The concrete or sometimes fiberglass, septic tank is buried
in the ground, usually a minimum of 10 feet from the house. The
top of the tank is usually about one foot below the soil surface
so it can be periodically opened for inspection and pumping. If
you do not know for sure where the tank is located, the first
step is to locate where the house sewer pipe leaves the house.
IN a house with a basement, this is where the pipe passes
through the wall. Locating the exit point may be more difficult
for a house with no basement. If the pipe exit can be found, the
tank normally begins about 10 feet from the house outside wall
and in line with the house sewer pipe. If the soil is not
frozen, you can usually find the tank by pushing a slender metal
rod into the ground until it hits the buried tank. You can buy a
metal rod about 1/8 inch in diameter for a few dollars at most
hardware stores. Be careful when probing for the tank and avoid
hammering the metal rod into the ground - you could break a
sewer pipe.
The distribution box is much smaller than the septic tank and
is usually found about 20 feet from the house. It too is usually
only about one foot below the ground. Again, you can probe the
soil carefully to locate the distribution box with a slender
metal rod.
From the distribution box, several pipes direct liquid to a
series of pipes in trenches called laterals. The pipes in the
trenches have holes in them to allow the liquid to be evenly
distributed within the trench. To keep the pipes from being
blocked with soil and to provide a space for water to be stored
while it is being absorbed by the soil, the pipes are laid in a
bed of crushed stone. Above the stone is a soil filter (usually
one or two layers of what is called untreated building paper).
Above the soil filter is top soil in which grass is planted.
Equally important is WHERE THE COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT BE. If
there are wells, either yours or a neighbor's, the leach field
must be a minimum of 100 feet from the location of the well. In
some areas, the well is not allowed to be down-slope from the
leach field. If there is a stream or pond, the leach field must
also be a minimum of 100 feet from the mean high water mark.
Normally, no part of the system should be within 10 feet of a
property line. In some areas and in unusual conditions, minimum
distances may be greater than those noted here. In addition, no
part of the system should be under a porch or driveway and you
should not drive heavy vehicles (including automobiles) over the
system lest the system be damaged.
fax (425) 432-4461