Failing septic field?

[Wagz]

I am trying to figure out if my septic drain field is kaput. I am afraid it is. An area on my lot close to the end of the field is usually waterlogged from mid fall until at least mid-spring. In coldest periods the water obviously freezes up but otherwise, water is present there. When a few appliances have discharged water (e.g. washing machine, dishwasher, etc), the area become even more water-logged. Sometimes several inches of water accumulates. It also happens to be the lowest part of my property. In addition to this excess water, there is an odour that is very foul smelling - pretty much the smell of an open sewer! The color of the water is really weird too. I have pictures i can post that I took recently. But I will wait for the initial responses from members first.

If it sounds like a faulty field, what are my options? I guess a new field is one.. but I would like avoid the cost. We are also more aware of our water use now, avoiding back-to-back clothes washing for example.

Thanks for any input!

 

[havasu]

Bump to assist this member?

 

[Mardo]

I am trying to figure out if my septic drain field is kaput. I am afraid it is. An area on my lot close to the end of the field is usually waterlogged from mid fall until at least mid-spring. In coldest periods the water obviously freezes up but otherwise, water is present there. When a few appliances have discharged water (e.g. washing machine, dishwasher, etc), the area become even more water-logged. Sometimes several inches of water accumulates. It also happens to be the lowest part of my property. In addition to this excess water, there is an odour that is very foul smelling - pretty much the smell of an open sewer! The color of the water is really weird too. I have pictures i can post that I took recently. But I will wait for the initial responses from members first.

If it sounds like a faulty field, what are my options? I guess a new field is one.. but I would like avoid the cost. We are also more aware of our water use now, avoiding back-to-back clothes washing for example.

Thanks for any input!

You might want to read up on Aero-stream.com. I put one in my sister's septic tank in 2010 because it was that or go with the recommendation (the $10,000+, dig-it-all-up-and-put-in-a-new-field recommendation) of her local sewer contractors. Within a month her smelly wet spot had gone, and her system was fine until the middle of 2021. She called me last year because she was smelling an odor in her yard again. I asked her was the unit humming, she went out to check and found it unplugged. She plugged it in, it's been fine since. So it has been good for ten years now, and counting. It was a gamble, since it might have been $1000 worth of useless, but it wasn't. Just my experience.

 

[Wagz]

Interesting... I've been told that lots of these things are scams or have little efficacy... But I have an open mind and I am eager to address this problem.

Will do the research on it, thanks...

Btw, are you in Waterford near Hamilton, Ontario?

 

[Wagz]

I should mention that I also think that a neighbor's tree might be causing or contributing to the problem. She has a very large Manitoba Maple (box elder) growing about 15' to 18' from our fence. This tree is at least 50 feet tall.. so if the roots are spreading our that far, it put the roots right in the middle of my field... I am going to ask her to cut it down.. They are ugly and invasive as well as damaging...

 

[Twowaxhack]

I should mention that I also think that a neighbor's tree might be causing or contributing to the problem. She has a very large Manitoba Maple (box elder) growing about 15' to 18' from our fence. This tree is at least 50 feet tall.. so if the roots are spreading our that far, it put the roots right in the middle of my field... I am going to ask her to cut it down.. They are ugly and invasive as well as damaging...

Your drain field should be at least 25’ -28’ from the tree. I don’t think the tree is your main issue, maybe not an issue at all.

You can get an air pump if you’d like, it basically promotes good bacteria. Some like to install it in the septic tank while others like to install a pump basin between the distribution box and the septic tank outlet.

You don’t want the air to suspend the solids in the tank or stir them up. You want solids to settle and stay in the septic tank. These solids are microscopic.

Remove the washing machine from the system if you can. Dig a separate field for it some place else if possible.

Make sure you don’t have any water leaks that are contributing.

You could have what’s called “ biomat “. It’s basically where your drain field becomes a pond bottom and quits draining. Aeration helps control that and even clean it up some by promoting beneficial bacteria.

Make sure your drain field allows rainwater or snow melt to run off. Snow and ice is bad for a drain field, most of the water in a drain field evaporates..........

 

[Wagz]

Remove the washing machine from the system if you can. Dig a separate field for it some place else if possible.

I don't think this is an option. I don't think I have the space for another drain field but I suppose I could inquire further. Seems like an expensive addition...

Make sure you don’t have any water leaks that are contributing.

How can this be checked? I guess a septic inspection would be required? Where would a leak originate from?

Make sure your drain field allows rainwater or snow melt to run off. Snow and ice is bad for a drain field, most of the water in a drain field evaporates..........

This could be a problem! I currently have a 36' x 16' skating rink set up on my drain field. It didn't occur to me that this would be an issue - or is it an issue?

Thanks for all the input!

 

[Twowaxhack]

Water leaks in the house, like leaking faucets or toilets.

We don’t cover the drain field down south. Maybe it’s different up north, we don’t deal with snow and ice.