How to find septic lines?

horsebroke · Jan 21, 2009

There are obviouly differing points of view on this subject. Nobody is right or wrong. I'm a skeptic, too. But I saw it work on new property I bought in Virginia back in 1981. Had to dig a well. Virgin property - out in the country.

Neighbor from about a mile away stopped by, and we talked about where I wanted to put the house, and therefore, where the well would be. So he cut a couple sticks, and doused (sp?). He found a spot, and told me there was water down about 125 feet - but it was "bad" water - and to go deeper. He said I'd hit good "sweet" water at about 240 feet.

I didn't believe it. There weren't any other homes or wells within more than a mile. But when the well company came out and sunk the well, by gosh, they DID hit water at 120 feet. and it smelled like rotten eggs. So - based on my neighbor's witching, and the fact that he seemed to be right on the first water, I told the driller to keep going. I'll be darned - at 251 feet, he hit really good water. I lived in that house for 8 1/2 years, using that water. It was really pure, sweet, and cold. We had it analyzed, and they said it was some of the best water out of the ground they'd ever encountered. Even better than the heavily chlorinated city water in town (11 miles away).

I don't know how the heck my neighbor did it. I'm still very skeptical - but I saw it happen! I tried it and couldn't tell a darn thing.

ray66v · Jan 21, 2009

Using the metal rods to find pipes, is not a skill that needs to be taught. It does not require any special tree branch, or level of belief. You simply need to know how to bend the rods, how to hold your hands, and be able to walk. In few minutes, you will see evidence of it working. And, as I stated earlier, can be done in ways where you can verify the results and have proof.

There is a right and wrong here. And if spend a few minutes, you can find out yourself who is right and who is wrong. If your sure your right, that it can't be done, why would you be afraid to try? It's because you don't want to be wrong. Don't be afraid, everyone is wrong from time to time.

The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about.

Hillfarmer · Jan 21, 2009

I can tell you that the metal rods do work. However there has to be some flow through the conduit and it is unlikely that you would ever find all of the lines that close together. I see your from Penn, if you experienced the drought last summer as we did in WV you should try to recall where the tallest grass was or the area where the grass turned brown last. This would give you a good idea of where the septic field is located. As far as driving rods into the ground goes, it can be effective, but you can also damage a pipe to the point of collapse. So I would not recommend using a sledge hammer to drive the rods.

The septic tank if built in 68 with the house may also be metal or have a metal top so be very careful about driving over it.

Northstar9126 · Jan 21, 2009

Couldn't a guy run a metal drain snake down the sewer line then use a metal detector to locate the snake within the line?

ray66v · Jan 21, 2009

Hillfarmer said:
However there has to be some flow through the conduit

I disagree that there has to be water in the pipes to find them. in addition to the main sewer line, I found both overflows on my septic system, (pvc), neither of which have ever been used. Both were verified after digging across the area.

dodge man · Jan 21, 2009

I don't mean to insult people, but witching for lines is a huge load of crap. It's kind of like me saying, "I've never been killed while not wearing my seat belt, there for it's safer not to wear your seat belt". I know people have seen it work, so they believe. That doesn't make it true. I work for a civil engineering company and we paid a guy to locate water lines for us in a prison for us to survey it. It was cast iron and the locators only go a short way and get stopped by the joints. So this guy ends up witching most of the stuff. Yeah he got some of it right, but he was way off base on most of it.
That said, I believe people can locate things, but it is by experience. The can spot low spots in the yard and other such things.
J.J is correct, there is a $1,000,000 prize waiting for someone who can prove witching works. It also extends to other things, such as mind reading, seeing into the future etc. There is a reason this prize reamains unclaimed.

Oldtrout · Jan 21, 2009

Had to locate a tank last year for a customer,I tried the metal rod trick no luck,than I went to basement and located where the sewer line went through basement wall, I removed knock out plug, (after advising customer not to flush)

. I than fed my tape measure through knock out till it stopped,I noted the reading. Replaced knock out plug,went outside and measured,started digging with hoe and hit tank dead on it was under ground 5 feet. My rod was only 3 feet long....Worked for me...

ray66v · Jan 21, 2009

dodge man said:
I don't mean to insult people, but witching for lines is a huge load of crap. It's kind of like me saying, "I've never been killed while not wearing my seat belt, there for it's safer not to wear your seat belt". I know people have seen it work, so they believe. That doesn't make it true. I work for a civil engineering company and we paid a guy to locate water lines for us in a prison for us to survey it. It was cast iron and the locators only go a short way and get stopped by the joints. So this guy ends up witching most of the stuff. Yeah he got some of it right, but he was way off base on most of it.
That said, I believe people can locate things, but it is by experience. The can spot low spots in the yard and other such things.
J.J is correct, there is a $1,000,000 prize waiting for someone who can prove witching works. It also extends to other things, such as mind reading, seeing into the future etc. There is a reason this prize reamains unclaimed.

With modern equipment you could not find the pipes? So, when all else fails, this guy finds some of them, and you say that's proof it does not work?

Interesting way of interpreting that experience.

Is there anything other than abstinence that works 100% of the time?

dodge man · Jan 21, 2009

All I can say is go claim your 1 million dollars. Go to http://www.randi.org/site/. Look under million dollar challenge. It sounds like free money for some of you.

J_J · Jan 21, 2009

Oldtrout said:
Had to locate a tank last year for a customer,I tried the metal rod trick no luck,than I went to basement and located where the sewer line went through basement wall, I removed knock out plug, (after advising customer not to flush). I than fed my tape measure through knock out till it stopped,I noted the reading. Replaced knock out plug,went outside and measured,started digging with hoe and hit tank dead on it was under ground 5 feet. My rod was only 3 feet long....Worked for me...

What actually worked for you, the tape measure or did you WITCH it?