Remember the classic scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation where the Griswolds’ Cousin Eddie is standing in the street in his bathrobe emptying the holding tank from his RV into the storm sewer? Not exactly a holiday Hallmark moment.

I don’t need to repeat Eddie’s pronouncement the dumbfounded neighbor. You probably know it.

Eddie’s wastewater misfortune came to mind today as I was looking through several news items that crossed my desk. Several websites have began promoting programs in advance of the busy holiday season for homeowners to learn how their septic systems function. This follows a trend where community health departments, in conjunction with onsite professionals, have started holding “water wise’’ or “septic smart’’ seminars with more frequency over the past year.

These consumer education efforts are a great idea. As we get ready to invite visitors into our homes for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, it’s the perfect time to talk about the dangers of overloading septic systems. Large gatherings of family and friends mean unusually high effluent flows, and in some parts of the country, frozen ground and aging, neglected systems can be a serious cause for concern.

If you’re not involved in one of these local initiatives, consider working with your hometown officials to organize a consumer education program. At the same time, encourage your customers to have their system inspected if they expect a lot of holiday activity in their homes. Reinforce the need for periodic pumping of septic tanks to limit the emergency calls you receive in the coming weeks.

And whatever you do, don’t encourage your Cousin Eddie to park the RV in your driveway this Christmas.

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