Troubleshooting: Traffic Over the Drainfield

Be sure to remind homeowners that all traffic should be kept off the system to ensure long-term operation and performance.

Jul 15, 2014 | by Jim Anderson, Ph.D. |

Troubleshooting Drainfield Restoration Drainfield Component Onsite Septic System Customer Education Septic Tank

Troubleshooting 16 2 Copy — A drainfield located in a horse paddock included a broken distribution box and damaged distribution lines. (Photos by Dave Gustafson)

One of the recurring points that I have made during troubleshooting discussions is the importance of communication with the homeowner regarding proper care of the system once a problem has been fixed.For instance, I recently saw an elevated mound system surrounded by a fence and inside the fence were two horses. It was spring and the snow was melting, so the soil around and over the top of mound had deep hoof marks and the grass was almost non-existent.This type of traffic over a system can cause a number of serious problems for an onsite system, and if you see

Please login or register to view Pumper articles. It's free, fast and easy!