This article is our home page for identifying, diagnosing & repairing various types of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar component.

Beginning here and in more detail in specific articles that we'll recommend, we list the causes of each type of septic component failure, and list the septic component failure criteria or in other words what conditions are defined as "failure"?

Absorption Field Failure Causes of drainfields and leaching beds

[Click to enlarge any image]

Is there a Septic Failure or Just a Blocked or Broken Pipe?

How can you distinguish between a blocked pipe, a septic tank that needs pumping, and a clogged drainfield that needs replacement?

This is an important question as it distinguishes between relatively low cost maintenance or repair task and a costly septic leach field replacement.

1. If the septic tank wastewater is above the bottom of the septic tank outlet
   
   pipe then the level in the tank is abnormal and too high.
2. If at the same time the effluent in the D-box or distribution box is normal,
   
   then probably there is a break, blockage, or damage to the effluent line between the septic tank and the D-box.
3. If at the same time the D-box is flooded,
   
   then there is either a blockage between the D-box and the actual drainfield trenches and pipelines, OR the septic drainfield is flooded and in failure.
4. If there is septic effluent at the ground surface
   
   in the area of the drainfield or soil absorption system, then the drainfield is in failure

We summarize causes and failure clues just below and at the page end Recommended Articles list you'll find detailed diagnosis and repair articles for each of these conditions.

Summary of Causes of soakaway bed or disposal field failures:

• Soil clogging at the biomat layer
  
  which forms below and around the drainfield trenches (or other absorption systems).
  
  This soil clogging is normal and will occur naturally during the life of any septic drainfield or soil absorption system.
  
  The biomat is a bacteria layer which forms in soil below and around drainfield trenches where septic effluent or wastewater is discharged.
  
  This layer is critical in the processing of fine biological solids and pathogens which are in the effluent, and without it the septic system would not be adequately treating the effluent.
  
  Inadequately treated effluent released into the ground risks contamination of nearby ponds, wells, streams, etc.
  
  But
  
  Watch out: a principal cause of early septic drainfield failure is inadequate maintenance: failing to clean or pump the septic tank at regular intervals.
  
  See details at SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE. 
  
  Also see SOAKBED SOIL CONDITIONS.
• Driving over the absorption system,
  
  leach field, drainfield.
  
  Also see DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC.
• Paving
  
  over the absorption system.
• Flooding
  
  the absorption system with surface or roof runoff, or rocky, poorly drained or undersized sites may simply lack capacity.
• Use of septic tank or drain field additives
  
  which claim to extend system life can, for some of these products such as yeast, actually generate so much activity in the tank that solids are held in suspension and forced into the soil absorption system!
  
  Do not add any treatments, chemicals, yeast, or other treats to a septic system. In general these treatments are not necessary for conventional septic systems, don't work, may ruin the system, and are illegal in many localities.
  
  There is no magic bullet to repair a bad SAS.
  
  Also see SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS.
• Improper original construction,
  
  especially on rocky, poorly drained sites (pipes settle, for example).
• Houses clustered around a lake
  
  often will have a marginal system as properties were crowded together, built as part-time summer camps, were built without code supervision, and often were built using amateur, marginal home-made systems.
• Age
  
  eventually even a well maintained SAS will clog and have to be replaced.

Septic System Soil Absorption System Failure Criteria

Expert sources and often building or sanitary codes in most jurisdictions provide a formal definition of what constitutes a septic system failure.

The septic failure criteria listed just below are intended to help avoid unnecessary argument about the condition of a septic system: your local health department may use these indicators to conclude that septic system repair is required to protect public health.

You will see that some of these septic "failure" definitions refer to an improper location of the septic effluent disposal system regardless of whether or not there is actual evidence of a sewage backup in the building or septic effluent break-out inside the building.

• Breakout of septic effluent observed at the ground surface (& I consider odors as well)
• Septic close to surface water supply
  
  Board of Health (BOH) evaluation in Massachusetts (MA) and some other states or provinces, if a septic disposal field is found to be located anywhere within 100 ft of surface water supply
• Sewage effluent disposal found to be located within Zone 1 of a public well
• Sewage effluent disposal located within 50ft of a private well
• Sewage effluent disposal located between 50ft and 100ft of a private well if well fails bacteria test.

Other Possible Indicators of Drainfield Failure

Some of these septic failure indicators are listed as "possible" because the symptoms we list might be caused by an absorption system failure (clogged, flooded, etc.) OR the same symptoms can appear if an effluent pipe is broken or blocked between the building and the septic tank, or between septic tank and the drainfield.

• Sewage backup into the building
• Wastewater level in the septic tank above the bottom of the septic tank outlet pipe
• Wastewater effluent level in the Distribution box or D-box that is above the D-box outlets to one or more drainfield pipelines
• Wastewater effluent found backing up to the starting end of a septic drainfield trench or drainfield pipe
• Construction of a septic drainfield in an area subject to area flooding
• Septic system improperly constructed by any health department standard.
  
  For example and illustrated above on this page, if the bottom of a the septic mound or raised bed septic system trench is less than two feet above the seasonal high water table then the system cannot reliably treat septic effluent year round and the system is considered improperly-built and thus "failed".
• Plants, especially deep-rooting plants or trees, over the septic drainfield or soakaway bed are likely to spell the end of the septic system soil absorption system even if it still seems to be working - the septic drainfield forward life is not predictable.
  
  Details are at PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS

See details

at SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS

Examples of Supporting Research/Authorities on Septic Failure

• New York State Department of Health, APPENDIX 75-A WASTEWATER TREATMENT STANDARDS - INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD SYSTEMS , [PDF] New York State Department of Health, 3 February 2010, retrieved 3/1/2010, original source: health.ny.gov/regulations/nycrr/title_10/part_75/appendix_75-a.htm
• SOIL PERCOLATION TEST MANUAL, CNMI Division of Environmental Quality, Gualo Rai, Saipan provides an excellent English Language manual guide for soil percolation testing. Original source: www.deq.gov.mp/artdoc/Sec6art108ID255.pdf
• SOIL TEST PIT PREPARATION, fact sheet, Oregon DEQ Department of Environmental Quality, original source www.deq.state.or.us/wq/pubs/factsheets/onsite/testpitprep.pdf The Oregon DEQ onsite water quality program can be contacted at 811 South Ave, Portland OR 97204, 800-452-4011 or see oregon.gov/DEQ/

...

Continue reading at SEPTIC DISPOSAL FIELD CLOGGING INSPECTION or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST FAQs - Q&A posted originally on this page.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST - home
• PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS.
• SEPTIC DISPOSAL FIELD CLOGGING INSPECTION
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE CAUSES
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
• SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA
• SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
• SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS
• SEPTIC FAILURE SPOTS
• SEPTIC ODORS INDICATING DRAINFIELD FAILURE
• SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT
• SEPTIC TROUBLE SIGNS, OTHER
• SOAKBED SOIL CONDITIONS
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION
• SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS?
• SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND
• SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE 
• SEPTIC TESTS: DYE & LOADING TESTS
• SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS
• SEPTIC / SEWAGE SOIL CONTAMINATION HAZARDS
• SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO
• SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE

Suggested citation for this web page

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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