) reminding you of the upcoming inspection. Please note we do not schedule appointments or specific dates and times to visit each property as there are many scheduling components that play a role, and changes to planned visits can happen up to the moment. As such, we do not call or email each individual property after the initial reminder email. You do not need to be home in order for the technician to service your septic system.

If you have not provided a current email address to receive reports and invoices, we will not be able to send your seasonal inspection notice.

An inspection is necessary because:

• Provincial and municipal laws and regulations require wastewater and wastewater treatment systems to be inspected, please refer to the Ontario Building Code, Part 8, Section 8.9.2.3. for further details.

• Wastewater is an environmental concern because it goes into the ground where drinking water is drawn from.

• A maintenance plan is required to maintain the warranty on your Waterloo Biofilter filtration media.

• As a critical component of your property, regular maintenance protects your investment and can help prevent costly repairs due to neglect.

Your service contract includes your annual inspection, which is billed after the inspection has been completed and samples, if taken, have been tested and we have received the results back from the lab. Your service contract with Waterloo Biofilter also gives you priority customer status if your system is in alarm or need service outside of your annual inspection, which is billed separately at a preferred customer rate.

Your service report will be included in the attachments emailed to you after your service visit has been completed. For every service visit you will receive an email with multiple attachments including your invoice, the technician’s report, and payment options. There may be additional attachments such as repair estimates, or septic system best practices. When a technician collects samples during a regular service inspection, you will receive the email containing the invoice and report only once we have received the sample results from the lab; lab testing can take 4-6 weeks in some circumstances.

Please ensure you review all attachments before calling the service department.

Please add [email protected] to your email’s safe sender list.

“Grade” refers to the level of the land or your property. “Above grade” and “below grade” are terms commonly used in construction or landscaping and describe whether the item being described is above the ground or in/below the ground.

We require lids to be “at grade,” meaning level to the ground around it and not located under sod, dirt, gravel, or mulch. By being located at grade or slightly above, this will prevent foreign debris or insects that may clog your system from entering through the lids.

Placed Correctly At Grade

Placed Correctly At Grade

Placed Correctly At Grade

Placed Below Grade

Placed Below Grade

Placed Below Grade