Copper Sulfate

• 1). Flush copper sulfate crystals down the toilet using a ratio of 2 lbs. of copper sulfate for every 300 gallons of tank capacity.
  
  
• 2). Flush the crystals down the toilet at a time when you are not expecting the septic system to be much used, such as before you go to bed at night, or even better, before you go on vacation. Diluting the copper sulfate by running excess water into the system will make it less effective.
  
  
• 3). Use this treatment no more than twice a year. Copper sulfate will not solve your tree root problem but may keep it under control. The only permanent solution is to remove the trees that are causing problems.
  
  

Drills and Augers

• 1). Use an auger or sharp-bladed drill to cut the roots out mechanically. In virtually all instances, you will need to contract with a professional company to do this job as the equipment is not readily available to the homeowner, nor is the homeowner usually prepared to open the septic system lines to get at the roots.
  
  
• 2). Cut down trees near your sewer and drain lines to prevent the problem from recurring.
  
  
• 3). Replace the sewer pipe from the house to the septic system if it has been damaged by the roots or the root-removal process. This is another job that will most certainly require a professional.
  
  

Prevention

• 1). Flush a commercial product such as Roto-Rooter Root Destroyer or RootX down the toilet twice a year according to the manufacturer's instructions. Do not overuse these products; you do not want them to destroy the balance of bacteria in the septic system that are needed to break down the waste.
  
  
• 2). Plant only smaller, slow-growing trees near your septic system. Japanese maple, Eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, European beech, honeylocust and ginkgo would be good choices. Plant faster-growing trees with more aggressive root systems 10 feet away from the septic system and remove those trees every 8 to 10 years, reducing the likelihood that the roots will grow long enough to invade the septic system.
  
  
• 3). Install a mechanical or chemical root barrier around the septic system. These barriers include landscape cloth; compact layers of soil that roots cannot penetrate; solid barriers such as plastic, metal and wood; and chemical barriers such as sulfur, sodium, zinc, borate or salt.