leech field

[par4thecourse]

Would an existing leech field still function normally if I buried a portion of it with 2 to 3 feet of soil. I would like to make a more gradual grade near the leech field.

Par4thecourse

 

[Egon]

The leach field should be at a depth that air to the pipes for aerobic action.

Egon

 

[ByronBob]

Yes,

If your leach field perked already and you were to add more fill on top of it then I don't see a problem. When water goes to the pipes the water (because of gravity) settles down through the soil. The only thing that your grass does possibly is grab nutrients from the soil and help with moisture. You see this during really dry summers where there are strips of green grass and everything else is dead.

The level of dirt shouldn't matter. But you might want to do some searching on the web to see if someone disagrees with what I've said.

 

[JimWalch]

ask here http://www.eco-nomic.com/septicforum.htm

 

[Highbeam]

Not true. The drainfield lines need to be near the surface to get oxygen for decomposition. The drainfield serves to get rid of effluent and to aerate the effluent. Without the air/oxygen the effluent that soaks in will not have received treatment and could contaminate the groundwater. This is the reason that you can't pave over the drainfield.

If this was strictly an infiltration trench like for downspout water then no problem, bury it deep. Heck, even pave over it.

 

[DMF]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This is the reason that you can't pave over the drainfield.)</font>

The drainfield at the company where I work is under the back (paved) parking lot....?

 

[Highbeam]

Hmmmm, I wonder if the health department is aware of it? It is certainly prohibited here in the NW. The only time I could see it being allowed is when an advanced treatment process is used prior to disposal in the drainfield.

 

[AndyM]

My septic system failed the inspection from the health department the first time because the leech lines were six inches too deep.

In order to perculate correctly, they need to be close enough to the surface to "breathe" but deep enough that the effluent doesn't reach the surface.

As someone mentioned above, this is why you should pave over it. This is also why you should make a habit of driving heavy equipment over the leech field-- if you pack the field, it no longer breathes.

 

[8561]

It is very possible to design a fairly standard leach bed system under a paved parking area and is not that uncommon. There are many of them, probably under parking areas where you have no idea they are there. I know for a fact there is one under a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot not far from here.

 

[HomeBrew2]

As I posted on another septic thread ... this is an international site and local laws and design/construction techniques vary widely, to say the least. You asked a generic question about an assumed generic septic system. I happen to live in an area that the generic septic system IS the local law, ie, no high water table, no teeny lots, no close proximity to water courses. For a generic system, I can find no documentation that specifies a maximum native cover over the leach field trenches, though I would be interested in seeing documentation to that effect. Minumum cover for a generic system seems to be 12". My system, installed in '93 and passed inspection has a finish grade variation of 2+ feet and from my photos of construction, the lowest finish grade has about 2 feet of cover over the gravel. I would feel perfectly comfortable in adding fill over my leach field. If you have an "engineered" system or have local ordinances or special conditions, you should certainly bear those in mind before adding fill. Possibly if you could describe your situation in more detail, someone with specific knowledge could make a more specific reeply.
Cheers!