This document provides important safety warnings for septic systems and cesspools, and provides some safety suggestions for septic system inspectors, septic system inspections, septic pumping contractors, and home owners.

Septic System, Septic Tank, & Cesspool Safety Questions & Answers

These questions and answers about septic tank and cesspool safety were posted originally at SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY - be sure to review that article.

Photo, two photos of Steven Vermilye illustrating an unsafe septic tank "cover" at a migrant worker mobile home park in Ulster County New York.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2017-12-01 by (mod) - methane odor sources around septic systems

Lynn,

If you smell methane the source could indeed be a septic tank or drainfield, or if you have a cesspool, from that source.

Watch out: old cesspools can be dangerous, particularly if the cover is not sound and secure. Falling-in can be fatal. Keep people away from the cesspool if you do not know absolutely that the system is properly and safely covered.

On 2017-12-01 by Lynn

Cess pool under back yard. Yard smells like gas or methane. The appliances do not seem
To be leaking in the house. House doesn’t smell but yard does.

Sort of like gas smell but different. Not like sewer, more like gas but different. Could gat be from cess pool?

On 2017-06-07 by Anonymous

@Annie,
I'm also in NS, and have just encountered the same situation as you. Railway ties, I'm still excavating and have no idea where I open the thing. Any update on what you found out?

On 2016-09-21 by (mod) - son pumps out septic tanks in the Hill Country in Texas

Jerry, to provide more detail and links to useful documents I repeat your question and give a longer answer in SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY.

On 2016-09-21 by jerry herold

My son pumps out septic tanks in the Hill Country in Texas, for last 3 months.

He has had pneumonia, and sicknesses, with days off. What type of protection is required to wear?

Should this be of no cost, given by the employer? should there be available showers, clean clothes, shoes, face shield, waterproof gloves, etc, at no cost to the employee?

He comes home in his work shirt and pants, using his private vehicle. is that permissible? must he shower and change before he leaves the work-site?

Isn't he contaminating his vehicle, his house, his wife and his son, if does not shower and change at the work-site?

On 2016-01-07 by (mod) - putrid smell in basement

Potato, it is certainly true that rotten potatoes can smell really awful. I suggest removing the rotten potatoes and cleaning the surfaces with any household cleaner.

On 2016-01-06 by re Parent Potatoes

"... whole basement is putrid... a sack of potatoes... right next to the area that smells the worst, and I'm wondering if they are contaminated? ...my folks think they will be fine."

PLEASE advise your folks that I will regrettably be skipping "potatoe night" for the forseeable future.

Regards, Pound Wise.

On 2015-11-02 14:26:21.017624 by Anonymous

will banks mortage a house with a cesspool in connecticut

On 2016-10-07 by (mod) - advice for finding the septic tank

Annie

Watch out: home-made wooden or railroad tie septic tank covers are very dangerous as over time the materials deteriorate - falling into a septic tank is usually quickly fatal.

Rope off the area until you can get a septic excavator at the site to uncover what sounds like an unsafe home made septic tank cover.

There are other issues besides safety, such as groundwater leaking into and flooding the septic tank and drainfield.

On 2015-10-26 by Annie - finding the septic tank cover in NS, Canada

Hello!
We tried to find the cover for the septic tank for the first time today in a house that was built sometime in the 70s in NS, Canada. We knew the general area from the look of the grass and (limited) information from the previous owners.

When we dug down not even a foot into the ground, we came across what appear to be railway ties (or treated wooden beams) with a tarp on top.

We have dug out about a 5 X 5 ft square, with no end to the railway ties in sight. I'm wondering if this is a safety concern (could the top of the tank be unsafe/deteriorating underneath, or could these beams actually be the top of the tank?)

. I can't find anything online that suggests putting beams on top of a septic tank is normal or necessary. The only thing I can find is information about rare wooden septic tanks in very old houses, but this house was only built in the 70s. If you have any information, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Question: digging with backhoe broke the septic tank

i was digging in my back yard and hit the septic tank and broke it open, it spilled into a 8 foot by 12 hole prolly 6 feet deep. i buried it, is that gonna cause any problems? - Steve 9/19/2011

Reply:

Of course. You destroyed the septic tank.

Watch out: when the septic tank has been damaged there is risk of a collapse or someone falling in - risking a highly likley fatality.

Question: why did my septic treatment plant cave in?

I have wlwyestion my treatment plant has cave in - Valeria 11/3/12

Reply:

Valeria,

Watch out: for safety when there are signs of a cave-in you should rope off the area and keep people away until a professional has investigated and repaired the site as necessary.

Question: report of septic tank fatality on Fafa Island in Tonga

Watch out: My brother-in-law just died yesterday from jumping into a septic tank to clean at his workplace on Fafa Island in Tonga. He was obviously unaware of the present dangers and unfortunately OH&S laws dont exist in the country. He was only 27. Please be careful! - Lavinia 2/19/2013

Reply: List of Recent Septic Tank, Cesspool, or Drywell Fatalaties or Catastrophes

Lavinia,

We are saddened and dismayed to read of your brother-in-law's death in a septic tank. Indeed these fatalities occur everywhere, even where there are safety regulations, though perhaps at a less frequent rate where the dangers are better known.

If you can send us added details that might help other readers and I'll add them at SEPTIC TANK ACCIDENT REPORTS in hope that we can make more people aware of the dangers involved in un-covered or inadequately-covered septic tanks, cesspools, and drywells and about the risk of fatality on entering such a tank.

Falling into a septic tank, drywell, or cesspool is quickly fatal, either from being buried by falling soils and debris, or by asphyxiation. Septic gases are highly toxic and can kill in just minutes of exposure. Even leaning over an empty (just pumped) tank has led to collapse and fatality of a septic pumper.

Septic tank, drywell, cesspool and related safety articles are listed at the top of this page.

Question: green cover marked Poison Gas

A relative is looking to buy a house that was built in 1935. On the property there is a green cover maybe 3 feet circumfrance and says on it Do Not Open--Poison Gas--Danger. What could that be? - Stephanie Kascack4/3/2013

Reply:

Stephanie,

"Green cover" alone is not going to tell us what the heck is going on. Possibly it refers to methane and a septic tank. IN any event you want to be sure to have an expert inspection performed to identify that component as well as to inspect the entire home and property.

Meanwhile, because the condition of the septic tank and components are unknown and because you don't even know what the green cover covers, much less its condition, it would be safe to mark off the area and keep people away until you know what's there and its condition.

Question: why is my septic tank not draining properly?

(Mar 13, 2014) Joe said:

I recently had my septic tank pumped, everything was fine for about a week or so and now I have sewage backing into my house every few days.

I have snaked it and had a video inspection of the line from the house to the septic tank and everything looked fine. Is it possible that the company that pumped the tank may of ran over the distribution box or septic piping? Any other ideas on why it wouldn't be draining correctly?
Thank you.

Reply:

Joe, with apologies that it sounds glib, sure, anything is possible - we don't know where the septic pumping company drove their truck.

Just inspecting the sewer line between house and tank, while useful to determine that that line itself is not blocked, doesn't diagnose the problem. If the septic tank outlet line or D-box were blocked, indeed that would explain constant backups into the house.

I suggest opening the septic tank access cover to inspect the sewage level. Watch what happens when you flush toilets and run water in the house. If the tank exit is blocked for any reason (including a failed drainfield or a blocked outlet) you'll see wastewater level rise over the baffles in the septic tank.

Let me know what you find

Question: how long can we live in a home with a malfunctioning septic system?

(3 days ago) sandie said:

For what period of time can you live in a home with septic system malfunctioning

sandie said:

For what period of time can you safely inhale septic sewer gases

Reply: making emergency use of a septic tank when the drainfield has failed

Sandie

"Can" meaning physically able, and "should" are different data points.

Here's a "zero time" answer:

You should not allow methane (sewer gases) to accumulate in a building as (depending on the concentration of methane present) the building can be blown up by a spark or flame.

Details are at inspectapedia.com/septic/Methane_Gas_Hazards.php

Human exposure limits for methane gas (figure sewer gas)
are discussed separately at

inspectapedia.com/sickhouse/Gas_Exposure_Limits.php#MethaneGas

It is indeed possible to make emergency use of a septic tank when a drainfield is blocked, by pumping out the tank and severely constricting water use. However typically you gain just a week or two of use at most before the septic tank re-fills, and you may gain no time at all if groundwater is leaking back into the septic tank or if the drainfield is bakflowing into the septic tank.

Question: our septic tank is only half full

(Nov 1, 2014) Anonymous said:
A building inspector said that our septic tank is only half full, could this be because it hasn't been used for a few months?

Reply:

Unlikely. Unless the septic tank has a leak it will normally stay close to full - the liquid level will be at the bottom of the outlet pipe.

Question: building a fire pit over or near the septic system?

(Jan 12, 2015) Earl said:
I would like to build a fire pit in my yard. I am not sure if I have a cesspool or septic tank.

I believe it is a cesspool as there are multiple concrete tanks in the ground (but again I'm not sure). What is the minimum safe distance to build a fire pit at ground level?

The maximum I can go is about 10 feet. I would like to go a little closer if possible. I have read to not build it on the tanks, but on the drain field is ok.

I can't find any information on the minimum safe distance from the tanks. Thank you!

Reply: BOOM!

Earl you ask an important question for which I've not seen an authoritative answer. Indeed there is a serious risk of igniting methane gas and causing a horrible explosion

. It's more than theory, I've had actual report of this occurring: a reader built a brush fire in the yard without considering the septic tank, ignited methane and blew up the whole shebang. Happily no one was killed, just scared half to death.

In my OPINION 10 feet is not far enough from a septic tank to be sure of no methane leak explosion risk.

Keep in mind that there may not be detectable methane at a particular time one checks but that such gas leaks could occur later-on and make for an unpleasant surprise.

The risks are greater in still air and where the tank and fire pit are in a low area where gases might accumulate.

Sorry to rain on the fire but I just wouldn't do it.

(Jan 13, 2015) Earl said:
I've determined it is a cesspool with concrete tanks The vent pipe is a little over 20ft from where the edge of the fire pit would be. Do I still need to be concerned with the concrete tanks themselves leaking? Thank so much for the help! …"rain on the fire" :)

Also, the top of the vent pipe is a little over 6ft. tall, if that matters. Thanks, again.

Reply: Earl, yes methane is commonly found at and can cause explosions at septic tanks.

Question: snow hills over the cesspool

(Feb 7, 2015) denise h said:
What causes a hill to form in the snow located over a cesspool? It looks like a mini volcano of snow. I do not detect any problems like back ups in the system.

Reply:

I don't know, Denise. Perhaps moisture from warm sewage in the cesspool is seeping to ground level and then freezing.

Watch out: I'd stay away from the cesspool until the safety of its cover can be established - falling in can be fatal.

Question: can we get sick from our neighbor's camper toilet use?

(June 7, 2015) cathy said:
hi. my neighbors sepic/field bed has been open for almost 3 months they couldnt use the toilets or showers they went in a camper in their driveway. can we get sick and our animal get sick from it. my husband has been sick and my dog throws up every morning. they never cover it. the water in it was green. if you can answer that it would be great.

Reply:

Cathy I can't diagnose illnesses from your e-text, but indeed in most jurisdictions it's not permitted to leave open sewage nor to discharge sewage to the ground surface. The risks include contamination of well water, lakes, streams, and in some cases of drying out and blowing dust there could be airbourne pathogens. This is a question to take first to your doctor.

...

Continue reading  at SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY - home - or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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• DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC
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  • DRYWELL SAFETY CONCERNS
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