Driving over septic ?

[bcarwell]

I have a Kubota 7500. The spec says 1300 lb. weight, but with a FEL its a bit more.

I have a garden variety residential septic field (sorry, can't be any more specific; don't know how far down the big drainage pipes are buried, but as I recall from watching construction 18 years ago and the trenches, it seemed it was a couple feet below surface).

My question is: can you drive over the field <once> without damaging it ? I'm not talking about any access pipes that come to the surface, etc. as I know where those are, but rather the basic field of the big pipes. And I'm not talking about repeated driving over them, but just once. There is a huge amount of thatch that has built up which is adversely affecting septic performance. I want to drive over it once with a box blade and skim off the top thatch. I have tilled it before with a power walk behind tiller and don't want to do that again- too much work. And mowing close isn't enough because the stuff causing the thatch has left roots just below the surface I want to pull out. I realize I might have to replace some dirt the box blade drags with it in capturing the thatch and roots.

Thanks for any opinions.

Bob

 

[Dmace]

Driving over a leach field once should not cause any damage. Especially if it is a stone and pipe system. If you were to drive over it constantly in different spots, that would compact the fill above the system and not allow the system to breath which would eventually lead to bacteria growth and clogging.

You can put a septic system right under a driveway (I have done many), as long as it is properly vented and as a minimum of 18" gravel above the normal fill (according to NH DES).

You should be all set.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Driving over it won't hurt the field. But don' think about going over the tank. When your septic was installed a bigger machine than yours was used to backfill the lines and to finish grade it when they were finished.

 

[bcarwell]

Great ! Thanks guys. I love this site. Perfect for Newbs like me. And, no, there's no way I'm gonna drive over the tank. You guys have saved me hours of getting my arms ripped out of my sockets by that darn tiller. And a great way to justify my new Kubota acquisition to my domestic Finance Committee. Now if there was just a PTO dishwashing attachment ...

Regards,
Farmer Bob

 

[755inNY]

Driving over it won't hurt the field. But don' think about going over the tank. When your septic was installed a bigger machine than yours was used to backfill the lines and to finish grade it when they were finished.

Don't drive over the tank? Crap, I wish you had told me that before. I have been drivng over my system, including the tank, continuously for the last 18 years. The first 16 years with a 2000# JD 755 and the last 2 years with a 3000+# JD 4310. Now how am I going to mow the grass?

Jeff

 

[Soundguy]

Same here.. I used to mow over mine with my NH 1920 and 5' mower.. figure 3500# no issues years later...

Soundguy

 

[DaryleD]

Same here. I forget the weight of my tc30 with loaded r-4 tires front loader ,Woods 72" RFM attatched etc, but it's been 4-5 years of driving over my leach field and septic tank and thankfully no problems yet. I can't imagine that your cement septic tank couldn't hold your tractor, especially when it is full of liquid and burried in dirt to support it on all sides. Think about the plastic culverts that towns are using now on roads with no ill effects when being driven over with loaded dump trucks. The reason is the ground around them helps to support their shape and gives them an incredible boost in strength. Do what you feel comfortable with, as this is just my opinion.

Daryle.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

My 8N with loaded tires is about 3000 pounds. Plus the weight of the implements.
I regularly mow over my tank and leech field with a finish mower.
Hope I'm not causing any damage. Time will tell.

Pooh Bear

 

[Dmace]

The only problem with driving over the tank is that on the house side, depending on the grade and total head to the house, the pipe will be pretty close to grade and could be cracked or crushed under heavy loads. If you are going to drive over the leach field on a regular basis, I would get some kind of airator to at least give myself peace of mind that the leach field is getting air (at least walk around with golf spikes on).

 

[MadReferee]

The only problem with driving over the tank is that on the house side, depending on the grade and total head to the house, the pipe will be pretty close to grade and could be cracked or crushed under heavy loads. If you are going to drive over the leach field on a regular basis, I would get some kind of airator to at least give myself peace of mind that the leach field is getting air (at least walk around with golf spikes on).

Leach fields leach down into the ground. That is why you do a perc test. Walking around on the grass over a leach field with golf spikes is nonsense.

This topic has been discussed to death at least 3 times since the beginning of the year. I wish everyone would learn how to use the search function (when it is back up working, that is).

 

[Dmace]

Leach fields leach down into the ground. That is why you do a perc test. Walking around on the grass over a leach field with golf spikes is nonsense.

Obviously the golf spikes thing was a joke. I have yet to find any smileys to put into the text. The reason you do a perc test is to prove to the state that your bed bottom of the system is a minimum distance above the Seasonal High Water Table and that the soils surrounding the system will allow the leach bed to drain fast enough and at the same time not too fast. But then again, what do I know I only design and install them. :insert smiley rolling eyes here:
Go ahead and drive over your system, it's the thick headed fools that keep me in business designing/installing replacement systems.

 

[rameye]

Dmace,

Since your a NH septic designer I have NH septic quick question....

My septic was recently installed and I'm just doing my landscaping. Can I cover the fields with top soil and plant grass?? If I do should I use a geotextile fabric to stop the soil from leaching into the sand cap covering the fields?

Sorry for any hijacking

 

[Dmace]

Hey rameye, by NHDES rules. You need to have a minimum of 2" loam and seed on top and all sides (if raised system) to slow the headspeed of runoff and to prevent it from washing away the fill. Once loamed and seeded. I usually lay down hay or geotextile fabric to allow the seed to grow. Especially with this crazy rainfall we have been getting.

 

[rameye]

Jeez...guess I better get her covered up, still working on the final grade...

Thanks for the reply..I was worried that the loam would sink into the sandcap and perc into the fields and jamm things up.

Yep I'm down here in Stoddard, we had our big fun in October with the rain..had coffee and saw the aerial view of my house on CNN!

thanks for the reply...

 

[scott_vt]

Obviously the golf spikes thing was a joke. I have yet to find any smileys to put into the text.

Mornin Dmace,
Go to User CP, and then click on edit options, scroll down to the bottom, misc options for your smiley face characters

 

[Soundguy]

Obviously the golf spikes thing was a joke. I have yet to find any smileys to put into the text. The reason you do a perc test is to prove to the state that your bed bottom of the system is a minimum distance above the Seasonal High Water Table and that the soils surrounding the system will allow the leach bed to drain fast enough and at the same time not too fast. But then again, what do I know I only design and install them. :insert smiley rolling eyes here:
Go ahead and drive over your system, it's the thick headed fools that keep me in business designing/installing replacement systems.

I have a semi industrial system.. it's leac filed is some 6-8' deep.. Luckilly florida has great soil for this sort of thing.. well.. not the costal and wet areas.. but central parts o fthe state anyway..

Soundguy

 

[Dmace]

I have a semi industrial system.. it's leac filed is some 6-8' deep.. Luckilly florida has great soil for this sort of thing.. well.. not the costal and wet areas.. but central parts o fthe state anyway..

Soundguy

I am amazed that they didn't hit water that deep. Florida is pretty flat and close to sea level. Are you at a higher than normal elev. or just sitting on some bedrock ?

Scott, Thanks for the heads up on the smilies

 

[N80]

I mow my drain field with a Kubota L4400 once a year. After that I push mow it. I do not drive over the tank. The horse farm where my daughter's horse resides recently had a small tractor (Ford something) drop its rear wheel through the tank lid. Big mess. Was the lid old? Defective? I don't know, but I don't know much about mine either. Why risk it? It does't take two minutes to cut the grass over the tank lid with a push mower or weed eater.

 

[Soundguy]

I am amazed that they didn't hit water that deep. Florida is pretty flat and close to sea level. Are you at a higher than normal elev. or just sitting on some bedrock ?

Scott, Thanks for the heads up on the smilies

We are plain center of the state.. and perhaps 10' higher than our neighbors closer tot he coast.. ( who have water in the ditches year round... )

Soundguy

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

The reason You shouldn't drive over your tank is that the gasses from the waste breaking down rises and slowly eats away at the concrete lid. Four years ago I had to replace my tank because the top deteriated and colapsed.