How Your Septic System Might Contaminate Nearby Water Sources

How Your Septic System Might Contaminate Nearby Water Sources

Unfortunately, the damage that septic issues can do is immense. If you ignore a system with a sewage backup, you could lose your home and family. There are some effects of suspicious septic issues that can be avoided. But the only way you'll know is to regularly have Metro Septic Pumping check on your system.

Delayed Pumping

If you wait too long between each septic tank pumping, the solid waste will start to accumulate in the tank. Eventually, it will become heavy enough to sink to the bottom and block the outlet pipe. The contents of the tank are supposed to break down over time with the help of bacteria. However, if solid waste is blocking the outlet pipe, it won't have anywhere to go. Eventually, it will push its way out into the leach field or escape into groundwater. At this time, you need professional assistance from a septic tank company.

System Damage

A damaged septic system can be an environmental disaster waiting to happen, and it could contaminate nearby water sources and affect the quality of your drinking water. You need to ensure that a professional septic tank company does any repairs. If you ignore a damaged septic system, it may eventually drain into surface runoff or groundwater and could lead to the contamination of the nearest water source.

You should avoid using harsh chemicals such as bleach, detergents, and solvents in your washing machine because they can damage your septic system. First, they can kill bacteria in the tank, which are essential for decomposing waste products and breaking down sludge deposits in the tank. Additionally, they may cause corrosion damage, which can eventually leak hazardous chemicals into nearby water sources through surface runoff or groundwater flow pathways.

Drainfield Flooding

If your drainfield is flooded, it can lead to a severe septic problem, and you will need a septic tank company. You should not use any water until the soil has dried and the water has receded. Water that comes into contact with sewage in your drainfield will contaminate the surrounding ground, leading to contamination of nearby wells and groundwater.

The Environmental Protection Agency warns that you should avoid drinking from any wells near an area of drainfield flooding for several weeks after the flood to ensure that all contaminants have had time to dissipate.

Drainfield Compaction

One of the most common causes of septic system failure is drainfield compaction. As your family and you use your septic system, solids settle into layers at the bottom of the septic tank. You must often pump out the tank to remove these layers. If you don't do this regularly, they will become too thick and heavy for the liquid to flow through them.

When this happens, it forces liquid waste out of the tank and into your drainfield, where it can cause compaction. This compaction can affect soil porosity. Soil porosity refers to how easily water can move through soil particles. If there's high soil porosity, water can move freely through the particles and isn't blocked. If the soil has low soil porosity, water movement is inhibited because it's met with resistance from these soil particles as it tries to pass through.

The Search For Answers

When it comes to household septic tank pumping and leach field management, you need answers to your important questions. Fortunately, Metro Septic Pumping has all the answers you seek. And if we don't have an answer to your question, we can get it for you. Metro Septic Pumping offers the highest level of customer service in the industry, from onsite visits and inspections to expert septic system pumping and maintenance.