What's wrong with my septic system?
or
Why did my septic system fail?

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Do you have a contaminated well? Untreated sewage discharging to a stream or ditch? A soft, smelly spot in the yard with lush grass growth? 

Does your aeration system smell bad? (See aeration system maintenance)

These are some of the signs a septic system has malfunctioned. Not every sign of a malfunction is obvious. In some situations, untreated sewage can move for hundreds of feet from a home before contaminating the environment or threatening the public health. The offending property owner may not even know that a problem exists.

The purpose of a septic system is to remove pollutants from wastewater to protect the public health and the environment.

Septic System Malfunctions

A septic system malfunction is associated with improper maintenance or operation. These problems can be fixed to bring the septic system back into compliance. With proper care, repairs, and occasional upgrades the system should work for decades. Some reasons for a malfunction are:

	A household water leak or excess water use that overloads the system.
	Changes in landscaping that paves over, crushes, or damages a portion of the system.
	Changes in position of downspouts, rain gutters, and paved areas that drain excess water into the area of the yard with the septic system.
	Failure to pump the septic tank to remove excess sludge and scum.

How Do I prevent my system from failing?

	Avoid excess water use. Using too much water is the single biggest reason for system malfunction. The soil under the septic system must absorb all of the water used in the home, therefore it is important to limit the amount of discharged water. How to do this? Install water saving faucet aerators and shower heads. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth. Take shorter showers.
	It is also important to space out water use by staggering loads of laundry to two or three per day and timing showers throughout the day.
	The septic system is buried just beneath the ground surface and can be damaged if vehicles drive over or are parked on top of it. If you use a riding mower, do not mow in the same direction the leach field lines run, mow diagonally and across the leach lines.
	Paving over even a portion of the system can damage it, leading to a malfunction.
	Most importantly, be careful not to direct excess rainwater to the area where the septic system is buried. Make sure downspouts and drainage off roofs and paved areas flow to other areas of the home lot.
	Install risers and inspection ports, if you don’t already have them. Because the system is buried, it is difficult to check for problems. Risers over the lid of a septic tank make it easier to inspect and pump the septic tank.
	If you have a diversion valve, switch it annually. Union County requires the installation of two fields with a diversion valve to switch them, which makes resting a part of the system easy.
	Septic tanks should be checked for damage every three years and pumped when needed.

System Failures

A system failure occurs when the existing system cannot be fixed to bring it back into compliance. In this difficult situation, a property owner may have to install a new system. Contact your local health department for the options available to you. Do not attempt to repair or alter your system without first contacting the health department.