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wandererrob · Mar 5, 2008, 07:54 AM

I've gotten varying answers on this that mainly fall into 2 categories:

1) absolutely not. You should never pave over the septic system

2) you can, provided you have an access hatch installed so the septic can be pumped.

Our driveway is dirt and is not only hard to clear of snow in the winter, but has turned into a complete mudpit this spring. The trouble is that our septic tank sits under part of the driveway and the leach pit sits under my parking spot.

Picture a driveway shaped like a Y. The tank is under the left side of the branch of the Y, the leach pit and my spot are in the left arm, house/garage at the right arm. Moving the driveway isn't really an option as our shed sits on one side, the other side is a hill.

So, I pose the question to the construction and paving gurus. Can we pave our driveway with the septic tank being there? Also, would anybody know a rough cost for paving? The driveway is ~15 feet wide and 100 feet long if you total up the arms of the Y.

amricca · Mar 5, 2008, 09:18 AM

Paving over the system and even driving on it can have a negative effect on its ability to treat wastewater as paving materials prevent natural evaporation of moisture and driving on it compacts the soil so tightly that the systems performance is reduced. Some local codes do not allow any impervious surface to be placed over the system.

wandererrob · Mar 5, 2008, 09:22 AM

Driving over it is unavoidable as it's is our driveway and there's nowhere else for either the driveway or the system to exist. I can only hope it was designed with this in mind. But it's been under there since 1973 and still works OK, so that's somehting I guess.

I'll definitely look into the local codes for it. Thanks for the tip.

ballengerb1 · Mar 5, 2008, 09:38 AM

Yep, I agree that you should not pave or drive over your tank or your field. The tank may be only a foot or two below the suface and you can crack or crush the tank lid with the weight of a car. Remember too that not all septic tanks are concrete, there are a lot of fiberglass tanks out there as well as two piece tanks. Driving over the field even a few times can compress the drain pipes or cruch old terra ctta field tiles.

amricca · Mar 5, 2008, 09:41 AM

That's good that it is still working OK, tanks and pipes buried in the ground can be expected to last 20 to 30 years before they begin to deteriorate and require repair or replacement.

wandererrob · Mar 5, 2008, 02:42 PM

Hmmm... 34 years so far... thankfully it passed Title V here in MA when we bought the place a year ago.

wandererrob · Mar 5, 2008, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Yep, I agree that you should not pave or drive over your tank or your field. The tank may be only a foot or two below the suface and you can crack or crush the tank lid with the weight of a car. Remember too that not all septic tanks are concrete, there are a lot of fiberglass tanks out there as well as two piece tanks. Driving over the field even a few times can compress the drain pipes or cruch old terra ctta field tiles.

According to the Tilte V report is it a cast iron pipe (which runs down the right arm of the Y) and concrete tank and leach pit. As for driving on it, there is literally no other option. It was the only place they could put it. *shrug*

Fr_Chuck · Mar 5, 2008, 03:33 PM

Well you are getting the honest truth, you are just been lucky, real lucky. I just drove over my truck over mine once and it was a 1000 dollar repair. Besides pumping, what are you going to do when it has to be dug up and replaced. What about when the latterial lines have to be replaced or cleaned out. Abut the last thing I would do is pave over it, but then I would neer drive on it either.

Flying Blue Eagle · Mar 5, 2008, 08:32 PM

Amricca- WONDERERROB & Ballengerb1- Are giving you some very GOOD information& are being truthfull with youy , If I were you I would TAKE IT AT HEART .ONE of these mornings youer going to come out to go to work and then youer going to come to a abrupt stop and screem ,(HONEY CALL FOR A WREAKER OR A CRNE BECAUSE most of your car will be down inside of the septic tank or The leach tank. DO as they said ,Check your codes for your areaAnd Don't DRIVE ON IT OR PARK ON IT . When My tank had to be pumped out they had to dig the whole top out because there was( no) acess hole in the top,for cleaning it outCOST ABOUT AN EXTRA $100.00. IT was 4'x8' with a eye hook on each end, They had a rough time getting it out of the way. ;;; Good Luck& GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.

wandererrob · Mar 5, 2008, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

Well you are getting the honest truth, you are just been lucky, real lucky.

I agree. Unfortunately, I have no other option. The driveway and septic system are in the only place either or both can be.

Well, here's hoping. Looks like it's crushed rock instead of paving. At least that will keep the mud at bay.

Fr_Chuck · Mar 5, 2008, 09:37 PM

Which way do the lateral lines run, will they be under the drive way or do they go out another directlon

wandererrob · Mar 6, 2008, 07:14 AM

I'm not sure what you mean by lateral lines. But here's what I can tell you.

The sewer pipe comes out of the house under the garage (which is under the house) and runs basically straight down the right arm to the junction of the Y I described . (maybe I should post a diagram. I hope I'm making sense with my verbal diagram) There it meets the holding tank which then feeds the leach pit which sits in the left arm of the Y. So the entire system, from the point it leaves the house to the leach pit, is situated entirely under the driveway.

So, there's no way to get to the garage or my parking spot without driving over some portion of the system. Obviously not an ideal setup, but knowing it had to be this way, I can only hope they designed the system with this in mind.

Flying Blue Eagle · Mar 6, 2008, 08:40 PM

Wandererrob - I donrt know who put your septic system in "BUT" they did noty know what they were doing, IT was probably never even inspected, And a sewer line running under the garage floor, Inspector would have had a field day here in tenn.. A good septic installer could put a system in even on a hill side and itd work like it should. WHY DID THEY PUT THE SEPTIC SYSTEM IN THE FRONT ANYHOW <? WHERE THEY DID>?? THE LATERAL lines That ( Fr_Chuck ) is talking about is what is also called ( THE FIELD LINES) It is a 4" corragatted plastic pipe that carries the water out threw the ground and then it soakes into the ground except what evaprates up threw the ground, they can be several 100 ft. long . I have run across some septic tanks that has only ,corragated roofing tin for the top or thin concrete slab less then 3' thick. You do need to check on the codes in your area::: GOOD LUCK> & GOD BLESS ::: F.B.E.