Why There Is Septic Waste In Your Yard

A good and safe septic system should handle its waste as a closed system. The waste should get out of the house, flow to the tank for treatment, and flow into the drain field for absorption. Something is wrong with your septic system if there is wastewater in your yard. Here are some of the malfunctions or defects that can lead to wastewater in the yard.

Blockages

Anything that blocks the flow of waste through the proper channels can lead to waste in the yard. The waste will have nowhere to flow and end up in the yard. An example is if there is a blockage at the interface or outlet between the septic tank and the drain field. In such a case, the waste will spill out of the tank into the surrounding area instead of getting channeled into the drain field.

Another example is if there is a blockage (for example, due to tree roots) in the distribution pipe. Even the distribution or box can suffer blockages and trigger the same fate.

Pump Failure

The septic pump pumps wastes out of the septic tank into the distribution box. The distribution box then channels the waste into the septic drain field. The septic pump is electromechanical in nature, which means its subject both to electrical and mechanical failures. A failed septic pump means waste won't properly flow into the drain field. This increases the risk of waste spillage.

Improper Elevation

Some septic tanks don't use a powered pump to get the waste out of the tank into the drain field. Rather, the septic system is designed in such a way that the tank sits elevated above the drain field. That way, the wastes flow into the drain field under the force of gravity.

In some cases, however, the design doesn't come out as perfect as it should. This leaves the system with improper elevation and waste doesn't flow out of the tank as efficiently as it should. As a result, the waste might spill into the surrounding area instead of flowing into the drain field.

Undersized Drain Filed

Lastly, an undersized drain field can also lead to waste contamination. The drain field is usually matched to the tank so that it can absorb the waste coming out of the tank as soon as possible. If the drain field is undersized, it won't absorb the waste as fast as it should. Within a short while, the field will overflow with waste, and some of it might find its way into your yard. Reach out to a professional to get septic pumping done to your system if you notice these signs.

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