backyard sewage problem

[Dutch445]

ok,
then a water test it is, and i won't call any anybody till I see
how things go if we get some dryer weather. the problems isn't
terrible, just noticible, mostly by me.

i understand about standing water getting cruddy, but there seems
to be a lot of springs here, which are feeding this area,, and i only
get this slick in a few spots, not the whole pond. I'll keep an eye on things
and see how it goes.

thanks for the advice

 

[JimR]

I have to add one more thing. It was already mentioned on page one by highbeam about standing water and smelling from organic action. I just mowed out in my woods between the trees where it is usually wet in the spring. It is so wet right now that there are spots that are starting to slime over and they stink. This is 300 feet away from my septic and uphill by at least 20 feet in elevation. There are no septic systems in the area that could possible be causing this to happen. I would guess that the well water test would be my first choice of action. If it is determined to be septic discharge then you will have to take a further step to eliviate the problem. You should also have that smelly water tested to see if it is septic system discharge.

 

[citytransplant]

...this year has been an extremely wet year ... The ground is so saturated that it cannot absorb all the present water being dumped into it.

This is what I am finding here on my property in Central NY.

Last month I threw some of those septic dye tablets in my septic vent as I too smelled effluent. In my case, a few days and many inches of rain later, fluorescent green liquid began to appear in low areas of my drain field.

I am hoping that the breakout is atypical due to the excessively wet weather. I have no reference however this being my first year in the home.

Fortunately our water tested negative when we bought the home in December. It may be a good idea for us to get it tested again.

 

[Highbeam]

That's great. I had never heard of dye testing a septic tank. I have used the dye to detect toilets being hooked up to storm lines though with great success.

So it now looks like 1000 gallons of antifreeze has been poured into your yard? Due to the dilution nature of the septic system, the effluent will slowly become less and less green. One of those always half way there deals.

Good to know that this works since any surfacing effluent from a standard septic system is a system failure that will condemn your home if the wrong people caght wind of it.

 

[ByronBob]

Where is your well in relation by distance to all this? I know my dad growing up had issues when it was really wet. A good working system can still have these issues when it's really wet like you mention.

Code in NY I'm pretty sure is 100 ft minimum from a water source to a leachfield. Your water I'd think is safe. How deep is it?

 

[citytransplant]

Where is your well in relation by distance to all this?
Code in NY I'm pretty sure is 100 ft minimum from a water source to a leachfield. Your water I'd think is safe. How deep is it?

Wellhead is 50' from the septic vent, located at/above the septic tank inlet. Leachfield begins about 75' from wellhead and continues 100' or more. The well is dug 200+ feet.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the breakout is a direct result of this unusually wet weather. I am new to the home, so I don't know what things look like under normal circumstances.

 

[JimR]

I would be willing to bet it is from the excessive amount of rain that we have had this spring. I mowed my back yard the other day and my 18 horse MTD mower just sunk to the axle. I have never had it this wet in 30 years of living here. Once it dries out I'll be doing some filling in to slant the backyard a little. This will help run the water off into the woods behind my house. Today my ruts are filled right to the top with water and level with the ground.