Septic tank

HI all,

I live in a bungalow, by myself, recently (4 weeks), ago i had the Septic tank emptied as was overflowing. 2 weeks later it was full again, mostly with just water, at the time they guy who emptied it said its possible that the outlet pipe is blocked, so that the effluent cant escape. I had it emptied again but cant seem to find an outlet pipe at all....Before i go diggin with shovel and spade to try and find one...cant see it at all inside the tank when taking the inspection cover off, does anyone know do all sceptic tanks have an outlet pipe? this is just basically a concrete bunker with 2 chambers, but as i said before, cant find an outlet pipe anywhere?

all help would be appreciated

phil

Re: Septic tank!!

There will be an outlet pipe usually at the opposite end of where the sewer pipe enters the tank. They will be fairly level to each other. The outlet pipe allows effluent to leave the tank and enter a soakaway, to do just that.

Re: Septic tank!!

DavyJones said:

...The outlet pipe allows effluent to leave the tank and enter a soakaway, to do just that.

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Blocked outlet pipe (or no outlet pipe) with the system possibly under pressure to cope with recent rains.

Does your rain-water go to the tank?

Have you had any driveways, garages, roofs diverting more water to the drains than what the tank was built to cope with?

You may have to consider a seperate soak-pit for rain-water? (Planning issue?)

Re: Septic tank!!

It would be highly unlikey for them to share a soakaway. Although of course it is possible.

Re: Septic tank!!

DavyJones said:

It would be highly unlikey for them to share a soakaway. Although of course it is possible.

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When i was building my house 11 years ago, the architect had the water from my showers, baths, washing machine and rain water going directly into my septic tank.
I did not think this was allowed, but either way on advice from locals with septic tanks I used a seperate system for the above.

The original posters problem may be.
1 the outlet pipe to the percolation area is blocked or the percolation area itself is either flooded or not percolating as good anymore.

crox225 How often do you normally get your tank emptied ?

Further down from your tank there should be a Aj lid (small manhole cover) for where your water diverts from the single outlet pipe of your tank into 4 or 6 pipes of your percolation area. Have a look for this, as you may be able to use rods to clear any possible blockage at the outlet of the tank.

Re: Septic tank!!

hi guys,

thanks for all the replies, as Davy says, there should be an outlet pipe at the other end of the tank, however, i cant see one, so today im gonna start digging around the end of the tank to see if i can find one, i had the tank emptied about 4 weeks ago and was full again with mostly water, i know we have had alot of rain over the last few weeks, does that mean rain is getting in where it shouldnt? I think all the water from the house, sink, bath, washing machine etc goes into it as far as i can see, but the tank is huge id say about 8 feet long, 6 foot deep etc, 5 feet wide, and i live alone so should handle my measly contribution....so as far as my limited knowledge goes, either the outlet pipe is missing/broken/blocked...or that something more serious is happening down there, then i have to start digging today and hopefully find out whats going on, but any other help is greatly apprectiated

phil

Re: Septic tank!!

A single person in a bungalow could not possibly fill a septic tank in 4 weeks. The percolation area is no doubt waterlogged and is filling the septic tank, i.e. ground water from recent rains, entering into the back of the septic tank, via percolation pipes. This would explain the very fast refill (unless of course you have major bladder issues). When you empty it next time, leave off the covers for a half hour (put a barrier around for safety reasons). Listen to the water coming into the tank. If I am right, you will hear the splash of water emptying from the percolation pipe, back into the tank at the opposite end to the incoming water/waste.

Re: Septic tank!!

hi Magunn, tks for the info, as i said before, i cant see any pipes at all leaving the tank, i can clearly see the entry pipe from the dwelling but no outlet pipe at all, i was out this morning digging around and nothing at all, i can see clearly into the 2nd chamber and there is no outlet at all. I understand that the recent rains could have affected it and that rainwater is probably seeping into the tank. No idea what i can do about that, but there is deff no outlet pipe that i can see, even the walls off the tank have no holes in to allow for a pipe!! so no idea how it ever worked? Gonna have a look at the house insurance and see if i can get someone in to have a look

Re: Septic tank!!

hi guys,

further info on my tank...dug down a bit on the outside of the tank, no outlet pipe what so ever...can see all the way to the bottom of the tank and no pipes anywhere....so looks like it has never had one. Rain water is going into the tank direct from guttering and all sinks/washing machine etc go into the tank. So where do i go from here? Lots of water going in and no room for it all to fit, and with all this rain, its filling up very quickly. Looked at insurance, its says im covered for septic tanks with accidental damage, now i found a piece of T pipe in the tank so god knows where that came from? Is it possible to put a outlet pipe in or would i need planning permission??

phil

When the waste/water enters your septic tank, there is usually a T pipe on the inside of the inlet so that solid matter is diverted towards the bottom and does not flow directly along the top towards the outlet pipe (which should also have a T piece) and into your percolation area.

crox225 the outlet pipe should be central at the opposite end to where your inlet is and should be no more than approx 18inches below the lid level. This link should give you some idea of what you should have.
Although this site refers to the percolation area as a ''Drain site''
http://www.howstuffworks.com/sewer2.htm

If you don't have a percolation area I suggest you put one in.
You will need an engineer to do perculation tests of your soil before hand.
It would also be advisable to divert your rainwater and sink/bath/shower/washing machine water to soak pits as these will not only flood your tank and percolation area, the chemicals in the soaps and detergents also kill the bacterias in your septic tank which are needed to break down your waste matter.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/sewer2.htm

tks very much for that info, ive looked at where the rainwater is going into the ground, shouldnt be too hard to divert the gutter and have it flowing down into the drive, and down into the stream, would you have any idea of the cost of getting someone in to do all that testing and putting a perculation area in?? I have no idea at all, but with the amount of ground to be dug, wud need a digger i should think to get down that deep..

tks

crox225 said:

tks very much for that info, ive looked at where the rainwater is going into the ground, shouldnt be too hard to divert the gutter and have it flowing down into the drive, and down into the stream, would you have any idea of the cost of getting someone in to do all that testing and putting a perculation area in?? I have no idea at all, but with the amount of ground to be dug, wud need a digger i should think to get down that deep..

tks

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Sorry can't help with idea's on cost of it.
But I do know that the size of the percolation area is dependent on the amount of toilets or bedrooms (can't remeber which) in your house and not the amount of people in it.

Good Luck