Signs of Septic System Failure
The two most obvious signs of septic system failure are sewage backing up into the house, or the ground surface above the drain field becoming saturated with wastewater. The likely culprits could be:
- Lack of maintenance - If solid waste builds up too high, it can be forced out of the tank and into the drainfield, where it clogs the gravel and soil. This can cause wastewater to back up or erupt from the ground.
- Missing, broken or worn fittings - Tee fittings and baffles are tank parts designed to slow down the inflow and outflow of wastewater. The goal - to give bacteria time to digest waste and allow for separation of solids, grease, and scum from liquid. If these fittings are broken, the system fails to work as it should.
- Incorrect installation - Tanks facing backward, unlevel drainfield parts, soil compacted by heavy equipment - a lot can go wrong during installation.
- Improper use - When more people live in a home than the home was designed for, it can create problems. For instance, a septic tank designed for a three bedroom home that is later converted to rental property that "sleeps 12" will be prone to failure.
What To Do
A septic contractor should be contacted as soon as possible to diagnose and fix the issue causing failure. You can find a septic contractor by using our SCDES OSWW Contractor map. If you start having plumbing issues in your home and the source of the issue cannot be diagnosed, it may be worth contacting a septic contractor to do an inspection and check for failures in your system. For more information on septic system malfunctions, the EPA’s website is a good place to start.
When grass outlines the tank or drainfield, it's a sign of a leak or other problem.
Your Legal Responsibility
If SCDES receives a complaint about a failing septic system or tracks a pollution issue to a septic tank, the owner will receive a notice telling them they are in violation of Regulation 61-56, Onsite Wastewater Systems, and must repair their failing septic tank system.
S.C. Department of Environmental Control (SCDES) does not provide any funding or financing options for individual homeowners to help repair or replace failing septic systems or new home septic system installation.
Save Money
Regularly inspecting your septic system and pumping (by SCDES licensed septic system contractors or pumpers) are the best and cheapest way to keep your septic system in good working order.