Septic Help!

[mmoses]

Conventional System. Three 500 gallon tanks. Pump in 3rd tank. 2 bath house. 2 adults 3 kids under 7.

In Nov 2020, the shower started draining slow. I hired a clean-out crew, they pumped out all three tanks. The float for the pump was messed up. Everything worked after that.

Last night I notice water on top of the third tank(we have had lots of rain the last few days.)

I pulled the caps and all three tanks are full. Bypassed the float and the pump did not turn on. Ran another sump pump in the third tank to get some of the water out.

Replaced the Sump pump but it looks like the leach line is clogged. Water is coming out of the union. I tried snaking the lines but there are too many 90 degree turns.

Anything else to do before I rent an excavator?

[oktx]

I would guess lateral lines may be clogged or crushed. Also the ground may so saturated there is nowhere for the water to go. Just a guess.

[Pineywoods]

I would guess lateral lines may be clogged or crushed. Also the ground may so saturated there is nowhere for the water to go. Just a guess.

With the amount of rain recently, it may be this. I have a friend who has dealt with the same thing a week ago. He has three 500 gallon tanks and whn he pumped them water was running back out of the field line back into the tank. The ground was so saturated it had nowhere to go.

[Johnny44]

Y’all have to remember the main cause of septic failures ain’t what most folk think.
Texas A&M did a paper on septic systems years ago and the number one cause of failures is the synthetic particles from clothing combining with biomat to make a plastic type substance and when its done, its done!

Never run your washing machine into a septic tank, ever.

You see the stuff in the dryer filter…thats the stuff

Not saying thats what the issue is at the moment but it will be at some point.

[Pineywoods]

Y’all have to remember the main cause of septic failures ain’t what most folk think.
Texas A&M did a paper on septic systems years ago and the number one cause of failures is the synthetic particles from clothing combining with biomat to make a plastic type substance and when its done, its done!

Never run your washing machine into a septic tank, ever.

You see the stuff in the dryer filter…thats the stuff

Not saying thats what the issue is at the moment but it will be at some point.

You are right about the washing machines. They shouldn't be going in a septic tank. Out in the country we always had all of our gray water just going out a separate drain pipe to the back of the property.

[mmoses]

Y’all have to remember the main cause of septic failures ain’t what most folk think.
Texas A&M did a paper on septic systems years ago and the number one cause of failures is the synthetic particles from clothing combining with biomat to make a plastic type substance and when its done, its done!

Never run your washing machine into a septic tank, ever.

You see the stuff in the dryer filter…thats the stuff

Not saying thats what the issue is at the moment but it will be at some point.

Im in the city. How do I avoid that?

[mmoses]

I would guess lateral lines may be clogged or crushed. Also the ground may so saturated there is nowhere for the water to go. Just a guess.

Hopefully, that is it but I haven't had this issue before. Even during Harvey.

[Pineywoods]

Im in the city. How do I avoid that?

In the city you probably don't have much choice unless you had a half acre or so. If you have a big enough lot for a traditional septic system, I would think you might have enough space to separate the washer drain though. I had a septic guy tell me that a lot of people just have it connected to system until inspection and then separate it afterwards because it can cause so many issues.

[Huntindad]

I had a smilar situation. 3 tanks with a pump. it had rained long enough for the drain field to get saturated. Yeah, I had to drain the pump tank and watch the water run into it from the drainfield. I think you need to keep pumping the pump tank...and I think you should pump the 2nd tank. It should have a filter between it and pump tank...pull it out and clean it.

your GFI outlet may have tripped as well, causing the pump not to work.

[GarGuy]

Do you have a commode leaking? You would be amazed how much water they can run.

[mmoses]

I had a smilar situation. 3 tanks with a pump. it had rained long enough for the drain field to get saturated. Yeah, I had to drain the pump tank and watch the water run into it from the drainfield. I think you need to keep pumping the pump tank...and I think you should pump the 2nd tank. It should have a filter between it and pump tank...pull it out and clean it.

your GFI outlet may have tripped as well, causing the pump not to work.

The pump was bad. I tested it on a good outlet. It's been replaced.


I'll look for a filter on the second pump


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[mmoses]

Do you have a commode leaking? You would be amazed how much water they can run.

No leaking toilets

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[Strummer]

With all the rain we have had your field is probably saturated. I have problems when it’s really wet .

[hopedale]

I feel for you, but man, I'll do my best to tell my employee's story.

He built a house on family property and raised his family. Between his wife's kiddos and his kiddos from previous marriages the family has grown. So, his wife asks for a new addition to their home. All she wanted was a new dinning room that would fit the family.

The build begins and right near the completion, he gets halted by the county. Someone asked for a "welfare check," and the deputies discovered the build with no permit.

Ok, he goes to get a permit, but there is a problem. Some document the county needs is missing, so he has to get the home site re-certified. Only he knows that his septic tank won't pass inspection based on new code.

Yea, here is where the story turns into a nightmare.

The company he found to do it, and do it to code, has been to his home 3 times since November 2020. When they first went in, the ground was so wet the contractor's crew stuck not one but two tractors.

Get's them dug out and puts the new system in. Only it doesn't work. Everything is backing up and badly. They come back and make temporary repairs. Only those repairs don't hold. So they come back out a second time.

Well, they thought they had it, but at the end of the day, they were at his house for the 3rd time last week.

For his sanity I hope they finally got it done.

BTW, they dug everything up, if I understand it correctly, and redid the entire system.

I'm thinking his contractor, if lucky, broke even on this install.

And what I really feel bad for my guy is that he doesn't have all the lumber he needs to finish his dinning room. Given the current prices, he may do better to sell the house and move.

Anyway, I get the pain you're dealing with and I'm sure its been just as frustrating.

[Kmiles84]

Do you know the age of the system? Is it Standard design PVC, Graveless, or leaching chambers for your disposal area? Was it permitted and sized correctly, if so you might could get ahold of the original site evaluation to see where they found the seasonal water table but in most cases when they find a high water table they do not permit conventionals. If you were to dig a post hole in your yard would it fill up with ground water? If so then that sounds like your problem.