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Why do We Need to Locate the Septic Drainfield? InspectAPedia®  -     How to find the septic drainfield or leach field - why we need to know How to locate the septic system drainfield or leach field

This article and our accompanying septic system location videos explains how to find the leach field or drainfield portion of a septic system. We include sketches and photos that help you learn what to look for, and we describe several methods useful for finding buried drainfield components. (Septic drain fields are also called soil absorption systems or seepage beds.) Also see How to Find the Septic Tank. More videos on septic system location & maintenance are at SEPTIC VIDEOS.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical reviewers and content suggestions are welcome and are credited at "References."

This is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Guide to Finding the Drainfield - Part 2

Why Look For the Drainfield? How to Find the Septic Fields

Site planning requires septic drainfield location

"How do I find my septic system's drainfield?" is a question we hear often. There are several reasons that you may need to know the accurate location of the leachfield or drainfield.

Planning new site construction or house additions: If you are planning to install a pool, deck, or to do any work that involves driving across your property you want to keep these activities off of the drainfield, also called leach field which has the job of treating and disposing of effluent from the septic tank.

Planning site landscaping around the septic system: Other reasons for locating the leach field include septic system care such as keeping plants, particularly trees, away from this component lest roots clog it and lead to a septic system failure.

If your septic area is as overgrown as that shown in this photo, you can assume that it is unlikely to be functional.

See Planting Over Septic Systems for advice about what you should and should not plant over or near a septic system leachfield or drainfield to protect and not harm its operation.

Septic System Maintenance Requires Knowing Drainfield and D-Box Locations

Maintaining the septic system: if you know where all of the septic components are, you can investigate their condition and perform maintenance.

For example some systems are designed to permit adjustment of effluent flow among different drainfield sections, allowing sections to rest and recover.

In the US EPA photograph at left the technician is adjusting a concentric opening cap on individual drainfield lines to balance effluent flow among them.

Diagnosing septic system failures requires knowing septic drainfield location

Diagnosing septic backups, slow drains, or wet areas: if you know where the D-box (distribution box) and where the septic drainfield individual leach lines or seepage pits are located, you can explain possible wet areas as either probably harmless (distant from any known septic components), harmful (flooding the septic fields), or indicative of septic field failure (odors and effluent appearing at ground surface).

When we found this wet area showing up under deep snow cover at the rear of a residential property we had to decide if it was groundwater, a local spring, or a failing septic system. It was pretty smelly which made everyone suspicious. The worst turned out to be true.

We had a septic drainfield that had been installed in soil with high seasonal water table, lots of local groundwater and surface runoff from nearby Clover Hill in Poughkeepsie, NY, inadequate fill in the drainfield area, a failed steel septic tank, and a failed drainfield.

Total replacement of the drainfield included a curtain drain to intercept local groundwater, site drainage corrections, additional fill for the drainfield area, and a new tank and drainfield system. Curtain drains or intercept drains can protect septic drainfields in areas of wet soils or surface and subsurface groundwater

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION
  Why Look For the Drainfield?
  Using Septic System Records
  Where to Look
  Areas Not Likely
  Locate Piping Precisely
  Excavating to find Drainfield
  Surprising Leachfield Locations
  SEPTIC VIDEOS show how to find the drainfield and tank

Detailed Guide for Finding Other Septic System Components

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for septic system design, installation, maintenance, repair
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
• Septic Drainfields, Leach beds, Drwells, Absorption Systems
  • Absorption Field Design size and specifications for leach fields, absorption beds, gravelless systems, seepage pits
  • How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
  • Planting Over Septic Systems: trees, shrubs, groundcover over the septic system: what can you plant over or near septic system components without causing a problem?
  • Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
  • Table of Required Septic Tank, Drainfield, & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc
  • SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
  • Septic System DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
• Septic Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• How to Measure the Distance From the House to the Septic Tank gives details of making a septic location sketch.
• Distribution Box design, inspection, testing, and maintenance of the septic system D-box

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