We have only owned our home for 3 years. We moved in after the house was empty for almost 2 years. The septic system is only 8 years old. Two months after we moved in we started have effluent coming to the surface of our back yard. We dug up straight lines from tank and found one not attached to chamber. We fixed that and about a month after that same problem began. We had a drought in the area I live a couple summers ago, during this drought we had no effluent coming to surface of ground, it totally dried up. When it rains is when we notice water on ground. We had tank inspected and pumped and no cracks or leaks. We have 5 leach lines and only two last ones are working(kindof). When water fills up last two lines we begin to have water on top of ground. My yard is the lowest in neighborhood. Everyone on opposite side of road from me have wells for their water. At this time, like most homeowners, we cannot afford to replace our entire leach field. Could it be ground water or water from the aquafirs from the neighborhood wells. Does anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be or a easy or cheaper way to fix the problem.

My yard is the lowest in neighborhood. We had a drought in the area I live a couple summers ago, during this drought we had no effluent coming to surface of ground, it totally dried up. When it rains is when we notice water on ground. We had tank inspected and pumped and no cracks or leaks.. Could ground water be my problem
Sure sounds like it to me. Water drains to the lowest point, in this case your property.
During a rainy season you're going to have problems. What does your septic tank guy have to say about it? Does he have a solution or is he stumped?
Is there any way the drain field can be extended to provide more coverage?
You need to get a man out there that can give you some options to work with.
Good luck and please let me know the outcome. Tom

I agree with Tom: since you are on the bottom you may have the greatest ground saturation inhibiting percolation. Rain adds to this dilemma. In this case, you will have to have your septic (liquid well) pumped out more often.

Why do you believe only 2 lines are working and how was that determined? You need to have a new perculation test done. A good sewer contractor may have options for you but your current system may not even be acceptable by the health department.

Another thing to consider here is look at the grades by and around the drain field. To many times that's ignored and can cause problems. The field is so scrutinized,engineered and inspected, but usually all involved in that ignores the surrounding finish grade at/by the drain field which with wrong grades can kill the drain field.

You can also consider trenching around the drained several feet away from its edges and use perforated pipe and 2B clean stone to slow down water runoff saturation to the drain-field.

Check all downspouts for runoff

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Sure sounds like it to me. Water drains to the lowest point, in this case your property.
During a rainy season you're gonna have problems. What does your septic tank guy have to say about it? Does he have a solution or is he stumped?
Is there any way the drain field can be extended to provide more coverage?
You need to get a man out there that can give you some options to work with.
Good luck and please let me know the outcome. tom

Our septic guy has no idea what to do since we cannot afford a new system. We even put in a leach pit and it has not done any good. Bottom two lines fill up with water and then pressure blows out solid pipe that goes into chamber. We are unable to extend drain field. We only have 15 more feet of property and it is only 15 feet away from a creek that runs behind our home. We have dug up our bottom two chambers and put pipe back in over and over. When we dug up the lines the first time we found out that our septic system was covered up with trash along with dirt. Even some of the dirt under lines is full of trash. Our entire drain field is saturated, city sewage it not an option for us, as it does not come out to where we live. New field because we will have to have almost 8 feet of dirt put in yard to redo drain field will cost over 20,000 and we just don't have that kind of money.

Your situation is dire and I feel very bad for you. However, it will continue to deteriorate and eventually someone will file a complaint with the health department. The creek, close wells of other homes and standing water are a health risk. Once the health department gets on this they will not be kind so you need to explore all options including selling the home or taking out a home equity line of credit. It can not continue like it currently is.

Other than a complete new system the only partial fix it to sinks sewage holding tanks set up with float switches and then when the tanks get close to full a float switch is activated alarm goes off to let you know to call the "honey wagon" to pump out.

At the shore where on site system aren't possible this is what's done. I have no clue if this is acceptable in your township.

At the shore you need to get and show a contract of the septic/waste hauler in order to get the permit. This should cost a fraction of the $20,000.00

Other than a new system this is all I can tell you.



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Why do you believe only 2 lines are working and how was that determined? You need to have a new perculation test done. A good sewer contractor may have options for you but your current system may not even be acceptable by the health department.

We believe only two lines work because we took and put a shut off valve between 2nd and 3rd line. For about 5 or 6 months no water and we figure it gave bottom 3 lines dry out a little, go out and open valve and within a week bottom line blows out of chamber. We have dug it up over and over and keep putting it back into chamber. When we regraded out yard and took some dirt from bottom of yard and put in top of back yard to put more dirt over drain field we found a lot of left over construction trash buried in our backyard. When we dug up our line the first time it was only 7 or 8 inches under the dirt. We have gotten a quote on puttin new system and because we have a saturated drain field and no extra available property to extend drain field, we have to have almost 8 feet of dirt brought in to fill in back yard more. It will cost over 20,000 and as I said in previous post, we just don't have that available. With system only being 8 years old never figured we would have this type of problem already. The neighborhood I live in, I have found out that the company that installed my system also installed over 4 more in neighborhood and all those system had to be replaced, but cannot go after company because they went bankrupt and we did not own the house when system was installed. I think system was thrown together as cheaply as possible. I found out through my health department that the company that installed system would wait for inspection and take out parts and take back for money. Because my yard is so small I am susposed to have distribution things and I have none.

Because my yard is so small I am supposed to have distribution things and I have none.

Hi Quenie. If the township would allow the holding tanks that could give you the time you need to let the old field dry up/ Then you could regrade less in height to prep for a new future Full bed drain field. Money problem is always the big issue. In the mean time Its very possible that if you get pinched on this is possible that a house with no means for proper human waste disposal can be labeled un in habitable. SORRY not trying to be bearer of bad news.

Id there a bed/field there now or is it 2' trenched lines 5 ditches?

The distribution box that handles the liquid out of tank needs to be perfectly level so the 5 runs gets equal saturation.

Is this the "distribution things" you are referring too?

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Hi Quenie. If the township would allow the holding tanks that could give you the time you need to let the old field dry up/ Then you could regrade less in height to prep for a new future Full bed drain field. Money problem is always the big issue. In the mean time Its very possible that if you get pinched on this is possible that a house with no means for proper human waste disposal can be labeled un in habitable. SORRY not trying to be bearer of bad news.

Id there a bed/field there now or is it 2' trenched lines 5 ditches?

The distribution box that handles the liquid out of tank needs to be perfectly level so the 5 runs gets equal saturation.

Is this the "distribution things" you are referring too?

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I have a solid pipe that comes out of side of tank. It runs about 50 feet away from tank. Along the way the solid pipe hooks into 5 chambers (leach lines). I do not have a gravel system. I have what looks like 50 gallon drums cut in half and dirt thrown over top of them. Is there any kind of government grant that can help fix problem. I live in NC and have read on internet that 85% of septic systems are failing because of type of clay we have. When we dug up our last line the first time, it was only about 8 inches below ground. Our yard was back filled with all kinds of trash. We have found old grounding wires, pieces of pvc pipe, even found an old spool to hold wire.

I don't know of any grant.
I never heard of a whacked out system like yours. I dig out and install drain fields from start to finish.
A basic system here is a pipe out of tank to a distribution box close to field. Out of box is 3 two 5 pipe and then runs to a drain field that is either trenched 3 foot below grade and 12+ inches of 2b clean stone. Cloth cover over stone ans then backfilled.

We also do sand mound systems which you may see those around because of clay soils.

Again at this point I say sink a 1,000 or 1,500 gal tank and pump out until you get a better plan and money.

Again Sorry.