Septic Pet Peeve

[Pettrix]

Can you site an example where a single family home leach field has contaminated ground water? Or is it here say and unsubstantiated anecdote?
We have "failed systems" in our area (I served on the board of selectmen) But no health Disasters were reported. 'Fortunate perhaps....

Yes, there is plenty of evidence of failed systems causing health problems. For example, in Michigan, thousands of failed septic systems are entering into Michigan's drinking water. Thousands of failed septic tanks across the state threaten Michigan's waters | MLive.com

In Ohio, over 195,000 failed septic systems have been reported (1 in 3 homes). 31% of septic systems are tanking | The Columbus Dispatch

There is A LOT of info on Google showing how failed septic systems are causing problems throughout the USA.

According to the EPA

Failure rates for on-lot sewage septic systems across the country are reported at 10 percent annually. Inadequately treated sewage from failing septic systems is the most frequently reported cause of groundwater contamination
The most serious documented problems involve contamination of surface waters and ground water with disease-causing pathogens and nitrates. Other problems include excessive nitrogen discharges to sensitive coastal waters and phosphorus pollution of inland surface waters, which increases algal growth and lowers dissolved oxygen levels. Contamination of important shellfish beds and swimming beaches by pathogens is a concern in some coastal regions.

 

[TomSeller]

I am hearing that our systems here in Washington musst be inspected every few yeas (?5?). Inspector shows up, takes quick look and hands over a bill. My tank is buried with no inspection port. Big tank and new field installed in 1976, pumped every 5 years. . They want to inspect, there's the shovel.

So they basically just do a sniff test?

 

[TomSeller]

Sounds more like ignorance...

Even an over engineered system can be stressed... simply a stuck toilet flapper can saturate a leach field.

Worse is what gets flushed...

With proper care a septic can last for many decades and most are totally ignorant as to what is required.

Friends sold a home with a septic and never had a problem... reports all came back fine.

A family from the city bought it and soon had big problems... they installed a garbage disposal, had no lint trap on the washer and used a lot of bleach and anti-bacteria products... even in the dishwasher.

Everyone with common sense should know to keep bleach and antibacterial soaps out. I'd like to know what else everyone knows about that can take a toll on a septic system. Here are a few that I worry about and try to get the wife to pay attention to. I am not sure they all are true.

Too much water saturates the field. Excess laundry, showers, flushing, leaking toilet. Space showers and laundry out
No Previously mentioned bleach and antibacterial soaps
Keep Coffee grounds out
Use septic friendly soaps
No automatic toilet bowl cleaners
no Grease
No Grease dissolvers
Prevent tree and shrub roots near the leach lines
Pump the tank often to prevent solids from entering the leach lines
No garbage from garbage disposal
Don't drive on the leach field compacting the soil and potentially crushing the lines.
No cat litter

Others?

 

[turnkey4099]

So they basically just do a sniff test?

From the reports I have heard, the don't even do that. Seem to be out for just the inspection fee...which isn't cheap. I forget the exact amount but it was in hte $300 range.

 

[TheMan419]

When we had our system replaced about 4 years ago the cost was around $5K. It was a total gravity fed system. No mound or anything mechanical needed thankfully.

New neighbors at the new place are building. They have been told a mound system will be needed. $15K easy. Oddly on our property we have a gravity fed system here too that was just put in a about 3-4 years ago.

 

[DocDryden]

Too much water saturates the field. Excess laundry, showers, flushing, leaking toilet. Space showers and laundry out
No Previously mentioned bleach and antibacterial soaps
Keep Coffee grounds out
Use septic friendly soaps
No automatic toilet bowl cleaners
no Grease
No Grease dissolvers
Prevent tree and shrub roots near the leach lines
Pump the tank often to prevent solids from entering the leach lines
No garbage from garbage disposal
Don't drive on the leach field compacting the soil and potentially crushing the lines.
No cat litter

Others?

Thank's for the info, any thought on salt in the septic system from a water softener?
My son moved in to his 1st house and the water softener discharge goes into his septic system.

 

[PILOON]

From the reports I have heard, the don't even do that. Seem to be out for just the inspection fee...which isn't cheap. I forget the exact amount but it was in hte $300 range.

That is because you are paying for his 'professional training', years of study and that eng on his signature.
Here we have that fee for the soil eng as well, and that is B4 they start to make the system.
That is $500. for him to determine where it should be as well as a perk test.
Now just hope the city inspector agrees otherwise you do another $500 test 100 ft away.
Heck they now have specs for the sand used in the fields and that is generally sand that has to be trucked from many miles away.
Now don't forget the separations from wells etc that require U survey your neighbors properties and their wells and fields.

Sure is getting rather pricey to build now days.

 

[1stDeuce]

Thank's for the info, any thought on salt in the septic system from a water softener?
My son moved in to his 1st house and the water softener discharge goes into his septic system.

What a crappy thread.
I've read this is a bad practice in general.

 

[CalG]

In a perfect world...

excerpt taken from one of the links posted above.


“A properly maintained on-site treatment system is more sustainable than the centralized treatment systems,” said Stephens, whose consulting firm oversees construction of on-site systems.

He said municipal sewer systems dump more untreated sewage into lakes and rivers than all the septic systems in Michigan combined. State data support his claim."

 

[ultrarunner]

Everyone with common sense should know to keep bleach and antibacterial soaps out. I'd like to know what else everyone knows about that can take a toll on a septic system. Here are a few that I worry about and try to get the wife to pay attention to. I am not sure they all are true.

Too much water saturates the field. Excess laundry, showers, flushing, leaking toilet. Space showers and laundry out
No Previously mentioned bleach and antibacterial soaps
Keep Coffee grounds out
Use septic friendly soaps
No automatic toilet bowl cleaners
no Grease
No Grease dissolvers
Prevent tree and shrub roots near the leach lines
Pump the tank often to prevent solids from entering the leach lines
No garbage from garbage disposal
Don't drive on the leach field compacting the soil and potentially crushing the lines.
No cat litter

Others?

Lint Trap of Filter on Washing Machine drain water...
Minimize rinse cycles or if allowed divert Washer to Grey Water System
Only human waste, water and septic friendly paper down toilet.

One of my friends has city water and a private septic... water has given problems in the past as it is heavily chlorinated at times.

Friends have been 35 years on a septic in a problematic area... all around families have had to go to mound systems... my friends are super cautious... they keep a used toilet paper waste paper basket and nightly it is burned... never any paper or chemicals go into the system.

Part of the cost of new install can be a mandatory service contract as part of monitoring....

Of course avoid anything sold as flushable... especially baby wipes!!!

 

[Pettrix]

In a perfect world...

excerpt taken from one of the links posted above.

properly maintained on-site treatment system is more sustainable than the centralized treatment systems, said Stephens, whose consulting firm oversees construction of on-site systems.

He said municipal sewer systems dump more untreated sewage into lakes and rivers than all the septic systems in Michigan combined. State data support his claim."

Yes, the key being "properly maintained" private septic systems. Many go unchecked for years before the failed system appears. When someone installs the absolute smallest system allowed by law to save a few hundred dollars. Then they sell the home and instead of 2 people living there, now a family of 4 or maybe 5 live there. Which happens with a husband and wife with 2-3 kids. Now that 300GPD system is being inundated with 750 GPD. On a 1,000 GAL single chamber tank on just 80' of line, that system will fail within the first week of use. No way can it handle 750GPD but a family of 5 will easily produce that.

I've seen this happen and the only solution is to remove and replace the system with a large septic tank and field. Unfortunately the costs now are not just a few hundred dollars but thousands of dollars. So the system will remain and get overtaxed and fail.

Upsizing a concrete tank by 500 gallons is usually only a few hundred dollars during the initial purchase.
Upsizing the leach field line by more feet is again a few hundred dollars during the initial purchase.

Most builders will cut on the septic and upgrade to granite counter tops.

Out of sight, out of mind. Only when the smell and sewage backing into the home will the septic system come to light.

 

[Pettrix]

they keep a used toilet paper waste paper basket and nightly it is burned... never any paper or chemicals go into the system.

Wow, that has to be stinky and gross to keep used toilet paper in a basket instead of flushing it. :ill:

In a properly designed system, toilet paper would not be a problem. If they are worried about it, they can go with a SludgeHammer system which will break up the solids in the tank.

 

[roadhunter]

I saw a show a while back about a family that used washcloths for toilet paper and washed them all so they could be reused instead of buying toilet paper. look up "family cloths" for more info.

 

[ultrarunner]

Wow, that has to be stinky and gross to keep used toilet paper in a basket instead of flushing it. :ill:

In a properly designed system, toilet paper would not be a problem. If they are worried about it, they can go with a SludgeHammer system which will break up the solids in the tank.

Yep... that is what they did... she was a retired nurse and he a retired engineer...

Never noticed it being stinky... but they were super protective of their septic and neighbors that had problems had to go to monitored Mound Systems with dosing pumps, alarms and pay for the electricity and required service contract... expensive.

I've dealt with a lot of sewage over the years... all manor of things get flushed and I get the job of using my Spartan Cable machine to clear the line... some over 150'

Feminine products and Baby Wipes tops my list

 

[TomSeller]

Wow, that has to be stinky and gross to keep used toilet paper in a basket instead of flushing it. :ill:
.

Haven't they heard of using leaves?

Growing up my dad always had two outhouses for us to use in a pinch. One was there from a pioneer family and was built on a hill. I guess to give it good drainage? I have one on one of my remote properties, it's a deluxe 2 barrel deep model. Fully equipped with a coffee can with lid to keep the toilet paper dry and bug free.

 

[CalG]

Yes, the key being "properly maintained" private septic systems. Many go unchecked for years before the failed system appears. When someone installs the absolute smallest system allowed by law to save a few hundred dollars. Then they sell the home and instead of 2 people living there, now a family of 4 or maybe 5 live there. Which happens with a husband and wife with 2-3 kids. Now that 300GPD system is being inundated with 750 GPD. On a 1,000 GAL single chamber tank on just 80' of line, that system will fail within the first week of use. No way can it handle 750GPD but a family of 5 will easily produce that.

I'm not sure where you are getting those domestic water use numbers.
This reference suggests about 75 gal per person. I know our family never got to even that number per day for domestic needs.
TN Fact sheet: Offstream

Perhaps the true need is responsibility with water use. It's not an infinite commodity you know.

 

[ultrarunner]

Family's 2400 square foot 2.5 bath 4 bedroom home with fruit trees in California has been averaging 85 gpd all summer with drought restrictions.

Previously it was 400 gpd with irrigated lawn which is now bare dirt after 47 years.

 

[CalG]

Family's 2400 square foot 2.5 bath 4 bedroom home with fruit trees in California has been averaging 85 gpd all summer with drought restrictions.

Previously it was 400 gpd with irrigated lawn which is now bare dirt after 47 years.

Of course bedrooms use no water, It's the people that wake up in them ;-)

Irrigation shouldn't be considered in a septic system load calculation.
There is a problem when the total water volume drops due to "conservation", i.e. the "concentration" goes up, and that can damage the flora in the tank and system.

Waste is a tuff one.....

 

[ultrarunner]

Just saying that a typical comfortable size home with several people and a yard are very use to using a 100 gpd in drought stricken California.

In Washington, my Septic was "Sized" by the county based on the number of bedrooms.

 

[brokenknee]

Just had a septic put in last week. 1,500 gallon concrete tank, mound sized for a 2 bedroom home. The county really is not to concerned about septic's; it was the bank that required it for buyer to to get a loan. Total cost $9,002.00.