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 Mobile ViewSEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS BACKUP PREVENTION, SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE BACKWATER VALVES, SEWER LINE BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BOOKS, RECOMMENDED SEPTIC BOOKSTORE, SEPTIC SYSTEMS CESSPOOLS CESSPOOL SAFETY WARNINGS CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY CHEMICALS & TREATMENTS for SEPTICS CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER CISTERNS CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR D BOX TROUBLESHOOTING DEFINITIONS OF SEPTIC SYSTEM TERMS DIFFICULT SEPTIC SITES DISTRIBUTION-BOX INSPECTION, SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC COMPONENTS? DRYWELL DESIGN & USES EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME FILTERS SEPTIC & GREYWATER FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR GARBAGE DISPOSAL vs SEPTICS GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS GRAVITY/SIPHON DOSING SYSTEMS GREYWATER SYSTEMS DRYWELLS for GRAYWATER DRYWELLS as SEEPAGE PITS DRYWELL SAFETY CONCERNS ARE DRYWELLS DRY? PIT SITE REQUIREMENTS PIT AREA & SIZE PIT CONSTRUCTION DETAILS PIT COLLAPSE or FAILURE HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT HOW SEPTIC SYSTEMS WORK LAGOON SEPTIC SYSTEMS LEACHFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODOR DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST ODORLESS CHEMICALS / GASES: CHECK FOR? ODORS, PLUMBING SYSTEM ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES OUTHOUSES & LATRINES PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS PRESSURE DOSING SEPTIC SYSTEMS RAISED BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS SAND BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS SEEPAGE PITS SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY SEPTIC AUTHORITIES, DESIGN REGS SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR SEPTIC BOOK, FREE ONLINE SEPTIC BOOKSTORE SEPTIC BIOMATS SEPTIC CARE INSTRUCTIONS SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES SEPTIC CODES & REFERENCES SEPTIC CONSULTANTS SEPTIC D-BOX INSPECTION SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS? SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SIZE SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SHAPE SEPTIC DRAWINGS SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION SEPTIC FILTERS SEPTIC FLOOD RESPONSE SEPTIC HOLDING TANKS SEPTIC INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION LEVELS SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY SEPTIC LIFE MAXIMIZING STEPS SEPTIC METHANE GAS SEPTIC ODORS SEPTIC PUMPS SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR SEPTIC REFERENCES SEPTIC / CESSPOOL SAFETY SEPTIC SUPPLIES & PARTS SEPTIC SYSTEM DEFINITIONS SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS SEPTIC SYSTEM, HOME BUYERS GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION CLASS SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION LEVELS SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS SEPTIC SYSTEM PUMPS SEPTIC SYSTEM SAFETY WARNINGS SEPTIC SYSTEM TYPES, MASTER LIST SEPTIC TANKS SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES SEPTIC TANK COVERS SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE SEPTIC TANK LEAKS SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE SEPTIC TANK PUMPING REASONS SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE SEPTIC TANK SAFETY SEPTIC TANK SIZE SEPTIC TANK TEES SEPTIC TESTS: DYE & LOADING TESTS SEPTIC TEST VOLUMES & DYE AMOUNTS SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS SEPTIC VIDEOS SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP SEWAGE BACKUP PREVENTION SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES SEWAGE GRINDER PUMPS SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE SEWAGE PUMPS SEWAGE PUMP CLOG DAMAGE SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION SEWER GAS ODORS SEWER GAS ODORS in COLD WEATHER SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS SOAKAWAY BED FAILURE DIAGNOSIS SUMP PUMPS TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR TOILET ALTERNATIVES TOILET FLUSHOMETER VALVES TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP TOILET REPAIR GUIDE TOILET TYPES Toilet Types, Flush Methods TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE WATER PURIFIERS WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
This document explains the signs and causes of seepage pit or drywell failure and discusses how to avoid early failure or "fill-up" of the seepage pit. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.This article series discusses What are Septic Drywells, What Drywell Maintenance is Needed? How do Drywells Fail? We warn readers that while installation of a drywell to receive graywater at a property may be a good idea, the use of drywells for this purpose may be a warning about the capacity and remaining life of the septic system. Also see DRYWELL DESIGN & USES and Questions & Answers about Drywells. This material is a chapter of our Septic Systems Online Book: This document explains septic system inspection procedures, defects in onsite waste disposal systems, septic tank problems, septic drainfield problems, checklists of system components and things to ask. Septic system maintenance and pumping schedules. Watch out: Readers trying to diagnose and deal with sudden soil subsidence or yard collapses should see CESSPOOL SAFETY WARNINGS as those hazards can also apply to drywells and septic tanks, and also see SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS. Additional septic system safety warnings are at SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information in electronic form, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Some technical review by industry experts has been completed-reviewers are listed at References. Further review comments and content suggestions are welcome. Home buyers who want less technical advice should see the Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems. Also see The Septic Systems Home Page. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. How Seepage Pits or Drywells Work, Fill-up, and Eventually Stop Working
As the pit bottom becomes sealed with settled debris, effluent entering the pit can no longer drain out immediately through the pit bottom surface. So as the seepage pit is used more and more, the level of liquid in the pit/drywell/cesspool rises. The rising wastewater then seeps out through the pit sides into the surrounding soil. As the seepage pit ages, the soil around the seepage-out area of the pit bottom and lower sides becomes clogged and stops accepting wastewater. This causes wastewater inside the pit to rise still further, where it can exit the higher sides of the pit which are in contact with soil. At the end of its life, the soil under the bottom and around the sides of a seepage pit has become clogged all the way up to near the very top of the pit. Then it's time to dig a new one. Damaged or Collapsing Drywells, Cesspools, or Seepage PitsWhen a contractor accidentally damages a seepage pit, such as when the dump truck shown in the photo above collapsed a seepage pit cover, the best repair would be to excavate the pit and repair any damaged components. If only the top were damaged it could be replaced. If the sides of the drywell were damaged on a site-built pit (such as one constructed of large stones or of concrete blocks), it may need to be rebuilt. If a damaged drywell or seepage pit is also already near the end of its life (static liquid level near the pit top) it would make more sense to fill it in and relocate a new pit. One correspondent wrote that after the truck (in the photo) collapsed her seepage pit cover, the contractor "repaired" the system by partially filling it in with gravel, saying that this would make no difference or would even improve the system. Now I've seen a few drywells that were filled with large rubble as insurance against having the sides collapse inwards. But I'm not sure I agree with the contractor. If instead of a rebuild the contractor dumps gravel into the pit s/he may be simply covering up debris which fell into the pit when it was damaged - the broken cover or other components. By filling the pit and reducing its liquid volume capacity, we are forcing effluent to exit the pit higher on the pit's sidewalls and thus moving it more quickly to the end of its life. So filling in a seepage pit with gravel both reduces its capacity to receive, buffer, and then dispose of effluent (you have less septic system capacity) and probably shortens its remaining life. See Cesspools for more in-depth information about those systems. Questions & Answers regarding this articleQuestions & answers about how to diagnose a failed septic system or drywell or seepage pit.
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