Septic system design, installation, maintenance & repair guide questions & answers #6:

These septic system articles explain how to buy, inspect, install, test, diagnose maintain and repair septic tanks, drainfields, and all other components of all types of septic systems. Page top: a peat mound septic system in Two Harbors, MN.

Septic System Buy, Install, Test, Repair FAQs 8

These questions & answers were posted originally at SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR - the home page for an extensive library of onsite wastewater treatment and disposal systems.

On 2020-04-04 - by (mod) - neighbor's septic leaking sewage for at least 30 days.

Lynn

Discharing septic effluent to the surface is a public health hazard that is illegal in Texas. If the property owner isn't taknig steps to fix the problem you need to ask for help from your local department of health.

Hunt County Texas Department of Health
Address: 2700 Johnson St, Greenville, TX 75401
Opens 8AM Mon
Phone: (903) 408-4140

See also NEIGHBORING SEPTIC SYSTEM PROBLEMS

On 2020-04-04 by Lynn

My neighbors are renters the septic system in the mobile home they rent and is 100 ft from my property line and 200 ft from my mobile home.

The system has roots in it and has been leaking sewage for at least 30 days. On to my property and a third neighbors property. This is in Hunt County in Texas. Can someone tell me what to do. Help.

On 2020-03-19 - by (mod) - chances that my alternating bed septic system is still ok?

Daryl

I cannot of course know the condition of the soil or drainfield by e-text; it's possible that the second field is usable and that by having rested for 7 or 8 years it will have some remaining usable life.

You will know if the fields are not working because you'll either see an effluent back-up at the septic tank or you'll see effluent leakage or breakout on the soil or surrounding area.

But beware that any septic installation that is using alternating fields or beds is a warning that the soil's ability to absorb effluent is limited and you may be facing field replacement before long.

See details at ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS

On 2020-03-16 by Daryl

Moved into a house with 1250 gallon Septic system and a 2 field diverter.

The house was empty over a year so we were advised to wait a couple years before pumping out the tank. Most of the time it is only my wife and I in the house. I was never told about using the diverter valve so when they came to clean the tank a few weeks ago they said I should switch the valve.

I know the valve has not been switched in at least 7 or 8 years and we have never had an issue.

Is there a chance that by switching fields now they may be bad after being unused for so long? If I do switch the valve how can I tell if the second field is working properly? Any advice would be appreciated.

On 2020-03-01 - by (mod) - water is pooling all over and around my septic tank.

Chr

So sorry to say that it sounds as if you're describing a failed drainfield. On occasion you can get lucky and find that the problem is simply a blocked sewer line, such as between the septic tank and the distribution box or between the D-box and the various drainfield trenches.

But more likely the drainfield is saturated, failed, and will need replacement.

Take a look at HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

for a basic introduction to the parts of a septic system: Tank, distribution box, leach lines (also called drainfields, leachfields, soakaway bed, and other names)

Then read through

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS

or for a more broad look at your system see

SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS

On 2020-02-28 by Chr Smith

Hello everyone, I just had my septic pumped about 3 months ago and water is pooling all over and around my septic tank.

None of the drains are backing up tub drains alittle slow but that's it. I was told leach lines are clogged, and so what or where are these leach lines and how can I go about fixing them? Please anyone and thank u

On 2020-01-15 - by (mod) - raised planters over septic field?

Robin I think that's fine as long as

1. no heavy equipment is being driven over the septic field such as to compress the soil or break a buried pipe

2. the legs for your planters are not installed by driving stakes or digging holes that break a leach line pipe

3. You're not doing so much watering without paying attention that you flood the leachfield

On 2020-01-15 by Robin Hall

Can you plant vegetable's in planters that do not touch the ground(with legs) above leach lines?

On 2020-01-02 - by (mod) - mound or drip / aerobic septic system options

In the ARTICLE INDEX find links to alternative septic system designs including

AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS, ATUs - home and

MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS

On 2020-01-01 by John Kaiser

I need an alternative septic system for my property at Lake Texoma; only have 8-10 inches of topsoil and then clay - normal septic (although was one at the site and was filled in) will not work, aerobic spray will not work as I have a 'wet' ditch within 60 feet of any area I can 'spray' water.

I read about a mound system - can't and will not pay 20k

- and a drip system which I'm told is as expensive as a mound system.

Either I come up with an affordable alternative or I will not be building on the lots. Any ideas and cost?

On 2019-02-24 by (mod) - how many no-rock septic channels do I need?

Gaston

Take a look at the chamber or gravelless septic system designs and specifications found at

GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS

On 2019-02-24 by gaston

i am replace my hold systeme for the new systeme b101 diffuser do not use rock , my question is this i was thinking to have 3 drain chanel of 40 feets each is it ok good for my house of 3 bed room and i leave in florida and how deep it have to be thanks in advance gaston

On 2019-02-07 by (mod) - essential oils in the septic tank

Denise

Essential oils in a potpourri, at normal household usage levels (a few ounces in a container) would not harm a septic tank.

On 2019-01-28 by Denise

Are the essential oils in Poo-Pourri harmful to my aerobic septic tank system at our lakehouse? Thank you!

On 2019-01-21 by (mod) - back pumping a drain field line

Thanks for asking, Anonymous.

YOu didn't find any material on "back-pumping a drainfield line" because that is not a term that I have come across.

Worse, there is no magic bullet, no "back pumping", no chemical treatment, that fixes the problem of a flooded (and thus failed) septic drainfield or soakaway bed.

Furthermore, there is even less benefit (except to the contractor's pocket book) from paying someone to try to pump effluent back out of the drainfield through the drainfield leach lines. When a drainfield is flooded and thus back-flowing into the septic tank, water in soils around the drainfield run into the drainfield trenches and ultimately back into the septic tank.

Pumping out some volume of water from the trenches themselves simply makes new room for more surface or subsurface runoff water to flow back into the trenches. It's not fixing anything.

"Jetting drainfields" is an old, popular magic bullet for which I have found essentially not one authoritative, unbiased, credible study showing any lasting benefit.

"Back pumping" meaning pumping drainfield trench effluent back out (perhaps through a D-box or through a septic tank) would not be expected to particularly damage the drainfield though I can think of some subtle ways in which damage might occur - depending on just how pumping was done.

For example I've seen cases of pumping out water from beneath a building (in an effort to stop basement water entry) actually make the problem worse. That happens when the pump-out removes soil fines, thus enlarging underground passageways through which water flowed right back into the pumped-out area. The effect was to actually increase the water flow into the area.

You need an on-site, credible, septic design engineer to assess the design of the present system, the seasonal high water table, the direction of surface and subsurface runoff, and to help you decide on a proper fix that ranges from improving surface runoff control, through subsurface intercept drains, to a new raised bed or mound drainfield.

On 2019-01-20 by Anonymous

Hello,

I searched high and low on your website and the internet in general and can not find any info specifically on back pumping a drain field line. Here is my situation:

We have had above average rain here in GA, second wettest on record. I had a septic tank company come JUST to do a normal pumping and I was told that the drain field was not draining properly (never mind that we had had no problems).

He put the camera inside the drain field pipe to show me all the fluid in the line, and therefore the “urgent need” to treat the line. I wasn't thinking at the time, that it might be water from all of the heavy rains.

He made me think it was urgent to do something about it immediately (a tactic I have since learned that this company got into trouble with GA state for).

He back pumped (sucked) the drain field system for 30 minutes, jetted the drain field and then applied the bio chemical stuff.

Could this process, especially the back pumping have damaged my drain field, especially since the ground was thoroughly saturated?

Could mud have been sucked into the drain filed line, and how would I know it, by what kind of inspection?
Thanks!

On 2019-01-17 by Patty

I just had septic pumpers here, They found the tank, but do door. How is this possible?

On 2019-01-02 by (mod) - air bubbling around the tank and clean out.

Paul

This sounds to me as if there is a leak in your septic tank, perhaps around the top and lid,

COMBINED

unfortunately,

with abnormally-high wastewater levels in the tank.

To me that suggests that either the disposal field is saturated or piping to it blocked, or an effluent pump control (if your system pumps effluent out of the tank) is not working properly.

It would make sense to have an aerobic septic repair company on-site to open the tank and take a closer look.

Let me know what you're told and we may be able to suggest other steps.

On 2019-01-02 by paul.kelker

We have an aerated septic system. There is air bubbling around the tank and clean out. We have had a lot of rain in south east Louisiana! We had the system pumped out, but the bubbling has returned. The drain line runs approximately 80 feet to a drainage canal.

While pumping out the system, the septic worker told my wife was told that bubbling or burping was normal. We have not noticed this before in eight years. Do you have any suggestions as to the problem?

On 2018-11-17 by Anonymous

I understanding that when penetrations are undamaged and are not leaking there is no problem.

The question is, does anyone know if these unused/unneeded extra tank penetrations are EVER damaged by excessive water/mud outside pressure OR deterioration over time?

Specificity, when a new tank is installed as a replacement in the area of a original (replaced) drain field and and the surrounding soil is completely saturated by water and mud

--- so much that when you step around the tank you sink in and push the soil "Down Somewhere"

--- possibly putting pressure against the unused/unneeded penetrations and THEN causing damage. "IF" it did happen I suppose no one is likely to know

--- but if it did happen, high ground water may be forever leaking into the tank thru a damaged preinstalled unused penetration.

I wonder if this problem has ever been considered by the tank manufacturers

-- and maybe (hopefully) they HAVE considered it and have determined that it is not a problem.

On 2018-11-12 by (mod) -

Not as long as the unused penetrations are un damaged and so not leaking.

On 2018-11-12 by W Cahoon

A new prefabricated concrete septic tank may have multiple unneeded / unused pipe penetrations with preinstalled rubber connections (with uncut blank sections). Is it ever a problem with high ground water / mud pressure pushing thru these unused penetrations? Will time deteriorate them?

Should these unused penetrations be sealed with 4" plugs / blanks or hydraulic cement?

On 2018-11-02 by (mod) - where do you measure septic cleareance distances - from edge of mound or top or what?

Charles

You would measure from whatever mound component (such the nearest end a distribution pipe) is closest to the well.

On 2018-08-19 by Charles

Wheh measuring the distance between well and sand mound where do you measure from the distribution box on sand mound ?

Question: septic alarm going off

(Aug 11, 2014) WALTER TOWNSEND said:

After moving into New Built House in 2005,I have a Second Leak Running to the Leachfield.This leak has caused the Pump Tank to field up with water.Over the years, I have call the installer about the High Water Alarm contancely going off, having to become and plumber etc.

After calling the Installation Company again in June,July about the high water,they claim that the Pump has feld. After speaking with the county inspection department workers away from the office,they stated that 'to them'

That the land didn't "PERK' correctly causing these problems.I never received from the Installer or County that any test was done prior to us purchasing this property. Please HELP .

Reply:

Walter I'd like to assist but I'm not clear what help we could provide via e-text for an unkown site and system requirements, but it does sound as if there was a design problem. You need a local, on-site septic engineer.

See SEPTIC PUMP ALARM SYSTEMS

Question: number of discharge lines out of d-box

(Sept 5, 2014) jerry said:
the plumber used one discharge line out of d-box to feed three rows of infiltrator leach lines. he said he drilled 4.5 inch holes in the supply line to feed each leach line.

how would waste water get past the first trench to the remaining two trenches?

Reply:

It may not.

Question: Will septic tank and its absorption field damage my stone wall?

(Sept 9, 2014) Dana said:

The house behind mine is 20 feet above my ground and I have a stone retaining wall.

The buyer of this house is installing a septic tank in back of the house and the backyard is only 35 feet behind the house.

Will this septic tank and its absorption field damage my stone wall?

Your knowledge and opinion are greatly appreciated.

Reply:

Dana

What might damage your stone wall would be driving excavaction equipment into it or excavating so close to it as to undermine the wall. Check with your building department about the required property setbacks for your neighbor's septic tank and fields - that ought to protect you.

let us know what you're told.

Question:

(Sept 25, 2014) Debbie said:

We did not have a septic alarm on our system. After shoppping around (quite expensive) we found one called sump alarm. It gives us a red light and horn if the level gets too high. At least that lets us put the brakes on some of the water consumption. Deborah_diamond@hotmail.com

(Oct 14, 2014) Anonymous said:
can a septic system allow brown sludge and brown bugs to build in your tank of your toliet and keep causing back flow?

(25 Dec 2014) Dave said:
We live in Thunder Bay. We had our septic tank pumped early fall. It is December and I see where the tank top is the grass is exposed there is only about 3 inches of snow. Is there something I should be worried about.

I'm afraid of the tank freezing. I know when tank works properly there is heat but to expose the grass was not sure.

Reply:

Dave it's normal for the septic tank to be a bit warm, both from receiving warm household water and from bacterial action. As long as there are no signs of backups nor sewage effluent leaking out to the surface your system is probably fine. But tell me if this snow-melt over septic is a new thing or if it has occurred in prior winters as well.

Also see our article about melting snow over septic system components found at

SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT

Reader follow-up:

12/26/2014 Hello thanks for responding. Unfortunately this is the first winter for us. We bought the house in June. When we got it pumped the next door neighbour helped me and said that the owner never had a problem.

I did cover the tank covers with a shallow wood box to prevent hitting the cement cover with shovel in the next time that I get it pumped. I will keep a close watch the next little bit. I will check out the site of which you sent. Thank you Merry Xmas

See SEPTIC PUMP ALARM SYSTEMS

Reply:

Thanks for the follow-up, Dave, keep us posted.

Question: install a Tee into the main septic line for an additional bathroom

(Jan 21, 2015) aubrey said:

can I possible install a saddle- t into the main septic line for an additional bath room connection

Reply:

Yes Aubrey provided the elevations allow the drain to work properly.

Question: how to confirm that the septic tank is leaking

1 FEB 2015 Phil Scott said:

The 1,000 gallon fiberglass tank was installed in 1977. It serves an A-frame cottage that, prior to 2008, was virtually unoccupied as it was being remodeled. Since 2008, it has been occupied on average no more than 2-3 days, no more than 10 times/years. The last use was around 6 months ago.

We're told that since a recent pumping produced nothing, the tank leaks. My questions are:

1. Is it reasonable to think that, due to extremely low usage and very cold temps, the material in the tank could be solidified or frozen and thereby unable to be pumped?

2. Is there a practical way to inspect the system to know if the tank is, in fact, leaking, or if there are other causes?

Reply:

Phil

Start by opening the tank inspection or service port and looking inside. If a septic tank is in use and is not filled to normal (near the top) levels then it's probably damaged or leaking - unless it was just pumped.

If the septic tank were frozen after long dis-use in very cold weather (unusual by not completely impossible) the pumper would have been able to tell you that by visual inspection.

...

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