Septic Service Video Statistics

Key takeaways

1. Septic service businesses drew 17.5% of the views of YouTube’s 426 most-viewed ‘septic tank’, ‘septic pumping’ and ‘septic system’ videos; one septic hauler’s channel drew 15.1% of all views on its own, and without it septic businesses drew 2.9% (our read, Nov 2026). (Mark Studios) See details
2. Construction and builder channels, most of them in South and Southeast Asia, drew 37.2% of those views; septic businesses that name a U.S. place drew 0.4%. (Mark Studios) See details
3. 1 of 136 location pages from five septic and drain brands showed any video (0.7%), while 62.5% linked to YouTube (our read, Nov 2026). (Mark Studios) See details
4. 18.5% of occupied U.S. homes were on a septic tank or cesspool in 2023, 24.6 million homes (24,616,000) in the American Housing Survey: under EPA’s “more than one in five”. (Mark Studios, U.S. Census Bureau, EPA) See details
5. EPA’s share has shrunk with each edition: its 2000 FAQ said one-fourth of homes, and “one in five” appears by 2015. (EPA) See details
6. Employers had 30,650 septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners on payroll in May 2025, at a median wage of $49,880; the self-employed held 3.1% of the occupation’s jobs. (BLS) See details
7. Private septic tank and related services establishments averaged 4,681 in 2025, up 33.2% from 2015; septic tank, portable toilet and cesspool pumping was 44.5% of the industry’s 2022 receipts. (BLS, U.S. Census Bureau, Mark Studios) See details
8. Florida issued 36,113 new septic system permits in fiscal year 2022-23, 2.1 times the 2018-19 count; Palm Beach, Broward and Martin counties issued 804 repair permits beside 813 new ones. (Florida DEP, Mark Studios) See details
9. Florida law says a septic inspection “may not be mandated” at the sale of a home, while Massachusetts requires one within two years before a sale. (Florida Legislature, Massachusetts DEP) See details
10. In Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, septage manifests showed 12.2% of septic systems pumped in 38 months; in a 2020 UF/IFAS survey, 33.1% of Florida respondents could say how often a septic tank should be pumped. (University of Georgia, University of Florida) See details
11. Florida DEP’s 2025 springs plans put septic systems’ share of nitrogen loading at 74% in the Volusia Blue Spring springshed and about 4.5% in the mostly agricultural Jackson Blue Spring basin. (Florida DEP) See details

Who makes YouTube's most-viewed septic videos?

Mostly builders and creators: on November 4, 2026, construction, civil-engineering and builder channels, most of them in South and Southeast Asia, drew 37.2% of the views of YouTube's most-viewed videos for "septic tank", "septic pumping" and "septic system" (our count). Septic service businesses drew 17.5%, and most of that went to one channel: Poor Pumper Society, a septic sludge hauler's channel, drew 15.1% of all views on its own (our count). Without that one channel, septic businesses drew 2.9% of the remaining views (our count).

The sample is YouTube's own ranking on one day, not a census of septic videos. We asked the YouTube Data API for videos matching each of the three searches, sorted by view count, with no country or language filter, and read 4 pages of 50 results for each: 600 results, which held 426 different videos from 289 channels (our count). 133 videos appeared in two or more of the lists (our count). We then sorted every channel by hand into types from its title, its description and the titles of its videos in the sample, and for close calls from the place, licence, booking and phone wording in the video descriptions and tags. A septic service business is a channel that pumps, cleans, inspects, designs, installs or repairs septic tanks or systems for customers anywhere in the world; it includes septic-tank cleaning services in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh and U.S. excavation contractors whose sample video is a septic install. A construction channel belongs to a builder, mason, civil engineer, architect or construction school showing how a septic tank is built, sized or sited. View counts are lifetime totals read the same day and include views from ads.

A few videos carry most of the views. The 10 most-viewed videos drew 41.8% of all views, and a single 44-second short from an Indian construction channel showing how to make a septic tank slab drew 10.0% (our count). The video ranked first for all three searches was a kids' pretend-play video with toy trucks, which alone drew 6.1% of the views (our count). The median video had 378,889.5 views (our count).

The share depends on the search. Septic service businesses drew 46.2% of the views for "septic pumping", where Poor Pumper Society alone drew 41.2%, but only 13.2% for "septic tank" and 12.8% for "septic system", where construction channels led (our count).

How visible are U.S. septic companies in YouTube's top septic videos?

Barely: septic service businesses that name a U.S. place on their channel or in their video text posted 3.5% of the 426 most-viewed septic videos on November 4, 2026 and drew 0.4% of the views (our count). They were 12 channels: septic pumping, installing and repair companies and one portable-toilet operator, in Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, New York, Tennessee and California. Counting also septic businesses whose channel country setting is the United States, U.S. septic businesses drew 1.7% of the views (our count). The median septic business channel had 1,020 subscribers, against 69,950 for construction channels; 29 of the 289 channels had 1 million or more (our count).

The sample leans abroad. Channels whose country setting is India posted 24.2% of the videos and drew 29.6% of the views, more than channels set to the United States (our count).

How long are the most-viewed septic videos, and what do they show?

Short ones get the most views: videos of 60 seconds or less were 34.5% of the 426 most-viewed septic videos on November 4, 2026 and drew 54.9% of their views (our count). The median short had 696,047 views, against 272,344 for longer videos, and the median video ran 160 seconds (our count). Videos longer than 20 minutes drew 2.3% of the views (our count). A #shorts tag appears in the title or description of 19.2% of the videos (our count).

The sample is recent. 42.5% of the videos were published in 2024 or later, and 65 in the year before the read (our count). The median video had 9.5 likes per 1,000 views (our count).

We matched words in each video's title and description. Pumping, pump-outs or emptying a tank appear in the title of 16.0% of the videos, and a drain field, leach field or soak pit in the title or description of 13.8% (our count). A tank that had not been pumped, or a number of years, appears in the title of 3.1% of the videos (our count). Few videos are about the work a U.S. septic company sells beyond pumping: a camera or video inspection appears in 0.7% of titles and descriptions, an inspection in 2.8% and real estate, home buyers or selling a home in 0.9% (our count). Viral framing is rare too: "satisfying" appears in 0.9% and "gross" or "disgusting" in 0.2% (our count).

Uploaders marked 2 of the videos as made for kids (our count). None carried YouTube's altered or synthetic content disclosure, while 5 channels with 10 of the videos said in their own text that their videos, visuals or voices are AI-generated (our count).

How much video do septic companies, makers and trade bodies post?

Little, and few people watch it: in the year to November 4, 2026, the 14 official channels we found for 13 septic, drain and onsite-wastewater organisations posted 523 videos with a median of 297 views each (our count). Only 2 of those channels, Wind River Environmental and AgSmartTV, had a video among the 426 most-viewed septic videos (our count). Poor Pumper Society had 614,000 subscribers, more than the 14 organisation channels had combined (189,570) (our count). We found each channel from a YouTube link on the organisation's own website or by looking up its handle and checking the channel's title and description; we found no channel for 3 organisations: Septic Blue, Norweco and NOWRA (our count).

Roto-Rooter's channel had 79,500 subscribers and Mr. Rooter's 4,980; Mr. Rooter posted only videos of 60 seconds or less (our count). 3 septic product brands' channels posted nothing in the year: Rid-X and Presby Environmental showed no public videos at all, and Jet Inc's five videos date from 2012 (our count). Neither Texas A&M AgriLife-related channel posted in the year either: AgriLife Today, its media-relations channel, last uploaded in 2019, and AgSmartTV, whose sample video is tagged Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, in 2024 (our count). Subscriber counts are YouTube's rounded figures.

Do septic company location pages use video?

Almost never. On November 4, 2026, 0.7% of the 136 U.S. location pages of five septic service companies and franchisors that we read showed any video: one page, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing's Greenville, South Carolina septic page, which embeds a YouTube video (our count). 0.7% embedded a player a visitor can start, 0.7% embedded a YouTube video and 0.0% played a muted background loop. We read a seeded random sample of up to 40 location pages per brand from the pages each brand lists in its own sitemap, in a headless browser, one page at a time.

Video shows up on one national homepage. 1 of the five brands' homepages showed a video: Mr. Rooter Plumbing's, which plays a muted loop of a 30-second TV spot (our count). On the location pages, video platforms appear as links instead. 62.5% of the pages linked to YouTube, all of them Mr. Rooter, Roto-Rooter, Benjamin Franklin and one HomeField Onsite Environmental page, and 0.7% linked to TikTok. 98.5% linked to Facebook and 69.1% to Instagram (our count).

What septic services do the location pages name?

Septic pumping is named on most of them, but not on Roto-Rooter's branch pages. 69.1% of the pages mentioned septic pumping or septic tank cleaning and 77.9% mentioned septic at all, site menus included (our count, November 4, 2026). Every Mr. Rooter, Septic Blue and HomeField page names pumping, while 0.0% of the Roto-Rooter branch pages do; Roto-Rooter's sitemap lists only one city septic page, so its branch pages were read instead. 66.9% of all pages mentioned drain field, leach field or field line repair, replacement or installation.

Camera inspection is a plumbing-franchise feature here. 60.3% of the pages mentioned camera or video inspection of lines, menus included, and 53.7% did so in the main page text (our count). Those pages are almost all Mr. Rooter and Roto-Rooter pages; two Septic Blue pages mention a video pipeline inspection, and no HomeField or Benjamin Franklin page mentions one. Real-estate inspections are rarer: 12.5% of the pages mentioned real-estate, point-of-sale or home-sale septic or line inspections, mostly HomeField pages, which list a "Real Estate Septic Inspection" service.

Shares are of the pages read per brand (our count, November 4, 2026). The counts in the first column are pages listed in each brand's sitemap, not open branches: Mr. Rooter and Septic Blue publish a page for each city they serve.

How do septic company location pages take bookings?

Every page read offers online booking or scheduling. 100.0% of the pages had a book, schedule or appointment button or an embedded scheduling widget (our count, November 4, 2026). 39.7% loaded or linked a third-party scheduling widget: the ServiceTitan scheduler on 33.1% (every Septic Blue and Benjamin Franklin page and one HomeField page) and Housecall Pro booking on 6.6% (nine HomeField pages). The other 60.3% sent visitors to scheduling pages on the brand's own site, as Roto-Rooter and Mr. Rooter do. 0 pages loaded or linked Jobber, ServiceCore, FieldRoutes, Workiz, Service Fusion, FieldEdge or Calendly. A widget on the page shows which software the template uses, not which one runs behind a brand's own scheduling page.

The pages lean on trust signals and urgency. 91.2% showed customer reviews, ratings or testimonials, 79.4% mentioned emergency or 24/7 service and 64.7% mentioned or linked to financing (our count). 66.9% mentioned coupons, discounts or special offers, but only 11.8% printed a dollar price for a service or plan, mostly HomeField's maintenance-plan prices; we recorded only whether a price appeared, not the amount. Recruiting is common too: 70.6% linked to careers or jobs or carried hiring wording, on every page except Septic Blue's.

Do septic company location pages show licence numbers?

Fewer than half do. 44.1% of the pages printed a licence or registration number; we recorded only whether a number appeared, never the number (our count, November 4, 2026). Roto-Rooter branch pages print state plumbing licence numbers most often, and Septic Blue's Georgia pages print none. Only 1 page read was a Florida page: Roto-Rooter's Lake Worth branch page, which prints a Florida plumbing contractor number. The pages were in 26 U.S. states (our count).

This is a read of five companies' templated pages, not of the many independent septic firms. Each brand fills its pages from one template, so most features are all or nothing within a brand, and the page types differ: Roto-Rooter pages are plumbing branch pages, Mr. Rooter and Septic Blue pages are city septic pages, and HomeField pages are location home pages. 5 of the 10 companies and franchisors first considered could not be included: the sitemaps of Wind River Environmental, Rooter-Man, Rooter Hero and Zoom Drain answered with a bot challenge, which we did not bypass, and ARS / Rescue Rooter lists no septic location pages. In a hand-check of 30 randomly drawn pages, 100.0% of flag values matched a hand reading after the rules were fixed (our count). The per-page file is location-pages.csv.

How many U.S. homes use a septic system?

About 18.5% of occupied U.S. homes were on a septic tank or cesspool in 2023 (our calculation): the Census Bureau's American Housing Survey counted 24,616 thousand septic homes out of 133,231 thousand occupied housing units (U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023). Another 107,884 thousand homes were on a public sewer (AHS 2023). Most septic homes, 23,294 thousand, had a standard tank and subsurface leach field (AHS 2023); the rest used a pump to distribute wastewater or another septic design.

The survey samples occupied homes, so vacant and seasonal homes and businesses on septic are not in these figures, and each estimate carries a margin of error. The 2023 count is well above the 2021 count of 19,489 thousand, a jump the Census Bureau has not explained in a published note, so the change between survey years should be read with care.

EPA's own pages round the share up. Its About Septic Systems page says more than one in five households depend on individual septic or small cluster systems (EPA), and its care page says "One in five U.S. homes have septic systems" (EPA). EPA's 2021 report to Congress, working from the 2017 survey, put the share at approximately 18 percent of households, or 21,718,000 households with a septic tank or cesspool (EPA Report to Congress, 2021).

The 1990 census was the last to ask about sewage disposal (Census Bureau historical tables); it counted all housing units, while the survey counts occupied units, so the two series do not line up exactly. EPA's 2002 Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual, citing 1999 Census figures, said approximately 23 percent of the estimated 115 million occupied homes were served by onsite systems (EPA, 2002), that onsite systems served an estimated 26 million homes, businesses and recreational facilities (EPA, 2002), and that more than 60 million people depended on them (EPA, 2002).

Who lives in homes on a septic system?

Owners, mostly: 87.6% of the homes on a septic tank or cesspool in 2023 were owner-occupied (our calculation from the American Housing Survey). The survey counted 21,569 thousand owner-occupied septic homes out of 86,853 thousand owner-occupied homes, or 24.8% (AHS 2023), against 3,047 thousand renter-occupied septic homes out of 46,378 thousand, or 6.6% (AHS 2023).

EPA's 2021 report to Congress found that approximately 52 percent of households not connected to a treatment works had incomes at or below $61,000, the 2017 U.S. median (EPA Report to Congress, 2021).

Where in the U.S. are septic systems most common?

The East South Central states (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee) had the highest septic share of the nine Census divisions in 2023, 36.8% (our calculation): 3,004 thousand of 8,162 thousand occupied homes (AHS 2023). The South Atlantic division, which includes Florida, had 5,977 thousand septic homes out of 27,050 thousand, or 22.1% (AHS 2023), the largest number of any division. In the 1990 census, Vermont had the highest state share, 55.0% of housing units (Census Bureau).

Do new homes still get septic systems?

Some do: 14.1% of occupied U.S. homes built from 2020 to 2023 were on a septic tank or cesspool in 2023 (our calculation from the American Housing Survey). The survey counted 175 thousand septic homes among 1,078 thousand built in 2022 or 2023 and 406 thousand among 3,044 thousand built in 2020 or 2021 (AHS 2023). The sample of recent homes is small, so these estimates have wide margins of error.

That is well below the figure in EPA's 2002 manual, which said, citing 1999 Census data, that the residents of about one-third of new homes depended on decentralized systems (EPA, 2002).

How many Florida homes use septic systems?

Florida's Department of Environmental Protection estimates 2.6 million septic systems in operation, used by approximately 30% of the state's population, and says Florida holds 12% of the nation's septic systems (Florida DEP). DEP gives no year or method for the estimate on that page, and it counts systems, which can include those at vacant, seasonal and commercial properties, not occupied homes.

The American Housing Survey's household count is lower: 1,424.5 thousand of Florida's 8,869.7 thousand occupied homes were on a septic tank or cesspool in 2023, or 16.1% (our calculation), with a margin of error of 295.6 thousand (AHS 2023). DEP's 2.6 million is 1.8 times that count, and Florida's septic homes were 5.8% of the nation's in the survey, not 12% (our calculations). In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties), the survey counted 93.4 thousand septic homes out of 2,334.0 thousand, or 4.0% (AHS 2023). In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area, last sampled in 2021, it counted 150.3 thousand out of 1,297.7 thousand, or 11.6% (AHS 2021).

Florida's septic share has fallen for decades. The census counted 37.7% of Florida housing units on a septic tank or cesspool in 1970 (Census Bureau), 27.3% in 1980 (Census Bureau) and 1,559,113 units, or 25.6%, in 1990 (Census Bureau).

How much money do septic repair and septic-to-sewer projects need?

States reported $74.7 billion in 20-year capital needs for decentralized wastewater systems, meaning septic and small cluster systems, in EPA's 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (EPA CWNS). Florida reported the largest need of any state, $8.3 billion (EPA CWNS Report to Congress). The category grew 172 percent from 2012, partly because 43 states reported needs in 2022 against 27 in 2012 (EPA CWNS Report to Congress).

Miami-Dade County's General Obligation Bond septic-to-sewer program is made up of 35 projects (Miami-Dade Water and Sewer); its commercial-corridor work converts more than 1,000 properties from septic to sewer and moves more than 500,000 gallons a day into the county's sewer system (Miami-Dade Water and Sewer). The county's page gives a 2023 completion target and has not been updated with a final count.

How often does EPA say a septic tank should be pumped and inspected?

EPA's care page says household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years and that a household system should be inspected at least every three years by a septic professional (EPA). Its Frequent Questions page is stricter on inspection: every 1 to 3 years, with pumping every 3 to 5 years (EPA). Both are general rules; the right interval depends on tank size, household size and water use. Applied to the 24.6 million septic homes the American Housing Survey counted in 2023, a three-to-five-year cycle would mean 4.9 million to 8.2 million pump-outs a year; that is arithmetic, not a count of pump-outs (our calculation).

EPA's Why Maintain page puts routine maintenance at $250 to $500 every three to five years, against between $5,000 and $15,000 to repair or replace a failed conventional system (EPA); the page gives no year or source for either range. The same page says more than four billion gallons of wastewater are dispersed below ground in the U.S. every day (EPA).

How many septic permits does Florida issue each year?

Florida county health departments issued 36,113 permits for new septic systems in state fiscal year 2022-23, the latest year the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has posted (Florida DEP). The same year they issued 21,843 permits to repair existing systems (Florida DEP). Repairs were 37.7% of the 57,956 new and repair permits that year (our calculation). DEP counts permits by state fiscal year, July 1 to June 30; abandonment and other permit types are not in these files.

New-system permits more than doubled in four years. Florida issued 16,935 in fiscal year 2018-19 (Florida DEP) and 40,327 in 2021-22, the highest of the five years DEP lists (Florida DEP). The 2022-23 count was 2.1 times the 2018-19 count (our calculation), and the five years together came to 146,583 new-system permits (our sum). Repair permits peaked at 27,148 in 2020-21 (Florida DEP) and averaged 23,679 a year over the five years (our calculation).

The longer DEP series shows how far the housing crash cut septic permits. The most new-system permits Florida issued in any year since 1971 was 72,578, in 1978 (our read of the DEP series). Permits then fell from 50,528 in fiscal year 2006-07 to 5,951 in 2012-13, a drop of 88.2% (our calculation). Florida issued more repair permits than new-system permits in 12 straight fiscal years, from 2008-09 to 2019-20 (our comparison). In all, Florida issued 2,892,672 new-system permits from 1971 to 2023 (Florida DEP) and 575,054 repair permits from 1991-92 to 2022-23 (Florida DEP). DEP notes that the permit count does not subtract systems removed from service, so it is a count of permits, not of septic tanks in use today.

How many septic permits do Palm Beach, Broward and Martin counties issue?

Palm Beach, Broward and Martin counties issued 813 permits for new septic systems in fiscal year 2022-23, 2.3% of the Florida total (our calculation from DEP county counts). Palm Beach issued 485 (Florida DEP), Martin 179 (Florida DEP) and Broward 149 (Florida DEP). Most new septic systems go in elsewhere: five counties, Lee, Marion, Brevard, Charlotte and Sarasota, issued 43.1% of the state's new-system permits that year (our calculation), and Lee alone issued 5,872 (Florida DEP).

In the three southeast counties, repair work is as large as new work. They issued 804 repair permits in 2022-23: 99 repairs for every 100 new-system permits, against 60 statewide (our calculation). Palm Beach issued 434 repair permits (Florida DEP), Martin 254, more than its new-system permits (Florida DEP), and Broward 116 (Florida DEP). Broward holds 3.7% of the new-system permits Florida issued from 1971 to 2023 but issued 0.4% of those issued in 2022-23 (our calculation).

How many licensed septic professionals are there in each state?

Counts depend on what each state licenses. Some license businesses, some license individuals, and some register vehicles; none of the counts below can be added together. North Carolina's onsite wastewater certification board supervised 4,338 licensees in fiscal year 2024-25 (NCOWCICB), up from 2,197 in 2017-18 (NCOWCICB): growth of 97.5% (our calculation), in a period when the board added private compliance inspectors. The board counted 3,331 licensees in 2023-24 (NCOWCICB) and issued 919 initial certifications in 2024-25 (NCOWCICB). It received 21 official complaints that year (NCOWCICB).

Pumpers and haulers make up a large share of some licence files. In Delaware, Class F liquid waste hauler licences were 42.3% of the state's on-site wastewater licences (our calculation from DNREC's file). In Texas, TCEQ figures in a 2025 state fiscal note put the number of septic pumpers at an estimated 6,000 to 12,000, one to two for each registered truck (Texas LBB). Connecticut counts 8.0 active installer credentials for every active cleaner credential (our calculation), and 59 of the installer credentials still on file were first issued in 2025, up from 32 in 2024 (our count). In Santa Clara County, septic pumpers were only 15.5% of permitted pumper vehicles; chemical (portable) toilet trucks made up most of the rest (our calculation), which matches the way the septic industry code also holds portable toilet rental.

In Missouri, 54.0% of registered installers held the advanced level, which covers alternative systems (our calculation), and 1,333 registrations were unexpired on the list's update date (our count). In Massachusetts, where a Title 5 inspection is required when a home is sold, the NEIWPCC lists of October 27, 2026 counted 1,279 approved system inspectors with in-state addresses (NEIWPCC for MassDEP) and 55 with out-of-state addresses (NEIWPCC for MassDEP), plus 1,285 in-state soil evaluators (NEIWPCC for MassDEP). Minnesota's program has produced just under 3,800 individual certifications alongside those business licences, by the MPCA's count (MPCA).

How many septic permits and inspections do other states record?

Minnesota local governments issued 11,183 septic system construction permits in 2025, by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's annual report (MPCA). Excluding repairs, 6,045 of those permits were for replacement systems and 4,610 for new ones (MPCA). The same local programs reported 14,014 compliance inspections of existing systems in 2025, up from 12,810 in 2024 (MPCA), and 12,352 sewage tanks installed (MPCA). About 77% of the 188 Minnesota local governments with septic programs require a compliance inspection when a property changes hands (MPCA). Septic professionals took 916 certification exams in 2025, against an average of 664 a year in 2015-2019 (MPCA).

Texas permitting authorities issue an average of about 49,000 on-site sewage permits a year, by TCEQ figures cited in a 2025 state fiscal note (Texas LBB). Delaware approved 1,712 septic system permits in 2025, 45.7% fewer than the 3,155 of 2002, the highest year since 2000 (our count of the DNREC permit file). In 2025 Delaware approved 705 permits for replacement systems and 698 for systems on new construction (our count). Sussex County holds 57.3% of the 118,248 septic permit records in the DNREC file (our calculation), and 4,894 of those records carry the status "System Abandoned" (our count). In Montgomery County, Maryland, the county issued 112 septic permits in 2025, and 60 of them were to restore or repair a system (our count).

How many septic tank servicers are there in the United States?

About 31.9 thousand jobs in 2025, self-employed included, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Projections (BLS Employment Projections). The BLS occupation behind every figure in this section, SOC 47-4071, is "septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners": it counts the workers who pump and repair septic tanks and the crews who clean sewer lines and drains, and BLS does not publish the two apart. BLS's survey of employers found 30,650 of these workers on payrolls in May 2025 (BLS OEWS); it leaves out owner-operators who work for themselves. The Current Population Survey, a monthly household survey, counted 12 thousand employed people whose main job was in the occupation in 2025, too few for BLS to publish their sex, race or ethnicity (BLS Current Population Survey). A household estimate for an occupation this small carries a large sampling error.

The occupation has no profile of its own in BLS's Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook lists it among occupations not covered in detail, defines the work as cleaning and repairing "septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains", and gives 31,900 jobs in 2025 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Who employs septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?

Mostly private companies: 23,980 of the 30,650 wage and salary workers in May 2025 worked for private employers (BLS OEWS), 78.2% of them (our calculation). The largest group, 17,120, worked in remediation and other waste management services (NAICS 5629), the industry group that holds septic tank and related services (BLS OEWS): 55.9% of the occupation's payroll jobs (our calculation). BLS does not publish this occupation for the septic industry (NAICS 562991) alone, so the 5629 figure also takes in remediation and other waste firms. Local governments employed 6,660 (BLS OEWS), 21.7% of the total (our calculation); BLS does not say how many of them clean sewer pipes rather than septic tanks.

What do septic tank servicers earn?

The median wage and salary septic tank servicer or sewer pipe cleaner in the United States earned $49,880 a year in May 2025 (BLS OEWS); the mean was $53,500 (BLS OEWS). One in ten earned less than $37,040 a year (BLS OEWS) and one in ten more than $73,490 (BLS OEWS). These are BLS employer-survey wages, so they leave out self-employed owners.

The occupation pays more in local government than at waste management companies. The May 2025 median was $55,860 for the occupation in local government (BLS OEWS) and $48,200 in remediation and other waste management services, the group that includes septic companies (BLS OEWS).

How many septic pumpers work for themselves?

Few, by BLS's measure: 3.1 percent of U.S. septic tank servicer and sewer pipe cleaner jobs were held by the self-employed in 2025 (BLS Employment Projections). The Census Bureau's count of businesses with no employees cannot isolate septic work: it publishes only waste management and remediation services as a whole (NAICS 562), which had 28,508 nonemployer businesses in 2024, from junk haulers to remediation contractors (Census Nonemployer Statistics).

Which states have the most septic tank servicers, and where is pay highest?

California had the most wage and salary septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in May 2025, 3,130 (BLS OEWS). New Jersey's had the highest mean annual wage of any state, $69,490 (BLS OEWS), against $53,500 nationally. BLS publishes no estimate for the District of Columbia or Rhode Island and suppresses Arkansas's employment. Florida's figures are in the Florida section below.

How fast will septic servicer jobs grow?

BLS projects 7.8 percent growth from 2025 to 2035 (BLS Employment Projections), from 31.9 thousand jobs to 34.4 thousand (BLS Employment Projections). That is faster than the 3.5 percent BLS projects for all occupations over the same decade (BLS Employment Projections). BLS expects about 2.8 thousand openings a year, including openings to replace workers who retire or change occupations (BLS Employment Projections). Projections are BLS model estimates, not counts.

How dangerous is septic work?

10 workers died from work injuries in septic tank and related services companies (NAICS 562991) in 2024, and every one of those deaths was a transportation incident, by BLS's Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (BLS CFOI). The count was 9 in 2023 (BLS CFOI). These are deaths in the industry, which also includes portable toilet companies, not deaths of the occupation; BLS publishes no fatality rate this detailed.

Nonfatal injuries are less common than in private industry overall. Employers in all other waste management services (NAICS 56299, the narrowest published group that includes septic companies) reported 1.8 recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2024 (BLS SOII), against 2.3 for all private industry (BLS SOII). Both rates come from employer injury logs, which are known to miss some injuries.

How many septic service businesses are there in the United States?

4,681 private establishments with employees in 2025: that is the average BLS's Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages counted in septic tank and related services (NAICS 562991) (BLS QCEW), employing an average of 35,331 workers (BLS QCEW). The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 4,054 establishments with paid employees in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns), and the 2022 Economic Census 3,991 (Census Economic Census). Every one of these counts covers the whole industry code, which also holds portable toilet rental companies, cesspool cleaners and sewer and drain cleaners, and none counts owner-operators with no employees.

Most of these businesses are small: 2,385 of the 4,054 establishments in County Business Patterns had fewer than 5 employees in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns). The industry has grown over the past decade. QCEW averaged 3,515 establishments (BLS QCEW) and 23,646 jobs (BLS QCEW) in 2015, so establishments grew 33.2% and jobs 49.4% in ten years (our calculation). By County Business Patterns, 58.8% of establishments had fewer than 5 employees in 2023 (our calculation).

How much do septic service businesses take in?

U.S. employer establishments in septic tank and related services had receipts of $6,317,781 thousand in 2022, by the Economic Census (Census Economic Census), up from $3,919,634 thousand in 2017 (Census Economic Census), a rise of 61.2% before inflation (our calculation). The Census Bureau's Annual Integrated Economic Survey, a sample survey of employer firms, estimated $8,195,776 thousand for 2024, with a coefficient of variation of 9.6 percent (Census AIES); it is not directly comparable with the Economic Census count. Average annual pay per job in the industry's private establishments was $66,297 in 2025 (BLS QCEW), a figure that covers drivers, office staff and managers as well as pumpers.

How much of the septic industry is septic pumping, and how much is portable toilets?

Pumping is the largest line and renting portable toilets the second largest. In the 2022 Economic Census, pumping and cleaning of septic tanks, portable toilets and cesspools made up 44.5 percent of the receipts of septic tank and related services establishments, a line reported by 90.2 percent of them (Census Economic Census). Census reports septic and portable toilet pumping in one line, so the two cannot be separated. Rental of portable toilets made up 34.7 percent of receipts, reported by 49.9 percent of them (Census Economic Census), and pumping and cleaning of other waste holding and drain facilities 8.2 percent (Census Economic Census).

Inspection barely shows as a separate line: in 2022, 77 establishments reported receipts from specific element inspection services, 0.2 percent of the industry's receipts (Census Economic Census). Inspections done during a pump-out are likely booked inside the pumping line.

Do a few large companies dominate septic service?

No. The four largest firms in septic tank and related services had 15.5 percent of the industry's receipts in 2022, by the Economic Census (Census Economic Census). Because portable toilet companies share the code, the largest firms are not necessarily septic pumpers.

Which other trades build and repair septic systems?

Most septic installation and repair is booked outside the septic pumping industry. In 2022, U.S. employer businesses in all industries reported $8,621,170 thousand in receipts from maintenance and repair of sewers, sewer lines, septic systems and related facilities (Census Economic Census). Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors took 40.7 percent of that, $3.5 billion (Census Economic Census); septic tank and related services establishments reported $792 thousand. Site preparation contractors (NAICS 238910) took 66.8 percent of the receipts for building new sewers, sewer lines and septic systems (Census Economic Census). Both product lines include sewer lines as well as septic systems.

A small share of septic servicers work in those trades too: BLS counted 1,680 septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners at building equipment contractors (NAICS 2382, which includes plumbing contractors) in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).

How many septic businesses and workers does Florida have?

Florida averaged 320 private septic tank and related services establishments in 2025, by BLS's QCEW (BLS QCEW), up from 245 in 2015 (BLS QCEW), a rise of 30.6% (our calculation). Florida held 6.8% of the U.S. total (our calculation). They employed an average of 3,002 workers (BLS QCEW), at average annual pay of $67,873 (BLS QCEW). The Census Bureau counted 240 Florida establishments with paid employees in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns), and the 2022 Economic Census put the receipts of the state's employer establishments at $583,186 thousand (Census Economic Census), 9.2% of the U.S. total (our calculation). The industry code includes portable toilet companies.

By occupation, Florida had 1,330 wage and salary septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in May 2025, sixth among the states (BLS OEWS), 4.3% of the U.S. total (our calculation), with a median annual wage of $46,150 (BLS OEWS), 7.5% below the national median of $49,880.

How many septic businesses are in Palm Beach, Broward and Martin counties?

In 2025, BLS's QCEW averaged 16 private septic tank and related services establishments in Palm Beach County (BLS QCEW), 12 in Broward County (BLS QCEW) and 2 in Martin County (BLS QCEW): together 9.4% of Florida's total (our calculation). Palm Beach's employed an average of 121 workers (BLS QCEW) and Broward's 169 (BLS QCEW), at average annual pay of $78,439 in Broward (BLS QCEW). BLS withholds Martin County's employment and pay to protect the employers' confidentiality. QCEW places each establishment in the county where its staff report, so a company based in one county may pump tanks in all three.

The Census Bureau's counts are smaller: County Business Patterns counted 10 establishments with paid employees in Palm Beach County in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns) and printed no row for Martin County, and the 2022 Economic Census put the receipts of Palm Beach's 9 employer establishments at $21,544 thousand (Census Economic Census).

BLS publishes occupation estimates for metropolitan areas, not counties. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties) had 280 wage and salary septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in May 2025 (BLS OEWS), and the Port St. Lucie metropolitan area (St. Lucie and Martin counties) 50 (BLS OEWS).

What do listed septic product makers and service companies report?

Advanced Drainage Systems, which owns the septic tank and leachfield maker Infiltrator Water Technologies, estimated in its annual report for the year to March 2026 that about 30% of new North American single-family homes use onsite wastewater (septic) systems, in a product market it puts at roughly $2 billion a year (ADS 10-K, fiscal 2026). The 30% is the company's own estimate, with no method or source given, and it covers the U.S. and Canada together. The company gave the same 30% in its fiscal 2020 report, the first after the 2019 Infiltrator purchase, when it sized the on-site septic market at roughly $1.2 billion (ADS 10-K, fiscal 2020).

The company's Wastewater segment, which sells Infiltrator and Orenco septic tanks, leachfield chambers and treatment systems, had net sales of $652,962 thousand in fiscal 2026, up 13.0% (ADS 10-K). That was 21.4% of company net sales, up from 17.8% two years earlier, and the segment's gross profit was $346,579 thousand. A full year of Orenco, bought in October 2024, added $52.6 million of sales, and Orenco Controls builds more than 20,000 control panels a year, including pump controllers for onsite systems. These are a manufacturer's sales, not what septic service companies earn.

Chemed, the listed owner of Roto-Rooter, does not report septic work separately. Its 2025 10-K mentions septic once, listing septic tank and grease trap pumping among activities that fall under state and local sanitation rules. The closest reported line is excavation, which brought in $238,390 thousand in 2025, up 4.8% (Chemed 10-K, 2025). Chemed's advertising expense for both of its businesses (Roto-Rooter and VITAS hospice) was $83.1 million in 2025, up from $72.2 million in 2023, with most internet ads bought per click and most directory listings per call; it is not split by segment. Chemed says Roto-Rooter's branches, contractors and franchisees reach over 90% of the U.S. population for plumbing and drain cleaning.

What do water utilities' annual reports say about septic homes?

Essential Utilities' 2025 10-K says 19% of the U.S. population relies on septic tanks, cesspools or other options, citing the 2023 American Housing Survey (Essential Utilities 10-K, 2025). The survey counts occupied housing units, not people, so "population" is the utility's wording. The same paragraph has appeared in the company's 10-Ks for two decades, and its source has changed: until the 10-K for 2019 it cited EPA's survey of treatment plants, which measures the share of people served by a plant.

The utility, then Aqua America, also ran septic pumping businesses. It bought one in 2005 that served about 2,000 customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware (Aqua America 10-K, 2005), and by 2009 six acquired septic pumping and wastewater service businesses brought in $9,436,000 of revenue, down from $10,331,000 in 2008 (Aqua America 10-K, 2009). That is the only septic pumping revenue we found broken out in a 10-K. Artesian Resources notes that Delaware requires a state permit for any on-site system with a design flow of 2,500 gallons a day or more (Artesian 10-K, 2025). Connecticut Water's protection-plan affiliate had about 20,000 customers at the end of 2017, and over 35% were on plans that cover septic drainage lines among other items (Connecticut Water 10-K, 2017). None of the utility 10-Ks we read (Essential, American Water, H2O America (SJW), Middlesex, Artesian, Global Water Resources) counts septic-to-sewer conversions.

What do septic franchisors disclose to buyers?

Epic Septic, a Texas franchisor registered in Minnesota in 2026, had 1 affiliate-owned outlet and no franchises when its disclosure document was issued in April 2026 (Epic Septic FDD, 2026). That one unit, running one pump truck, reported gross revenue of $321,288 from August to December 2025 and served 288 clients, with an average invoice total of $1,275 per client and a median of $704. The franchisor puts the initial investment for a new septic franchise at $165,648 to $239,537 and for an existing septic company converting to the brand at $81,300 to $205,597; the equipment list includes a camera and locator. Franchisees must spend the greater of $4,000 or 5% of the previous month's revenue on local marketing each month after a $15,000 opening campaign, and pay 1% of gross revenue to a brand fund. These are franchisor figures, unaudited, from one unit over five months.

Roto-Rooter's franchised outlets fell from 348 at the start of 2023 to 333 at the end of 2025, and its franchisees may, but need not, offer septic tank cleaning. Mr. Rooter's franchisees may offer septic tank pumping and video pipe inspection alongside plumbing; its average covers all of that work, and the median was $1,257,146. Septic Blue, another septic franchisor, had no filing in Minnesota's franchise database when we searched it on 4 November 2026. All figures in this section are the franchisors' own; investment ranges are franchisor estimates, not prices.

How often do SEC annual reports mention septic systems?

55 Form 10-K annual reports filed in 2025 contained the word "septic", against 49 in 2005 (our count of EDGAR full-text search). The count has barely moved in two decades: it peaked at 74 in 2009 and has stayed between 45 and 74 a year, with 533 filings in 2016-2025 against 570 in 2005-2014 (our count). These are filings, not companies or mentions, and the year is the filing year, so 2025 mostly means reports on fiscal 2024.

Much of the count is not about septic tanks. 17 of the 2025 filings came from drug, device, lab or health-care companies, where the word mostly means sepsis, and the phrase "septic shock" alone appeared in 188 10-Ks over 2005-2025 (our count). Of the rest, 7 came from real estate companies, REITs and homebuilders, one from a water utility, and many from mining companies whose technical reports describe septic systems at remote camps.

No 10-K in any year used "septic-to-sewer" or "septic to sewer" (our count); conversion programs are run by counties and municipal utilities, which do not file with the SEC. In 2025 only Advanced Drainage Systems and Artesian Resources used "onsite wastewater". Water utilities used the word in 21 of the 21 years, almost all through Aqua America and Essential Utilities repeating the same paragraph on how many people live on septic (our count). Private septic companies and franchisors file no 10-K, so they are not in these counts. The search covers filings from 2001 onward, matches exact phrases with no stemming, and counts each filing once even when an exhibit also matches; the year-by-year file, with the API's raw document totals and the query for each cell, is in our CSV.

What do lead marketplaces say septic pumping and inspections cost?

Thumbtack, a lead marketplace that sells customer requests to septic pros, put the U.S. national average cost to pump a septic tank at around $315-$1,230 in its guide updated in October 2026, citing its own platform data (Thumbtack). Its septic inspection guide, updated the day before, gives a national average range of around $358-$1,398 (Thumbtack) and tells homeowners to expect an inspection to take 2-2.5 hours (Thumbtack). Thumbtack does not publish how many jobs or quotes sit behind these ranges, and both pages contradict themselves further down: the pumping page also says to expect $200 to $500, and the inspection page says most inspections cost $100 to $250. These are a seller's figures for its own marketplace, not survey results. Angi's septic pumping guide refused scripted requests (HTTP 403), and HomeAdvisor's robots.txt bars AI crawlers, so neither is cited here.

Does a standard home inspection cover the septic system?

No. The American Society of Home Inspectors' Standard of Practice lists "Septic and other sewage disposal systems" among the things a home inspector is not required to inspect, and it also excuses the inspector from deciding whether sewage disposal is public or private (ASHI Standard of Practice, section 6). That leaves the septic check at a home sale to a separate inspection, by a septic contractor or an inspector who offers it as an add-on.

InterNACHI, the other large home-inspector association, publishes guidance that a septic system should be inspected once a year, including as soon as the house is put on the market (InterNACHI). Its guidance says sludge should not take up more than 1/3 of the tank's volume (InterNACHI) and that a four-bedroom home typically needs a 1,200-gallon tank (InterNACHI); the same page notes that it is not uncommon for a homeowner to have no idea where the tank is. InterNACHI's own septic inspection course for members carries 10 continuing-education hours and includes 1.5 hours of video, and it splits the work into a maintenance inspection and a functional inspection, the latter used mainly at property transfers (InterNACHI course page). Both associations sell training and membership to inspectors, not septic services; these are rules and guidance, not measured rates.

Is there evidence that video changes what septic owners do?

Very little, and none of it from U.S. septic customers. A PubMed search on 4 November 2026 found one controlled comparison of video against still images on a septic topic: a 2022 study of 128 Sri Lankan residents, split into two equal groups, in which the group shown a video explaining pit latrines and septic tanks showed a significant shift toward choosing a septic tank when asked again two to three weeks later (Heliyon, Tokunaga et al.). The sample was small and recruited by word of mouth, and the outcome was a stated preference, not a purchase or a pump-out. No study found here measured whether septic how-to or pump-out videos lead U.S. owners to book pumping or inspections.

Septic-specific marketing data from the trade is also thin in public. The field-service software sellers that market to septic companies (ServiceCore, Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan were checked) publish product pages, how-to posts and general trades surveys, but no septic-specific survey with a stated sample was found on their sites; ServiceCore's published benchmark report covers portable sanitation, not septic. The trade magazines Pumper and Onsite Installer, both from COLE Publishing, run reader surveys, but their sites' robots.txt files bar AI agents, so their figures are not used on this page.

How often do septic owners really pump and inspect?

Less often than the advice says, in surveys and records published from 2023 to 2026. In a 2024-2025 Penn State survey of 656 Pennsylvania septic users for the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, over 75 percent said they pump every one to five years, but only about 30 percent said they have routine inspections (Center for Rural Pennsylvania). About 65 percent of their systems were over 20 years old (Center for Rural Pennsylvania), and 43 percent named repair or replacement costs as a challenge, against 33 percent for routine maintenance (Center for Rural Pennsylvania). The sample was recruited, not random, and the answers are self-reported.

Records tell a starker story than surveys. Septage manifests in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia showed that 12.2% of septic systems were pumped in a 38-month period, an annualized rate of 5.7%, well below what a three-to-five-year pumping cycle would produce (Science of the Total Environment, Connelly et al. 2023). Over a 78-year repair record, 7.8% of the county's 8,826 mapped systems had been repaired, and the median repaired system was 65 years old (Connelly et al.). The average recorded pump-out was 1,202 gallons (Connelly et al.). These are one county's records, counted by university researchers with the county government; haulers who dump illegally are not in them.

In East Texas, a Texas A&M survey of septic owners in the Attoyac Bayou watershed got 252 usable responses from 3,383 residents (Environmental Management, Okolo et al. 2026). Of those owners, 82% had no service contract (Okolo et al.), 25% said their system had never been pumped (Okolo et al.), and 26% had never had it inspected, while 35% had it inspected only when it stopped working properly or was damaged (Okolo et al.).

What do Florida septic owners know about their systems?

About a third knew the pumping interval in a 2020 University of Florida survey. That UF/IFAS survey mailed to 1,604 Florida residents in September 2020 drew 517 usable responses (UF/IFAS Extension). Only 33.1% could correctly say how often a septic system needs pumping (UF/IFAS Extension), while 82.8% could say who is responsible for maintaining a septic system, against 48% for a sewer (UF/IFAS Extension). The average score on the survey's knowledge test was 54.7% (UF/IFAS Extension). These figures come from a UF/IFAS Extension agent's summary; the full UF/IFAS report did not load on 4 November 2026.

A peer-reviewed analysis of the same statewide survey, covering 518 Florida septic owners, found that four out of ten said their community had septic-to-sewer conversion plans, and most of those described the plans as voluntary rather than mandatory (Journal of Environmental Management, Warner et al. 2022). The authors, from the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee, found that owners were more supportive where conversions fit their needs and where they could see completed projects nearby.

How much of the nitrogen reaching Florida's springs comes from septic systems?

In Florida DEP's June 2025 springs restoration plans, septic systems are estimated to supply from 4.5% to 74% of the nitrogen that soaks into the groundwater feeding a spring, depending on how built-up the springshed is (Florida DEP). The estimates come from DEP's Nitrogen Source Inventory Loading Tool, a model that adds up nitrogen from septic systems, lawn and farm fertilizer, livestock, rain and treatment plants, then subtracts what the soil removes. They are modelled loads for each springshed, not measurements at the spring vent.

Where homes on septic are dense, septic is the largest single source. Volusia Blue Spring, in suburban Volusia County, is the highest of the plans read for this page. In the farm-dominated Panhandle basins, Jackson Blue Spring and Wacissa, septic is a small share and agriculture leads. Florida law requires a septic remediation plan when DEP finds septic systems supply at least 20% of the nitrogen pollution of an Outstanding Florida Spring.

The Wakulla plan puts the septic share at 34% across the springshed and 46% in the priority focus areas closest to the spring. The estimate moves as the model is updated: a 2017 DEP paper put septic at 48% of the nitrogen load to groundwater in the Kings Bay area (Journal of Environmental Management), against 51% in the 2025 plan.

What have scientists found about septic systems and the Indian River Lagoon and other Florida estuaries?

Field studies since 2017, most by Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, trace human-waste nitrogen and markers from septic areas into the Indian River Lagoon, the St. Lucie Estuary and the Caloosahatchee. In the central Indian River Lagoon, where septic systems handle more than half of wastewater disposal, surface water carried sucralose, an artificial sweetener that passes through people and septic tanks, at 100 to 1700 ng/L (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2021). Sucralose and the nitrogen isotope signature of sewage are the tracers these studies use to tell human waste from fertilizer.

• A survey of 70 macroalgae sites across the lagoon found wastewater-like nitrogen isotope values in most of the system, highest in the urbanized central lagoon and the Banana River Lagoon (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2018).
• In the St. Lucie Estuary in Martin and St. Lucie counties, groundwater at residential sites next to pre-1978 septic neighborhoods held sucralose up to 32.0 micrograms per litre (Harmful Algae, 2017).
• Sampling at 20 lagoon sites before and about five years after local fertilizer bans found more ammonium and nitrate after the bans, which the authors read as human waste, not fertilizer, driving the nitrogen (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2023).
• In septic-served North Fort Myers in 2017-2020, more than 80% of water-table measurements were too shallow for septic systems to work (Science of the Total Environment). Groundwater there held ammonium up to 1094 μM and pharmaceuticals including carbamazepine and acetaminophen (Science of the Total Environment).
• At 25 Lee County ditches, creeks and canals suspected of septic contamination, fecal bacteria were high in 66% of samples taken from January 2020 to January 2021 (Science of the Total Environment).
• In a 1995 tracer test in Key Largo's porous limestone, a virus tracer flushed into a home septic tank reached the next canal in as little as 11 hours and open marine water in 23 hours (Applied and Environmental Microbiology).

The Harbor Branch studies chose sites near septic neighborhoods, so their percentages describe those sites rather than every waterway in a county.

How does rising groundwater affect septic systems in South Florida?

Miami-Dade County estimated in November 2018 that 58,349 residential parcels on septic tanks, about 56% of them, may already be compromised during storms or wet years because groundwater rises into the drainfield (Miami-Dade County). A drainfield needs dry soil beneath it to treat wastewater. The county, working with the Florida Department of Health and using a groundwater model built with the U.S. Geological Survey, projected the number would pass 67,234 parcels by 2040 (Miami-Dade County).

• Almost 1,000 properties were likely failing under average 2018 groundwater, not just in storms, 88% of them in unincorporated Miami-Dade (Miami-Dade County).
• By 2040 many areas are expected to have groundwater within half a foot of the surface more than 25% of the year (Miami-Dade County).
• Sea level near Miami had risen four inches since 1994, the report notes (Miami-Dade County).
• During a November 2016 King Tide, floodwater near the Little River held fecal enterococci of 3,700 to 5,200 colony forming units per 100 mL, measured by NOAA and three Florida universities, against an EPA-recommended average below 30 to 35 (Miami-Dade County).
• A Florida International University model of 2010-2040 found most Miami-Dade septic return flow ends up in surface water: 52,830 cubic metres a day to canals and 5,696 to Biscayne Bay (Ground Water).

The same problem appears outside Florida. A George Mason University study projects the number of flood-exposed septic systems in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay counties more than doubles from 2020 to 2060, with Dorchester County passing 1,700 systems (Climatic Change, 2026). In University of Rhode Island soil tests, warmer soil and a 30 cm higher water table cut a conventional drainfield's phosphorus removal from 75% to 66% (PLoS One, 2016).

How large is the septic share of nitrogen in other U.S. bays and estuaries?

The share ranges from a few percent of a whole bay's load to most of the groundwater load where homes on septic sit near the shore. The Chesapeake Bay Program estimates septic systems discharge about 8.3 million pounds of nitrogen a year, 3.4% of the total load to the Bay (Chesapeake Bay Program). On the north shore of Long Island Sound, USGS modelling for 1993-2022 puts septic systems at 50 to 60 percent of the nitrogen arriving through groundwater (USGS). On Cape Cod, EPA researchers report that septic systems and cesspools supply about 80% of the controllable nitrogen load to many impaired estuaries (Journal of Environmental Management, 2024).

Upgrades can cut that load. In an EPA field demonstration at 14 neighboring homes in Barnstable, Massachusetts, woodchip-bioreactor septic systems reduced wastewater nitrogen loading by more than 90% over the first 25 months (Journal of Environmental Management, 2024). Hawaii, which still relies on cesspools, faces a starker version: the state Department of Health estimates cesspools release about 53 million gallons of untreated sewage into the ground each day (Hawaii Department of Health) and counts 43,000 cesspools as a risk to water resources (Hawaii Department of Health).

What does the health evidence say about septic systems, wells and illness?

A CDC review of 248 drinking water outbreaks from untreated groundwater in 1971-2008 found that, where the cause was recorded, 67.4% involved a poorly designed, maintained or located water source or nearby septic system (Ground Water). Human sewage was the leading contamination source, named in 33.1% of those outbreaks (Ground Water). Outbreak counts miss sporadic illness, so studies of wells and illness fill in the rest.

• In June 2007 a new Wisconsin restaurant's septic system, built to code, contaminated its well with norovirus and 229 patrons and employees fell ill (Ground Water).
• In a 1997-1998 study of children in central Wisconsin, viral diarrhea rose with the number of holding-tank septic systems nearby (adjusted odds ratio 1.08 per system) (Environmental Health Perspectives).
• USGS sampling published in 2025 of randomly chosen private wells in southwest Wisconsin found human fecal microbes in 46% of 138 wells, with rainfall the key risk factor (Water Research). A USGS risk model for the same three counties estimated 4450 stomach-illness cases a year from contaminated wells (Journal of Environmental Quality, 2026).

Septic systems also carry chemicals that standard well tests miss. Silent Spring Institute found 27 wastewater compounds, including 12 pharmaceuticals and five PFAS, in 20 Cape Cod wells in septic-only areas (Science of the Total Environment, 2016). In a study published in 2023, Wisconsin DNR found at least one PFAS in 71% of 450 shallow private wells and tied the higher readings to septic-borne human waste (Environmental Science & Technology). In a 2025 study, EPA researchers measured median PFAS and precursors of 687.5 ng/L in residential septage against 84.2 ng/L in sewer pump stations (Environmental Science & Technology Letters), and New Hampshire's environment agency measured 7 to 88 ng/L in effluent from four community septic systems (ACS ES&T Water, 2026). In eastern North Carolina, a study published in 2024 found GenX in all 18 septic tanks sampled, and 22% of the paired wells exceeded the health advisory level (Journal of Water and Health).

A 2024 systematic review of 82 studies from 2012-2023 lists E. coli, nitrate, Enterococcus, ammonium, phosphate and pharmaceuticals as the contaminants septic systems most often add to groundwater (Environmental Science and Pollution Research). Where septic systems are not possible at all, some homes discharge raw sewage through "straight pipes"; a University of Alabama synthesis found estimates near 50% in some U.S. counties (Water Research).

What does it take to register as a septic contractor in Florida?

A Florida septic tank contractor needs at least 3 years of supervised experience and a passed state exam, under the 2026 Florida Statutes (Fla. Stat. 489.553). Applicants must be 18 or older, and up to 2 of the 3 years can come from related work or approved coursework. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sets the exam's passing score at 75 percent (Fla. Admin. Code 62-6.019).

Registration covers anyone who installs, repairs, modifies, maintains or abandons a septic system, or who pumps septic tanks. Companies that only rent a portable toilet or service temporary holding tanks are excluded (62-6.019). That matters for counting: the federal industry code for septic services also holds portable toilet firms, but Florida's register does not.

• Renewal is yearly and needs at least 12 classroom hours of continuing education (Fla. Stat. 489.554). At most 6 unused hours can roll over to the next year (62-6.021).
• A master septic tank contractor needs 3 years as a registered contractor, a minimum of 30 hours of approved coursework (Fla. Stat. 489.553) and a second exam with a passing score of 70 percent (62-6.020). Masters renew with 18 classroom hours a year, 6 of them master-level (Fla. Stat. 489.554).
• A septic business that loses its qualifying contractor has 60 days to replace that person and may not sign new contracts meanwhile (Fla. Stat. 489.555).
• Breaking the contracting law is a misdemeanor of the first degree (Fla. Stat. 489.558). DEP's disciplinary guidelines set a first-violation fine of up to $1,000 for finishing work with no permit and missed inspections, and revocation for a repeat (62-6.022). Most other listed violations carry a warning or a fine of up to $500.

What rules apply to a Florida septic pump-out and pump truck?

A Florida pumping company needs an annual septage disposal service permit from DEP before it cleans any tank, under rule 62-6.010 in force in 2026 (62-6.010). The permit requires a tank truck holding at least 1,500 gallons (62-6.010).

The truck must show the permit number, company name, phone number and tank capacity in letters at least 3 inches high, painted or otherwise permanent; magnetic signs do not count (62-6.010). Every chamber of a tank must be emptied in their entirety at a pump-out. A partial pump-out has to be explained to the owner in writing, with the gallons removed (62-6.010).

Florida has banned spreading septage on land since January 1, 2016 (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). Pumpers take the load to an approved treatment facility instead. Federal rules still allow land application in most other states (see the federal septage section below).

Does Florida require a septic inspection when a house is sold?

No. Florida law says a septic inspection may not be mandated by any government at the point of sale in a real estate transaction (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). A septic permit transfers with the title.

A separate statute lets counties and cities run a periodic evaluation program. Each system in such a program is evaluated once every 5 years, and the ordinance may not require an evaluation at sale (Fla. Stat. 381.00651). Counties with a first magnitude spring had to adopt one by 2013 unless their board opted out by a 60 percent vote (Fla. Stat. 381.00651).

Some systems do get routine inspections. The maintenance company for an aerobic treatment unit must inspect it at least twice a year and report to the state every quarter (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). The unit's operating permit runs 2 years (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). DEP may also audit up to 25 percent of private inspection providers each year (Fla. Stat. 381.0065).

How big must a Florida septic tank be, and how far must it sit from wells?

A Florida home with up to 300 gallons a day of design flow needs a septic tank of at least 900 gallons, and 301 to 400 gallons a day needs 1,050 gallons, under DEP's rule table in force in 2026 (62-6.008 Table II). The rule sizes a 3-bedroom home of 1,201 to 2,250 square feet at 300 gallons a day (62-6.008 Table I).

• Systems permitted before June 21, 2022 must sit at least 75 feet from a private drinking-water well and from tidal water (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). DEP's rule keeps the 75-foot well setback for newer systems.
• The wettest-season water table must be at least 24 inches below the bottom of the drainfield (62-6.006).
• Systems must sit at least 5 feet from foundations and property lines, and the site needs unobstructed land at least 1.5 times the drainfield area (62-6.005).
• Lots on a public water system may use septic at up to four lots per acre and 2,500 gallons per acre per day (Fla. Stat. 381.0065). Lots on private wells need at least half an acre and stay under 1,500 gallons per acre per day (Fla. Stat. 381.0065).
• An existing system can be repaired rather than replaced by a sewer hookup if sewer is not available within 500 feet of the building's sewer stub-out (Fla. Stat. 381.0065).

Who regulates septic systems in Florida?

The Department of Environmental Protection has run Florida's septic program since a transfer from the Department of Health took effect on July 1, 2021, under the 2020 Clean Waterways Act, SB 712 (Laws of Florida ch. 2020-150). A 2024 law then set out a phased, county-by-county handover, so county health departments kept running parts of the program after 2021.

What do Florida's springs, Clean Waterways and Indian River Lagoon laws require of septic systems?

Florida's water-quality laws push septic owners toward sewer or nitrogen-reducing systems. An "enhanced nutrient-reducing" system is one approved to remove at least 50 percent of total nitrogen before the drainfield, or 65 percent across tank and drainfield (Fla. Stat. 381.0065).

• 2016 springs law. A spring's basin plan must include a septic remediation plan where septic systems supply at least 20 percent of nonpoint nitrogen pollution (Fla. Stat. 373.807). Inside those basin plans, new septic systems are banned where sewer is available. Lots of 1 acre or less without sewer may install only systems with at least 65 percent nitrogen reduction (Fla. Stat. 373.811).
• 2020 Clean Waterways Act. Nutrient basin plans where septic systems or sewage plants supply at least 20 percent of the pollution must include septic remediation plans, adopted no later than July 1, 2025 (Fla. Stat. 403.067).
• Every basin plan area. New septic systems are banned where sewer is available. On lots of 1 acre or less without sewer, only nitrogen-reducing systems are allowed (Fla. Stat. 403.067).
• 2023 Indian River Lagoon law (HB 1379). From January 1, 2024, new septic systems are banned in the Banana River, North and Central Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon plan areas wherever sewer is available. Elsewhere in those areas only nitrogen-reducing systems may go in, and the statute sets no lot-size threshold (Fla. Stat. 373.469). By July 1, 2030, every commercial property and every home on 10 acres or less in those areas must connect to sewer if available or upgrade (Fla. Stat. 373.469).

Once sewer arrives, a working septic system must connect within 365 days of the utility's written notice (Fla. Stat. 381.00655). A system that needs repair must connect within 90 days of the state's notice (Fla. Stat. 381.00655).

Which states require a septic inspection when a home is sold?

As of 2026, Massachusetts and Arizona require a septic inspection before a home sale closes, Rhode Island forces cesspools out within a year of a sale, and Minnesota requires a written sewage disclosure at every sale. Florida goes the other way: state law bars governments from mandating an inspection at sale. The table below compares the rules as written in each state's statute or administrative code, read on official legislature sites or Cornell LII copies.

"Not compared here" means this page did not check that rule, not that the state has none. Texas sets its visit and testing frequencies in a table attached to 30 TAC 285.91 that the online code copy does not render as text, so the often-quoted "every four months" Texas inspection could not be confirmed from rule text.

Minnesota also fines owners of straight-pipe systems $500 a month once ten months pass after notice (Minn. Stat. 115.55). Its training rule asks installers and pumpers for 12 hours every three years (Minn. R. 7083.1060), against Florida's 12 hours every year.

What federal rules apply to septage spread on land?

EPA's 40 CFR Part 503, as published in the eCFR in 2026, lets domestic septage be applied to farmland, forest or reclamation sites if either crop and access limits are met or the septage is treated. The treatment option raises the pH to 12 or higher with alkali and holds it for 30 minutes (40 CFR 503.32). The same pH 12 step also meets the rule's vector attraction requirement (40 CFR 503.33).

• Food crops whose harvested parts touch the septage and soil above ground may not be harvested for 14 months after application (40 CFR 503.32).
• The person applying septage keeps site, acreage, date, crop nitrogen and rate records for five years (40 CFR 503.17).
• The yearly application limit is the crop's nitrogen need divided by 0.0026. EPA's 1993 guide works an example: a corn crop needing 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre allows 38,500 gallons of septage per acre per year (EPA 832-B-92-005).

None of this applies to Florida pumpers, because Florida has banned land application of septage since 2016 (January 1, 2016).

What do the popular septic numbers really say?

Six numbers that septic pages repeat trace back to narrower sources than the repeats suggest: a share of homes that EPA has printed as one-fourth, 25%, 23 percent, one in four, 20 percent and one in five; a pumping interval that an extension office calls a regulators' uniform policy; a single video vendor's client tests; a failure range that EPA's own manual says no state had measured; a share of new homes that no survey has shown; and a Florida count that stayed at 2.6 million for ten years. Each claim below gives the claim as repeated, where it came from, what the original measured, and what to use instead. Earlier editions of EPA and Florida pages were read in Internet Archive captures.

"1 in 5 U.S. homes uses a septic system" (or one in four, 25%, more than 60 million people)

The claim as repeated. EPA's septic overview page has said since at least October 2015 that "more than one in five households in the United States depend on an individual onsite system or small community cluster system" (EPA, 2015 capture). Earlier EPA pages gave larger shares, and the larger shares are still repeated.

Where it came from. The earliest EPA share we found is in its onsite wastewater FAQ, captured in December 2000: according to the U.S. Census Bureau, "about one-fourth of all homes in America", 26 million, were served by onsite or decentralized systems (EPA, 2000 capture). The same page said "more than 60 million people" were served (EPA, 2000 capture) and, a few answers later, that these systems served "approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population" (EPA, 2000 capture), using homes and people interchangeably. EPA's 2004 basics page said septic systems "are being used in 25% of all U.S. homes", with no source (EPA, 2004 capture).

How it changed. EPA's 2002 Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual, citing a 1999 Census Bureau publication, put the share at "approximately 23 percent" of the estimated 115 million occupied homes (EPA manual, 2002) and repeated "more than 60 million people" (EPA manual, 2002). EPA's 2009 fact sheet used the 2007 American Housing Survey, a Census Bureau sample of 55,000 housing units (EPA fact sheet), and gave 20 percent (26.1 million) of all housing units (EPA fact sheet). In September 2012 EPA's septic home page said both "nearly one in four households" at the top (EPA, 2012 capture) and "approximately 20 percent of all homes" further down (EPA, 2012 capture). The "one in five" form appears by 2015.

What the original measured. EPA's pages name no Census year for the one-fourth, the 26 million or the 60 million. The 26 million is close to the American Housing Survey counts of 1989 and 2001 charted in EPA's 2009 fact sheet. The state shares come from the 1990 decennial census, the last census to ask how homes dispose of sewage: the 2002 manual credits them to "U.S. Census Bureau, 1990", and EPA's 2015 overview still printed "a high of about 55 percent in Vermont to a low of about 10 percent in California" (EPA, 2015 capture). The 20 percent and the "one in five" come from the American Housing Survey, a household sample survey, and count individual septic systems; EPA's current wording adds small community cluster systems.

What to use instead. The latest American Housing Survey table of sewage disposal, in the housing section of this page, with its survey year and whether it counts all housing units or occupied homes. A 1990 census share should be labelled 1990.

"A septic tank should be pumped every 3 to 5 years"

The claim as repeated. Roto-Rooter, a plumbing and septic service company that sells pumping, tells homeowners that, "as a general rule", a septic tank should ideally be emptied once every three to five years (Roto-Rooter). The same page says a person living alone may go ten years and a family of seven may need pumping every two years.

Where it came from. EPA's December 2000 FAQ is the earliest EPA web form we found: it named failure to pump "at least every 3-5 years" as a cause of drain-field clogging (EPA, 2000 capture). EPA's December 2002 Homeowner's Guide to Septic Systems said a system "will need pumping (generally every 3 to 5 years)", depending on how many people live in the house and the size of the system, but gave no table (EPA homeowner guide, 2002). EPA's care page said by 2015 that household tanks "are typically pumped every three to five years" (EPA, 2015 capture).

What the original measured. Nothing was measured for the range itself. Penn State Extension, a public educator, says that to create a uniform pumping policy "regulators have taken a conservative stance, stating that all septic tanks should be pumped every 3 to 5 years" (Penn State Extension). Its own arithmetic gives shorter intervals for families: a family of four fills the 300-gallon storage volume of a 1,000-gallon tank in about 1.5 years before adjusting for time spent away from home (Penn State Extension). Its pumping table is adapted from Karen Mancl's 1984 estimate and assumes 50 gallons of water a person a day (Penn State Extension). On that table a three-person household with a 900-gallon tank would pump about every 3.3 years, and about every 4.8 years with a 1,250-gallon tank (Penn State Extension). The table runs from 18.9 years for one person with a 1,500-gallon tank to 0.8 years for eight people with a 900-gallon tank.

What to use instead. An interval by tank size and household size from a table like Penn State's, or the interval a state or county rule sets (see the rules section of this page), or an inspection that measures the sludge and scum layers. "Every 3 to 5 years" is a uniform policy, not an estimate for any one home.

"Video lifts conversions 80%"

The claim as repeated. Beverly Boy Productions, a video production company that sells marketing videos to septic, drain and sewer cleaning companies, says "recent studies" show promotional videos "can augment landing page conversions by as much as 80%", naming no study (Beverly Boy). Its page for portable toilet rental and septic tank cleaning companies says marketing videos can "increase sales conversions on landing pages by 80%", beside a 1200% lift in social shares, also unsourced (Beverly Boy).

Where it came from. The trail starts with EyeView, which made and tested videos for its clients. A blog post of December 4, 2008 said visitors to eToro's site who viewed EyeView's video were 20% more likely to download the product. That compared viewers with non-viewers, who chose for themselves whether to watch (EyeView, 2009 capture). The first 80% figure we found is in a post of February 10, 2009: viewers of EyeView's videos for UMOO were 80% more likely to become depositing users, the same kind of comparison (EyeView). In November 2009 a TutorVista manager said the first test on one landing page "boosted conversion by over 80 percent" (EyeView). EyeView's case study gave that one A/B test, with the video autoplaying for first-time visitors, as an 86 percent increase (EyeView).

How it changed. EyeView's 2010 white paper said that "in some cases" the boost was over 80% (EyeView white paper). It reported the eToro split test, earlier told as 20%, as almost 32 percent (EyeView white paper). By August 2010 Unbounce, a landing-page software seller, wrote that "a study by eyeviewdigital.com shows that using video on landing pages can increase conversion by 80%" (Unbounce, 2010 capture). That dropped "in some cases" and the single-client scope. The septic pages above dropped EyeView too.

What to use instead. Unbounce's own August 2021 look at about 35,000 customer landing pages in each of three periods from late 2020 to early 2021 (Unbounce) found that video had a minimal or negative effect on landing page conversion, whatever the page's goal (Unbounce). Its ten industries did not include septic service. A septic company that wants a number should test its own booking or quote page.

"10-20% of septic systems fail each year"

The claim as repeated. EPA's 2004 basics page said that "according to various reports and studies, an estimated 10% to 20% of septic systems fail each year", naming no study (EPA, 2004 capture). EPA's 2012 septic page said "an estimated 10 to 20 percent of these systems malfunction each year" (EPA, 2012 capture).

Where it came from. The earliest EPA form we found is narrower and different: the December 2000 FAQ said the Census Bureau "has indicated that at least 10 percent of onsite/decentralized systems have stopped working", and that some communities report failure rates as high as 70 percent (EPA, 2000 capture). EPA's 2002 manual then wrote that "studies reviewed by USEPA cite failure rates ranging from 10 to 20 percent", citing a 2000 EPA document (EPA manual, 2002). That is a range of rates found in separate studies, with no period attached; "each year" was added on later web pages.

What the original measured. The same manual says estimates of failure rates had been collected from 28 states, but that no state had directly measured its own failure rate and that definitions of failure vary (EPA manual, 2002). The one measured count it gives is from the Census Bureau's 1997 American Housing Survey: 403,000 homes had septic system breakdowns within a 3-month period in 1997, and 31,000 had four or more (EPA manual, 2002). A breakdown reported by a household in three months is not the same thing as a failed system in a year.

What to use instead. Measured counts with their definition and period: the American Housing Survey's breakdown question, a state's point-of-sale inspection results (the rules section of this page covers which states require them), or a county's repair-permit counts. The 10-20% range should be called an old range of study estimates with no common definition of failure.

"A third of new homes use septic" (or 40 percent, 33 percent of new development)

The claim as repeated. EPA's 2015 overview said "about one-third of all new development is served by septic or other decentralized treatment systems", with no source (EPA, 2015 capture). EPA's March 2003 Federal Register notice of its management guidelines said "approximately 33 percent of new development" (Federal Register, 2003).

Where it came from. EPA's December 2000 FAQ gave a larger share, "about 40 percent of all new development", with no source (EPA, 2000 capture). EPA's 1997 Response to Congress on decentralized systems is online only as an image scan without a text layer, so we could not check what it said. EPA's 2002 manual tied the claim to the Census Bureau: the 60 million people on decentralized systems included "residents of about one-third of new homes" and more than half of mobile homes, citing a 1999 Census Bureau publication (EPA manual, 2002). "New development" on the other pages is never defined as homes, lots or buildings.

What the original measured. The measured shares are lower. EPA's 2009 fact sheet, from the 2007 American Housing Survey, said 22 percent (1.6 million) of housing units less than four years old used septic systems (EPA fact sheet). The National Association of Home Builders, a builders' trade body, analysing the Census Bureau's Survey of Construction, put the share of new single-family homes started in 2024 that rely on individual septic systems at approximately 16% (NAHB Eye on Housing). That covers single-family starts only.

What to use instead. The Survey of Construction share for new single-family homes in a named year, or the American Housing Survey share by year built, each with its year. "One-third of new development" has no counted source behind it.

"Florida has 2.6 million septic systems" (or a third of Floridians use septic)

The claim as repeated. A Florida Realtors infographic of May 2024 says there "are currently more than 2.7 million septic tanks buried in Florida", serving 30 percent of the state's population, with no source (Florida Realtors). It adds that state officials estimate 9.5 percent of septic tanks in Florida are continuously failing, naming no report or year (Florida Realtors).

Where it came from. The Florida Department of Health ran the state's septic program until July 2021. Its onsite sewage pages from 2001 to 2009 gave no count. The earliest form we found, in a February 2010 capture, said "There are 2.6 million systems in operation in Florida, serving over one-third of the population" (Florida DOH, 2010 capture). By July 2014 the share had become 30 percent of Florida's population (Florida Health, 2014 capture), and the page added that Florida "represents 12 percent of the United States' septic systems" (Florida Health, 2014 capture). A January 2020 capture still gave "an estimated 2.6 million systems in operation" (Florida Health, 2020 capture), the same count as ten years earlier.

What the original measured. The Department of Health pages give no method, year of count or source for the 2.6 million or for the population shares. An estimate that does not change for a decade is a carried-forward figure, not a recount.

What to use instead. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Water Management Inventory, which maps parcels by known or likely septic use, in the housing section of this page, with its release date and its known, likely and somewhat-likely categories kept apart.

Every popular claim our research pages trace, 724 in all, is on one page: popular video statistics, fact-checked.

How we built this page

We started from the questions people search for about septic service video statistics and looked for the organization that actually produced each answer. Every figure on this page sits in an evidence ledger with its source, the exact table or paragraph it came from, the measurement period, the population measured, and the date we checked it. This edition holds 566 figures from 61 publishers.

On November 4, 2026, each sourced figure on this page was re-fetched with the fetch cache cleared and matched against the recorded wording: BLS occupation wage estimates (through the BLS data API), QCEW, Employment Projections, injury and fatality data; Census County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, the 2022 and 2017 Economic Census and the annual business survey (through the Census data API); the American Housing Survey, re-read in the Census Bureau’s AHS Table Creator in a headless browser, because the survey’s data service answers only that page; the historical census sewage-disposal tables; EPA’s septic pages, manuals, Clean Watersheds Needs Survey and Report to Congress; Florida DEP’s onsite sewage pages, permit reports and springs basin plans; Miami-Dade County’s septic reports; the 10-K filings of Advanced Drainage Systems, Chemed, Essential Utilities (Aqua America), Artesian Resources and Connecticut Water and the franchise disclosure documents of Epic Septic, Roto-Rooter and Mr. Rooter in Minnesota’s public CARDS database; Florida’s statutes and septic rules and the septic statutes and rules of Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, Washington, Arizona, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, and EPA’s federal septage rules; the permit and licence reports of Minnesota’s Pollution Control Agency, North Carolina’s onsite wastewater board and the Texas Legislative Budget Board; peer-reviewed studies (PubMed abstracts re-read through NCBI’s E-utilities, because pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov refuses automated requests); Penn State, Texas A&M and UF/IFAS owner surveys; ASHI and InterNACHI inspection standards; Thumbtack’s cost guides; and the pages behind each popular claim. Where a site refuses automated requests we read an Internet Archive copy. Our licence and permit counts come from the Florida DEP permit series and the Connecticut, Delaware, Missouri, Santa Clara County, Austin and Montgomery County open files and the MassDEP lists, our location-page figures from pages we read one at a time, our 10-K phrase counts from EDGAR full-text search, and our YouTube figures from the YouTube Data API. We left out Florida DEP’s contractor registration lists and Florida’s septic inventory county files (their robots.txt blocks automated agents), Brevard and Charlotte counties’ septic-to-sewer pages, Suffolk County’s wastewater plan, the Pumper and Onsite Installer trade magazines and HomeAdvisor (robots rules), Minnesota’s licensed business file (a bot check), and Texas’s licence counts (published only behind a search form).

We only cite the producer: government agencies, regulators, company filings and official posts, and the survey owner's own report. We do not cite statistics roundups, Statista-style aggregators, or salary sites without a public method. We did not bypass paywalls or sign-up forms; where a full report was gated, we used only the figures its publisher states publicly.

Figures marked "our calculation" are arithmetic on the cited numbers, and anyone can reproduce them:

This edition contains no Mark Studios customer data.

Limitations

• Our YouTube read follows YouTube’s ranking. The 426 videos are what YouTube’s search returned for ‘septic tank’, ‘septic pumping’ and ‘septic system’ (the top 200 results of each, sorted by views, with no country filter) on November 4, 2026. It is not a census of septic video, view counts are lifetime snapshots that include views from ads, and we sorted 289 channels by hand from their public text. One septic hauler’s channel holds 86.1% of the septic-business views, so we give that share with and without it, and the sample leans to builders in South and Southeast Asia.
• Location pages are templated. Five brands publish a page per location that we could read, up to 40 per brand; within a brand most features are set by its template, so the shares describe five brands, three of them plumbing and drain franchises with a septic line, not the many independent septic companies that make up most of the trade; only one of the 136 pages is in Florida.
• The septic industry code also holds portable toilets. NAICS 562991 (septic tank and related services) counts portable toilet rental, cesspool cleaning and other pumping too, and Census reports septic tank and portable toilet pumping in one product line; septic installers and repairers mostly file under plumbing or site preparation. The occupation code 47-4071 also counts sewer pipe cleaners, many of them city and county workers. BLS’s payroll survey leaves out the self-employed.
• Counts of homes on septic come from a sample survey. The American Housing Survey estimates occupied homes with a margin of error that is wide for states and metro areas (Florida’s is plus or minus 295.6 thousand), and its 2023 national count is well above its 2021 count with no explanation from the Census Bureau, so we do not read the two as a trend. Florida DEP’s 2.6 million counts systems, not occupied homes, and gives no date or method.
• Permit and licence counts count paperwork. A permit records a system approved for building or repair, not one in use; a licence or credential records the right to work, not a job; and states license different trades, so their totals are not directly comparable.
• Water-quality shares are model estimates. Florida DEP’s basin plans estimate septic systems’ share of nitrogen with a loading model, and the peer-reviewed studies cover particular lagoons, canals and wells, not septic systems in general.
• Marketplace and franchise figures come from sellers. Thumbtack’s cost ranges come from its own marketplace; franchisors’ investment ranges and sales figures are their own unaudited disclosures; and no study we found measured whether video gets U.S. septic owners to book pumping.

How to cite this page

For a single figure, cite the original publisher named next to it, and link here if the verification trail is useful to your readers. Each figure has its own anchor, so you can link straight to it, for example https://www.markstudios.com/research/septic-service-video-statistics#DRV-204. To cite the page as a whole:

Mark Studios. "Septic Service Video Statistics." Last verified Nov 4, 2026. https://www.markstudios.com/research/septic-service-video-statistics

@misc{markstudios_septic_service_video_statistics_2026,
  author = {{Mark Studios}},
  title = {{Septic Service Video Statistics}},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  url = {https://www.markstudios.com/research/septic-service-video-statistics},
  note = {Last verified 2026-11-04}
}

Our calculations and the evidence table are free to reuse with attribution and a link to this page. Each underlying figure remains the claim of its original publisher, and some publishers ask for a link when their figures are reused.

Sources

Download the evidence table (CSV)

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4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Report to Congress on the Prevalence Throughout the U.S. of Low- and Moderate-Income Households Without Access to a Treatment Works (2021-07). Accessed 2026-11-04.
5. U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Census of Housing Tables: Sewage Disposal, 1970 (2021-10-08). Accessed 2026-11-04.
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7. U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Census of Housing Tables: Sewage Disposal, 1990 (2021-10-08). Accessed 2026-11-04.
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10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual (EPA/625/R-00/008) (2002-02). Accessed 2026-11-04.
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23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Why Maintain Your Septic System | US EPA (2026-03-11). Accessed 2026-11-04.
24. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Onsite Sewage Program, Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System New Construction Permits Issued 2018-2023 (2023). Accessed 2026-11-04.
25. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Onsite Sewage Program, Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Repair Construction Permits Issued 2018-2023 (2023). Accessed 2026-11-04.
26. North Carolina Onsite Wastewater Contractor Inspector Certification Board (NCOWCICB), NC Licensing Board Annual Report, July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 (NCOWCICB) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
27. North Carolina Onsite Wastewater Contractor Inspector Certification Board (NCOWCICB), NC Licensing Board Annual Report, July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018 (NCOWCICB) (2018). Accessed 2026-11-04.
28. North Carolina Onsite Wastewater Contractor Inspector Certification Board (NCOWCICB), NC Licensing Board Annual Report, July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 (NCOWCICB) (2024). Accessed 2026-11-04.
29. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 2025 Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems Annual Report (wq-wwists1-69) (2026-04). Accessed 2026-11-04.
30. Texas Legislative Budget Board (citing TCEQ and the Comptroller of Public Accounts), Fiscal Note, 89th Legislative Regular Session, HB 5549 (as engrossed in committee), May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08). Accessed 2026-11-04.
31. NEIWPCC for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (Title 5 program), System Inspectors In-State, Sorted by Town then Last Name (2026-10-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
32. NEIWPCC for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (Title 5 program), System Inspectors Out-of-State, Sorted by State, Town, Last Name (2026-10-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
33. NEIWPCC for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (Title 5 program), Soil Evaluators In-State, Sorted by Town then Last Name (2026-10-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
34. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025 (2026-08-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
35. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
36. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey: 11. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (2026-01). Accessed 2026-11-04.
37. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail (2026-08-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
38. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
39. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
40. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
41. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
42. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
43. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
44. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
45. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
46. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
47. U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics: 2024 (Census Data API, nonemp) (2026-03-13). Accessed 2026-11-04.
48. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
49. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
50. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, TABLE A-1. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and event or exposure, all United States, 2024 (2025-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
51. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, TABLE A-1. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and event or exposure, all United States, 2023 (2024-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
52. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, TABLE 1. Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by industry and case types, 2024 (2025-11). Accessed 2026-11-04.
53. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, QCEW Open Data: 2025 annual averages, industry 562991 (CSV) (2026-09). Accessed 2026-11-04.
54. U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 (Census Data API, cbp) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
55. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Summary Statistics for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies (Census Data API, ecnbasic) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
56. U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 (Census Data API, cbp) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
57. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, QCEW Open Data: 2015 annual averages, industry 562991 (CSV) (2016-09). Accessed 2026-11-04.
58. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Economic Census: Summary Statistics (Census Data API, ecnbasic) (2020). Accessed 2026-11-04.
59. U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Integrated Economic Survey: Summary Statistics for Employer Firms, 2024 (Census Data API, aiesbasic) (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
60. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Industry by Products Statistics for the U.S. (Census Data API, ecnnapcsind) (2024-12-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
61. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Establishment and Firm Size Statistics for the U.S. (Census Data API, ecnsize) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
62. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Products by Industry Statistics for the U.S. (Census Data API, ecnnapcsprd) (2024-12-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
63. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Products by Industry Statistics for the U.S. (Census Data API, ecnnapcsprd) (2024-12-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
64. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
65. U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 (Census Data API, cbp) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
66. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Summary Statistics for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies (Census Data API, ecnbasic) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
67. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
68. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
69. U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2023 (Census Data API, cbp) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
70. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census: Summary Statistics for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies (Census Data API, ecnbasic) (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
71. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
72. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
73. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 (2026-05-21). Accessed 2026-11-04.
74. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 (2020-06-01). Accessed 2026-11-04.
75. Chemed Corporation (SEC Form 10-K), Chemed Corporation Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (2026-02-27). Accessed 2026-11-04.
76. Essential Utilities, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Essential Utilities, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (2026-02-26). Accessed 2026-11-04.
77. Aqua America, Inc. (now Essential Utilities; SEC Form 10-K), Aqua America, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 (2005-03-15). Accessed 2026-11-04.
78. Essential Utilities, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Essential Utilities, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (2020-02-28). Accessed 2026-11-04.
79. Essential Utilities, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Essential Utilities, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (2023-03-01). Accessed 2026-11-04.
80. Aqua America, Inc. (now Essential Utilities; SEC Form 10-K), Aqua America, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 (2006-03-14). Accessed 2026-11-04.
81. Aqua America, Inc. (now Essential Utilities; SEC Form 10-K), Aqua America, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 (2010-02-26). Accessed 2026-11-04.
82. Artesian Resources Corporation (SEC Form 10-K), Artesian Resources Corporation Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (2026-03-16). Accessed 2026-11-04.
83. Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K), Connecticut Water Service, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (2018-03-15). Accessed 2026-11-04.
84. Epic Septic Franchise, LLC (franchise disclosure document filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce), Epic Septic Franchise, LLC Franchise Disclosure Document (Clean FDD, issuance date April 14, 2026), Minnesota CARDS document 37184-202608-09 (2026-04-14). Accessed 2026-11-04.
85. Roto-Rooter Corporation (franchise disclosure document filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce), Roto-Rooter Corporation Franchise Disclosure Document (Clean FDD, 2026), Minnesota CARDS document 35704-202603-04 (2026-04-17). Accessed 2026-11-04.
86. Mr. Rooter SPV LLC (franchise disclosure document filed with the Minnesota Department of Commerce), Mr. Rooter SPV LLC Franchise Disclosure Document (Clean FDD, 2026), Minnesota CARDS document 36167-202604-02 (2026-04-23). Accessed 2026-11-04.
87. Thumbtack (lead marketplace; seller), How much does it cost to pump a septic tank? (2026-10-23). Accessed 2026-11-04.
88. Thumbtack (lead marketplace; seller), How much do septic inspections cost? (2026 Septic Inspection Cost) (2026-10-22). Accessed 2026-11-04.
89. American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), Standard of Practice (undated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
90. InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors), Septic System Inspections (undated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
91. InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors), How to Inspect Septic Systems Course (undated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
92. Heliyon (Tokunaga et al., Ochanomizu University, Hitotsubashi University, Otemon Gakuen University), Exploration of appropriate media to influence sustainable on-site sanitation choices in Sri Lanka- visualization with still images or a video (2023-10-20). Accessed 2026-11-04.
93. Center for Rural Pennsylvania (Penn State researchers Kibuye, Yencha and Boser), Assessing Homeowner Perspectives and Barriers to Maintenance of On-Lot Septic Systems in Rural Pennsylvania (Legislative Brief) (2026-05). Accessed 2026-11-04.
94. Science of the Total Environment (Connelly et al., University of Georgia, with Athens-Clarke County Unified Government), Assessing relationships between onsite wastewater treatment system maintenance patterns and system-level variables (2023). Accessed 2026-11-04.
95. Environmental Management (Okolo et al., Texas A&M University and Texas Water Resources Institute), What Lies Below: A Theory of Planned Behavior Study of Septic System Owners' Practices in the Attoyac Bayou Watershed (2026-01-30). Accessed 2026-11-04.
96. UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County (summary of the UF/IFAS statewide septic-to-sewer survey), Reducing Health Advisories in Our Coastal Waters; Part 2 Septic Conversion (2023-02-16). Accessed 2026-11-04.
97. Journal of Environmental Management (Warner, Krimsky and Rampold, University of Florida), Using a diffusion of innovation lens to understand homeowner support for septic system to sewer system conversions (2022-07-04). Accessed 2026-11-04.
98. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Jackson Blue Spring and Merritts Mill Pond Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
99. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Volusia Blue Spring Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
100. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Crystal River/Kings Bay Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
101. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Weeki Wachee Spring and Weeki Wachee River Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
102. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Homosassa and Chassahowitzka Springs Groups Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
103. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Upper Wakulla River and Wakulla Spring Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2018) (2018-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
104. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Silver Springs and Upper Silver River and Rainbow Springs Group and Rainbow River Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
105. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Wekiwa Spring and Rock Springs Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2018) (2018-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
106. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Santa Fe River Basin Management Action Plan (Final, June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
107. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Wacissa River and Wacissa Spring Group Basin Management Action Plan (June 2025) (2025-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
108. Journal of Environmental Management (Eller and Katz, Florida Department of Environmental Protection), Nitrogen Source Inventory and Loading Tool: An integrated approach toward restoration of water-quality impaired karst springs (2017). Accessed 2026-11-04.
109. Marine Pollution Bulletin (Herren et al., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University), Septic systems drive nutrient enrichment of groundwaters and eutrophication in the urbanized Indian River Lagoon, Florida. (2021-11). Accessed 2026-11-04.
110. Marine Pollution Bulletin (Barile, Marine Research & Consulting, Inc.), Widespread sewage pollution of the Indian River Lagoon system, Florida (USA) resolved by spatial analyses of macroalgal biogeochemistry. (2018-03). Accessed 2026-11-04.
111. Harmful Algae (Lapointe, Herren and Paule, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University), Septic systems contribute to nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary, Southeast Florida, USA. (2017-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
112. Marine Pollution Bulletin (Lapointe et al., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University), Fertilizer restrictions are not sufficient to mitigate nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. (2023-08). Accessed 2026-11-04.
113. Science of the Total Environment (Brewton et al., Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch and Florida Gulf Coast University), Septic system-groundwater-surface water couplings in waterfront communities contribute to harmful algal blooms in Southwest Florida. (2022-09). Accessed 2026-11-04.
114. Science of the Total Environment (Tyre et al., Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch), Widespread human waste pollution in surface waters observed throughout the urbanized, coastal communities of Lee County, Florida, USA. (2023-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
115. Applied and Environmental Microbiology (Paul et al., University of South Florida and U.S. Geological Survey), Viral tracer studies indicate contamination of marine waters by sewage disposal practices in key largo, Florida. (1995-06). Accessed 2026-11-04.
116. Miami-Dade County (Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Water and Sewer Department, and Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County), Septic Systems Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise (Final Report in support of Resolution No. R-911-16) (2018-11). Accessed 2026-11-04.
117. Ground Water (Valencia et al., Florida International University), Septic Return Flow Pathlines, Endpoints, and Flows Based on the Urban Miami-Dade Groundwater Model. (2024). Accessed 2026-11-04.
118. Climatic Change (de Souza de Lima et al., George Mason University), Estimating the impacts of recurrent and expanding coastal flooding on septic systems in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
119. PLoS One (Cooper et al., University of Rhode Island), Hell and High Water: Diminished Septic System Performance in Coastal Regions Due to Climate Change. (2016). Accessed 2026-11-04.
120. Chesapeake Bay Program, Good Recipes for the Bay Pollution Diet: U-13 Enhanced Septic Systems (fact sheet) (undated (after 2016)). Accessed 2026-11-04.
121. U.S. Geological Survey (with EPA's Long Island Sound Study and Connecticut DEEP), Simulated mean monthly groundwater-transported nitrogen loads in watersheds on the north shore of Long Island Sound, 1993-2022 (Scientific Investigations Report 2024-5090) (2024-09-26). Accessed 2026-11-04.
122. Journal of Environmental Management (Erban et al., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development), Reducing wastewater nitrogen loading by >90% with carbon-amended septic systems: A field demonstration in Barnstable (Cape Cod), Massachusetts. (2024-11). Accessed 2026-11-04.
123. Hawaii Department of Health, Wastewater Branch, Cesspools in Hawai'i (undated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
124. Ground Water (Wallender et al., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Contributing factors to disease outbreaks associated with untreated groundwater. (2014). Accessed 2026-11-04.
125. Ground Water (Borchardt et al., Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation and Wisconsin agencies), Norovirus outbreak caused by a new septic system in a dolomite aquifer. (2011). Accessed 2026-11-04.
126. Environmental Health Perspectives (Borchardt et al., Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation), Septic system density and infectious diarrhea in a defined population of children. (2003). Accessed 2026-11-04.
127. Water Research (Stokdyk et al., U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center), Sources and risk factors for nitrate, pathogens, and fecal contamination of private wells in rural southwestern Wisconsin, USA. (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
128. Journal of Environmental Quality (Burch et al., U.S. Geological Survey and USDA Agricultural Research Service), Quantitative microbial risk assessment with microbial source tracking for enteric pathogens in southwest Wisconsin private wells. (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
129. Science of the Total Environment (Schaider et al., Silent Spring Institute), Septic systems as sources of organic wastewater compounds in domestic drinking water wells in a shallow sand and gravel aquifer. (2016). Accessed 2026-11-04.
130. Environmental Science & Technology (Silver et al., Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), Prevalence and Source Tracing of PFAS in Shallow Groundwater Used for Drinking Water in Wisconsin, USA. (2023). Accessed 2026-11-04.
131. Environmental Science & Technology Letters (Penrose et al., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response), Elevated PFAS Precursors in Septage and Residential Pump Stations. (2025). Accessed 2026-11-04.
132. ACS ES&T Water (Harfmann et al., New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services), Presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Domestic Wastewater from Community Septic Systems in New Hampshire. (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
133. Journal of Water and Health (Humphrey et al., East Carolina University), Occurrence and concentrations of traditional and emerging contaminants in onsite wastewater systems and water supply wells in eastern North Carolina (2024). Accessed 2026-11-04.
134. Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Gyimah et al.), Effluents from septic systems and impact on groundwater contamination: a systematic review. (2024). Accessed 2026-11-04.
135. Water Research (Maxcy-Brown et al., University of Alabama), Making waves: Right in our backyard- surface discharge of untreated wastewater from homes in the United States. (2021). Accessed 2026-11-04.
136. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 489.553 Administration of part; registration qualifications; examination (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
137. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.019 - Requirements for Registration (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
138. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 489.554 Registration renewal (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
139. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.021 - Issuance of Registration Certificates and Renewal (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
140. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.020 - Master Septic Tank Contractors (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
141. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 489.555 Certification of partnerships and corporations (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
142. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 489.558 Penalties and prohibitions (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
143. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.022 - Standards of Practice and Disciplinary Guidelines (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
144. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.010 - Septage and Food Establishment Sludge (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
145. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 381.0065 Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems; regulation (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
146. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 381.00651 Periodic evaluation and assessment of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
147. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.008 - System Size Determinations (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
148. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.006 - Site Evaluation Criteria (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
149. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 62-6.005 - Location and Installation (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
150. Florida Department of State (Laws of Florida), Chapter 2020-150, Laws of Florida (CS/CS/SB 712) (2020). Accessed 2026-11-04.
151. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 373.807 Protection of water quality in Outstanding Florida Springs (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
152. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 373.811 Prohibited activities within a basin management action plan (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
153. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 403.067 Establishment and implementation of total maximum daily loads (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
154. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 373.469 Indian River Lagoon Protection Program (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
155. Florida Legislature, The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 381.00655 Connection of existing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems to central sewerage system; requirements (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
156. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII), 310 CMR, § 15.301 - System Inspection (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
157. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (via Cornell LII), Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-9-A316 - Transfer of Ownership Inspection for On-site Wastewater Treatment Facilities (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
158. State of Rhode Island General Assembly, R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-19.15-12. Cesspool removal and replacement requirements at property transfer (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
159. Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Minnesota Statutes 115.55 Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
160. Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (MPCA rule), Minnesota Rules 7082.0700 Inspection Program for Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
161. Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (MPCA rule), Minnesota Rules 7083.1060 Continuing Education (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
162. Washington State Department of Health (via Cornell LII), Wash. Admin. Code § 246-272A-0270 - Operation, monitoring, and maintenance-Owner responsibilities (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
163. Wisconsin Legislature (Department of Safety and Professional Services rule), Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 383 (s. SPS 383.54-383.55), Wisconsin Legislature (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
164. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (via Cornell LII), 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.7 - Maintenance Requirements (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
165. U.S. Office of the Federal Register (eCFR), 40 CFR Part 503 - Standards for the Use or Disposal of Sewage Sludge (eCFR) (2026). Accessed 2026-11-04.
166. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Domestic Septage Regulatory Guidance: A Guide to The EPA 503 Rule (EPA 832-B-92-005) (1993-09). Accessed 2026-11-04.
167. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Septic Systems Overview (EPA) (2015). Accessed 2026-11-04.
168. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Frequently Asked Questions - Onsite/Decentralized Wastewater Systems (EPA Office of Wastewater Management) (2000). Accessed 2026-11-04.
169. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Septic System Basic Information (EPA Septic Systems site) (2004-06-17). Accessed 2026-11-04.
170. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual (EPA/625/R-00/008), Chapter 1: Background and Use of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (2002-02). Accessed 2026-11-04.
171. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Septic Systems Fact Sheet (EPA 832-F-08-057) (2008). Accessed 2026-11-04.
172. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), Septic (Onsite/Decentralized) Systems (EPA water.epa.gov home page) (2012). Accessed 2026-11-04.
173. Roto-Rooter (plumbing and septic service company; Chemed subsidiary; sells pumping), How often should I pump out my septic tank? (Not stated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
174. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), A Homeowner's Guide to Septic Systems (EPA-832-B-02-005, December 2002) (2002-12). Accessed 2026-11-04.
175. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Wastewater Management), How to Care for Your Septic System (EPA) (2015). Accessed 2026-11-04.
176. Penn State Extension (public university extension; public educator), Septic Tank Pumping (Not stated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
177. Beverly Boy Productions (video production company; sells the videos it describes), Video Production for the Septic, Drain & Sewer Cleaning Services Industry (Not stated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
178. Beverly Boy Productions (video production company; sells the videos it describes), Video Production for the Portable Toilet Rental & Septic Tank Cleaning Industry (Not stated). Accessed 2026-11-04.
179. EyeView Digital (video production and testing vendor; sold the videos it tested), EyeView - The new "Conversion" game (2008-12-04). Accessed 2026-11-04.
180. EyeView Digital (video production and testing vendor; sold the videos it tested), UMOO - a prime beef example of EyeView's success (2009-02-10). Accessed 2026-11-04.
181. EyeView Digital (video production and testing vendor; sold the videos it tested), Another video conversion success story (2009-11-10). Accessed 2026-11-04.
182. EyeView Digital (video production and testing vendor; sold the videos it tested), Case study: TutorVista (2009). Accessed 2026-11-04.
183. EyeView Digital (video production and testing vendor; sold the videos it tested), Making Video Accountable (EyeView white paper) (2010). Accessed 2026-11-04.
184. Unbounce (landing-page software seller), The benefits of using video on landing pages (2010-08). Accessed 2026-11-04.
185. Unbounce (landing-page software seller; analysis of its own customers' pages), Video on landing pages means more conversions, right? Wrong. Here's why (2021-08-26). Accessed 2026-11-04.
186. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Federal Register notice, FR Doc. 03-7506), Voluntary National Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems (68 FR 15079) (2003-03-28). Accessed 2026-11-04.
187. National Association of Home Builders (home builders' trade body; Eye on Housing economics blog), Use of Private Water and Sewer Systems in New Single-Family Homes (2025-07-21). Accessed 2026-11-04.
188. Florida Realtors (real-estate trade association), Upcoming Changes to Septic Systems in Florida (infographic, May 2024) (2024-05). Accessed 2026-11-04.
189. Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Onsite Sewage Programs, Bureau of Onsite Sewage Programs (Florida DOH) (2010). Accessed 2026-11-04.
190. Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health, Onsite Programs, Onsite Sewage (Florida Health) (2014). Accessed 2026-11-04.
191. Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Health, Onsite Programs, Onsite Sewage (Florida Health) (2020). Accessed 2026-11-04.

Update policy and change log

We re-verify every figure quarterly and when a major source publishes a new edition. The next scheduled review is February 2027. Corrections go to contact@markstudios.com.

• Nov 4, 2026: First published with 566 figures from 61 publishers, each checked against its original source.
• Nov 4, 2026: Wrote the American Housing Survey home counts in millions in the takeaways and answers; the exact figures stay in the evidence table.
• Nov 4, 2026: Added publication years to the study citations in the water section, the October 27, 2026 date to the Massachusetts inspector lists and May 2025 to two wage medians.