oiptoner
12-06-04, 09:06 AM
My house sits about 80% of the way up a fairly steep grade. During prolonged rainy spells the back yard will get spongy and in some areas surface water will remain for days.
My septic tank is located in the front yard and is clearly identified. Off of the septic tank is a leach field which is not identified and no maps exist to locate it. I can, however, guess where it is because directlly downhill from the tank the yard levels off before dipping again to the street. The grass in this level area is also more difficult to grow because it browns out rapidly in hot weather. To the right of this supposed leach bed area is a wet spot in spring and fall when the rains come. The water flows out of about a 1 1/2 square foot area and the ground is soft around this exit point for another foot or so. The water appears clear and there is no smell. There are no other soft spots in the yard nor any buried water lines. The next door neighbor's wellhead is about 50 feet away, and another neighbor, across the street, has an artesin well. There is also a pond across the street, but its surface is about 5-6 feet lower than the soft spot. The leach bed is 30 years old.
How can I determine if I have a leach bed problem or possibly just a wet weather spring?
My septic tank is located in the front yard and is clearly identified. Off of the septic tank is a leach field which is not identified and no maps exist to locate it. I can, however, guess where it is because directlly downhill from the tank the yard levels off before dipping again to the street. The grass in this level area is also more difficult to grow because it browns out rapidly in hot weather. To the right of this supposed leach bed area is a wet spot in spring and fall when the rains come. The water flows out of about a 1 1/2 square foot area and the ground is soft around this exit point for another foot or so. The water appears clear and there is no smell. There are no other soft spots in the yard nor any buried water lines. The next door neighbor's wellhead is about 50 feet away, and another neighbor, across the street, has an artesin well. There is also a pond across the street, but its surface is about 5-6 feet lower than the soft spot. The leach bed is 30 years old.
How can I determine if I have a leach bed problem or possibly just a wet weather spring?