10 Rules for Buying a Home with a Well and Septic System

Well and septic systems are simply mechanical components to a house. What makes them different is that they are specifically excluded from home inspections, are very expensive to replace and essential. There are times and instances that a well or septic system has no good replacement location and then the home owner has a large problem on their hands that will cost tens of thousands of dollars to solve. Make sure that you do not buy someone else’s problem and make it your own.  When shopping for a home, there are some “fatal flaws” that can quickly and easily be identified. This is the list of quick observations and the reasons they might be a problem for a well and septic system to quickly eliminate properties as potential big problems, require further investigation or to factor the price of repair or replacement into an offer on a house. (For updated articles on this topic see "The House has a Well...") 

1.      The house must have 2-3 acres of land.

2.      Do not buy a home with a dug or bored well.

3.      The visible well should be a 6 inch diameter pipe with a bolted cap sticking a foot out of the ground.

4.      Water from the road, driveway, and downspouts should not drain to the well.

5.      Rainwater should flow away from not to the wellhead.

6.      If the well was drilled before 1992 don’t buy the house.

7.      The well head must be at least 100 feet from the nearest edge of the septic drainfield and any backyard chicken or poultry yards and coops. 

8.      The well head must be at least 50 feet from the nearest corner of the house.

9.      Ask to see the maintenance records for the septic system and well along with water test results (having records is an indication of proper maintenance).

10.   When you make an offer on a house a satisfactory water test and a professional septic inspection should be included in your contingencies.

This is what a drilled well looks like

The well and septic system should be easily identified and pointed out. A well should be a 6 inch diameter pipe with a bolted cap sticking a foot or more above the ground surface. What I have described is a drilled well there are also dug and bored wells. Do not buy a home with a dug or bored well. Those types of wells fail sooner, are prone to go dry during droughts and because they are shallow (less than 40 feet deep) are more subject to pollution. Drilled wells are more than 40 feet deep, typically more than 100. In Virginia well drillers are required to file a drilling log with thecounty and comply with drilling regulations since 1992. If the well was drilled before 1992 don’t buy the house unless you have factored well component replacement into the price and you should be thinking about the costs and possibilities of well replacement.  While many wells will last decades, it is reported that 20 years is the average age of well failure. Older well pumps are more likely to leak lubricating oil or fail. Well casings are subject to corrosion, pitting and perforation. Septic drainfields also have a limited life. The life of a septic drainfield is dependent on how the system is managed, the frequency of septic tank pump outs, and the number of people living in a house, but 20-30 years may be the life of those systems, too.

If a property has a well and septic system and has less than 2-3 acres, do not buy it. This is simple there will not be enough room for a replacement well and septic system when the time comes (all systems fail eventually) and the well is likely to be too close to the home’s own or the neighbor’s septic system. The most common contamination problem for a well is an adjacent septic system and research done in Duchess county New York identified density of septic systems as an easy indicator of nitrate contamination to groundwater. The Dutchess County study and another study performed in North Carolina found that overall average density of on-site waste disposal (traditional septic or alternative) should not exceed one unit per 2-3 acres for an average size house to ensure water quality and recharge in groundwater supplies. The controlling factor in minimum lot size requirements in the northeast appears to be maintaining water quality, not groundwater recharge. Adequate dilution, soil filtration and time are necessary to ensure sustainable water quality. It is often surprising how close to a private well the recharge zone is.

Failed drainfield. Picture from NC Health Department

 So, while you are walking around outside make sure that the well head is at least 100 feet from the nearest edge of the septic drainfield and 50 feet from the nearest corner of the house. It can often be difficult to identify a septic drainfield while walking in the yard. Newer systems often have plastic caps to the distribution valve, but older systems often do not- the distribution valve is buried. In Virginia (and most places) if a well is more than 100 feet deep the septic leach field need be only 50 feet away, but there are many wells like mine that have more than one water level and the shallower one is less than 100 feet deep (in my case 46 feet) making the well much more susceptible to contamination for the septic effluent leaching into the ground. If the well is too close to the drainfield, move on to the next house in your search, the well could too easily be impacted by the septic drainfield.

The final treatment for all septic systems is septic system effluent (after any intermediate treatment steps in an alternative system) is filtering of the wastewater through the soil. The method of sewage treatment with a septic system is soil organisms and soil filtration and adsorption. Whatever was flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain over the years has found its way into the drainfield and potentially to the groundwater. Not only should the well head be at least 100 feet from the nearest edge of the drainfield, the drainfield should be downhill and down gradient for the well. The land that my house sits on has a predominately southeast slope to the river at the bottom of the property. It is a fairly safe bet that the groundwater flows with the land topography towards the river.  

Two septic tank lids and filter for alternative septic system. 

Look for the septic tank. The tank should not be entirely buried and at least one port should be visible in the yard. If the tank is entirely buried- move on, do not buy the house because it is a safe bet that the tank has never been pumped and the entire septic system will have to be replaced.  The solids, scum and grease that accumulate in the septic tank need to be pumped out and disposed of every few years. If not removed, these solids will eventually overflow the septic tank, accumulate in the drain field, and clog the pores in the soil and the openings in the pipes. While some clogging of soil pores occurs slowly even in a properly functioning system, excess solids from a poorly maintained tank or a tank where enzyme additives were used instead of pumping the tank can completely close all soil pores so that no wastewater can flow into the soil. The sewage effluent will then either back up into the house, flow across the ground surface over the drain field, or find another area of release in the septic system. In some cases where the drain field has become clogged and no longer can adequately absorb the wastewater, the toilets and sinks might not drain freely. A black residue may remain at the bottom of the toilet.  If the drain field can absorb the effluent, but no longer treat it, the sewage may contaminate the groundwater or surface water with fecal coliform bacteria. On a dry day if there is a soggy area of the yard the drainfield may already be failing.

The reason a well should be more than 50 feet from a house is that in Virginia (and many other locations) building codes require that a construction site be pretreated for termites, and many homeowners spray gallons of pesticides into the ground to treat or prevent termites.  (There are other approaches to termite management, but most homeowners do not use them. Termite bates are easy to spot in the yard and indicate that chemical barriers are not used. ) http://greenrisks.blogspot.com/2011/10/low-impact-termite-management.html The most popular professionally applied conventional chemical treatments on the market are Premise (imidacloprid), Termidor (finpronil), and Phantom (chlorfenzpyr). These chemicals range from slightly toxic to very toxic and vary in their solubility and affinity for soil. They are less environmentally persistent and more rapidly biodegradable, than previous generations of chemicals. This all means that they breakdown faster and do not last as long, but also may allow their breakdown products to migrate to the shallow groundwater.

Sentricon termite bate station

Other posts:
https://greenrisks.blogspot.com/2019/06/what-to-know-when-buying-home-with-well.html
https://greenrisks.blogspot.com/2020/03/what-to-know-if-buying-house-with-well.html

The Holiday Septic Backup and When to Pump Out the Septic Tank

In general it is recommended that septic tanks should be pumped out every 3-5 years. I live within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in a resource protected area that requires a septic tank pump out at least every five years. Many localities do not have set requirements. However, just because no one requires you to pump out your septic tank, does not mean that the tank does not need to be pumped out. How often you need to pump your septic tank depends primarily on the size of your tank, the number of people in the household contributing to the volume of your wastewater, the volume of solids in your wastewater and whether you use a garbage disposal or have a water treatment system. According to the EPA, the use of a kitchen garbage disposal will increase the amount of solids in the holding tank by as much as 50%. It is the amount of soils in the tank that ultimately will cause most septic problems. The chart above is from the Montana Extension Office and gives a general rule of thumb for frequency in pumping a septic tank to avoid failure. This chart assumes that the system is properly used and does not have a garbage disposal in the household nor a reverse osmosis water treatment system discharging into the tank.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, New England and southeast have the highest proportion of homes served by septic systems. Having grown up in New England with an old septic system and now living in the southeast, the rules of care to minimize the need for pumping the tank and maximizing the life of a septic system are second nature to me. Only human waste and a limited amount of toilet paper are to be flushed done the toilet. A toilet and septic system is not a trash can. Don’t put dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, wipes, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, latex paint, pesticides, or other hazardous chemicals into your system. Never do more than two loads of laundry a day. Cooking grease is poured into a can under the sink, and all plates are scraped into the trash or compost. Commercial septic tank additives add bacteria to the system and in some instances may assist in the breakdown of fecal waste, but do nothing for the breakdown of vegetable matter, and trash that you have put down the drain. The EPA believes that the commercial septic tank additives have little if any effect on the need for pumping the tank and believe in most instances the bacteria already present in the tank eat the added bacteria.

A typical septic system has four main components: a pipe from the home, a septic tank, a leach field (alternative systems might have drip fields, sand mounds or peat tanks where a leach field is not possible or has failed), and the soil. Microbes in the soil digest or remove most contaminants from wastewater before it eventually reaches groundwater. The rest of the system is designed to remove most of the contamination so that the soil is not overwhelmed and can “polish” the water before it is returned to groundwater. Many systems also have pumps to move the liquids from the home to the septic tank or from the septic tank to the drain field. There are also Alternative systems that have additional components such as; float switches, pumps, and other electrical or mechanical components including additional treatment tanks. However, the main functioning components are the septic tank and the leach field.

The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out (forming sludge) and oil and grease to float to the surface (as scum). It also allows partial decomposition of the solid fecal materials. Anaerobic (without oxygen) digestion takes place with the aid of bacteria that came from human digestive tracks and most of the fecal solids are converted to carbon dioxide, water and other byproducts. The process is not completely efficient and fecal solids and other materials that find their way into the septic tank will accumulate over time. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the septic tank are intended to prevent the solid sludge buildup and floating scum (grease, oil, dead skin cells, etc.) from leaving the tank and traveling into the leach field area. Some newer systems have screens and filters to keep solids from entering the leach field. These filters and screens become clogged and need to be cleaned out regularly. Clogging of the filters can cause the system to backup.

The basic design of a septic tank will only work if the sludge is not too thick on the bottom and the grease and scum is not too thick on top, and if the flow to the tank is not excessive. If there is too much waste on the bottom of the tank or too much water flowing to the tank, there will not be enough time for the solids and liquids to settle out before the tank starts releasing waste. If there is too much water flow for the void area in the tank, water containing large amounts of solids and fecal waste and grease will be released to the drain field. The most likely time for your septic system to back up is when water use is highest-when you have a lot of guests at your home using the bathrooms, running the dishwasher and doing laundry, in short, the holidays. A backed up septic system is usually caused by a blockage between septic tank and leach field causing the tank level to rise and back up. If the liquid level in the septic tank is found to be above normal, either: the tank outlet is plugged or in newer systems this can be caused by a clogged filter, the line to the absorption field is obstructed, or the absorption field is clogged and pretty much ruined. An absorption field is destroyed slowly over time. If the absorption field is clogged there will probably be evidence of seepage or general wetness in the absorption area. In dry summer days stripes of green grass over the absorption field may be an indication of a failing system.

A plugged tank outlet can be caused by several things. In septic tanks which have been used for many years, the outlet baffle or “T” sometimes disintegrates or collapses. This allows scum and sludge solids to overflow and plug the outlet or the line to the absorption field. A tank with too much scum and solids that has a large flow of water will also cause solids and scum to overflow the tank. In appropriate stuff like hair, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels can be stirred up by too much water use and pushed out of the tank and cause a blockage in the outlet line. Newer septic tanks have filters and screens that can become clogged. Tree roots getting into pipe joints or the collapse of a pipe section can also block the line.

To prevent problems, you can be the household septic police and make sure that only reasonable amounts of grey water, human waste and a limited amount of TP are put into your septic system at all times. This is one way you will avoid that classic holiday disaster of the septic system backed up into the basement, but your family may think of you as a crazy control freak. There is another approach. I clean my filters and pump my septic tank just before the holiday season every year. I do not have to remember what year it is, I do not have to make sure every guest treats my septic system like the elegant, natural system that it is. By pumping the tank each year, I prevent excess sludge (solid material) from building up inside the septic tank, and flowing into the absorption field, and clogging it beyond repair. In the long run I extend the life of my septic system, protect the groundwater and my well, avoid holiday disasters and I can be a slightly more relaxed septic cop. Be aware though that the plumbing system can also get clogged. Waste lines in the house (especially from basement bathrooms) can become clogged with too much paper and not enough water or disposable cleaning cloths that should not be flushed. If this happens you will have to snake the waste line. Toddlers love to flush things down the toilet.

Septic Systems after the Storm; Backing Up and other Problems

Septic systems should not be used immediately after floods. Drain fields will not work until underground water has receded. Septic lines may have broken during the flood (especially after the good shaking in this week’s earthquake). Whenever the water table is high or your septic drain field has been flooded, there is a risk that sewage will back up into your home. The only way to prevent this backup is to relieve pressure on the system by using it less. Basically, there is nothing you can do but wait, do not use the system if the soil is saturated and flooded. The wastewater will not be treated and will become a source of pollution, if it does not back up into your house, it will bubble up into your yard. Conserve water as much as possible while the system restores itself and the water table fails.

Do not return to your home until flood waters have receded. If there was significant flooding in your yard, water will have flooded into your septic tank through the top. The tops of septic tanks are not water tight. Flood waters entering the septic tank will have lifted the floating crust of fats and grease in the septic tank. Some of this scum may have floated and/or partially plugged the outlet tee. If the septic system backs up into the house check the tank first for outlet blockage. Remember, that septic tanks can be dangerous, methane from the bacterial digestion of waste and lack of oxygen can overwhelm you. Hire someone with the right tools to clear your outlet tee.

Do not pump the septic tank while the soil is still saturated. Furthermore, pumping out a tank that is in saturated soil may cause it to “pop out” of the ground. (Likewise, recently installed systems may “pop out” of the ground more readily than older systems because the soil has not had enough time to settle and compact.) Call a septic service company (not just a tank pumping company) and schedule an appointment in a few days. Do not use the septic system for a few days (I know) have the service company clear any outlet blockage, or blockage to the drain field, check pumps and valves and partially pump down the tank if your soils are not dry enough or fully pump the tank if the soil has drained enough. The available volume in the tank will give you several days of plumbing use if you conserve water to allow your drain field to recover. Go easy the septic system operates on the principals of settling, bacterial digestion, and soil filtration all gentle and slow natural processes that have been battered by the storm.

Living With A Septic System

Septic system failure is unpleasant, unsanitary, could be a source of serious disease and cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to resolve. Septic failure can result in contamination of the groundwater and nearby drinking water wells or you could find septic tanks sludge backed up into your house or on the surface of your yard. These are routine failures that are easily predicted and prevented. Less predictable is the catastrophic failure of a septic system component.

A typical septic system has four main components: a pipe from the home, a septic tank, a leach field (alternative systems might have drip fields, sand mounds or peat tanks where a leach field is not possible or has failed), and the soil. Microbes in the soil digest or remove most contaminants from wastewater before it eventually reaches groundwater. Many systems also have pumps to move the liquids from the home to the septic tank or from the septic tank to the drain field. There are also Alternative systems that have additional components such as; float switches, pumps, and other electrical or mechanical components including additional treatment tanks.

The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out (forming sludge) and oil and grease to float to the surface (as scum). It also allows partial decomposition of the solid fecal materials. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the septic tank are intended to prevent the sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the leach field area. Some newer systems have screens and filters to keep solids from entering the leach field. These filters and screens become clogged and need to be cleaned out regularly to prevent septic sludge from backing up into the house.

The basic design of a septic tank will only work if the sludge is not too thick on the bottom and the grease and scum is not too thick on top, and if the flow to the tank is not excessive. If there is too much waste on the bottom of the tank or too much water flowing to the tank, there will not be enough time for the solids and liquids to settle out before the tank starts releasing waste. Water containing large amounts of fecal waste will be released to the drain field. Also, if there is too much grease and scum floating on top, the scum will be released to the leach field. A septic system is not a trash can. Don’t put dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, latex paint, pesticides, or other hazardous chemicals into your system. Commercial septic tank additives may assist in the breakdown of fecal waste, but do not eliminate the need for periodic pumping and can be harmful to the system.

Septic tank wastewater flows to the leach field, where it percolates into the soil, which provides final treatment by removing harmful bacteria, viruses, and nutrients. Suitable soil is necessary for successful wastewater treatment. Also, the waste can not contain too much solid material or scum. High quantities of solids in the waste stream will overwhelm the leach field. Initially, nitrogen and fecal bacteria will be released to the groundwater as the soil becomes saturated with solids and scum. Eventually the perforations in the pipes to the leach field through which waste water flows become clogged and the waste backs through the system into your home.

Yet, most homeowners wait until a system fails to take action or even think about maintaining their septic system. The functional lifetime of a traditional septic system is limited. The system is designed so that with proper maintenance it will last 20 to 30 years, under the best conditions. Many other factors besides how much and what you put into your system can cause early failure of a septic system. Pipes blocked by roots, soils saturated by storm water, compacting of the drain field by parking vehicles or heavy objects on the top of the field, improper location, poor original design or poor installation can all lead to major problems.

However, it is more likely that septic systems fail because they are abused, improperly maintained or just old. Remember that the entire functioning of a traditional septic system is based on natural ecological cycles. It needs to be treated kindly and kept in balance. When a system is poorly maintained and not pumped out on a regular basis, sludge (solid material) builds up inside the septic tank, and then flows into the leach (absorption) field, clogging it beyond repair. Excessive load from toilets and garbage disposal, putting grease, coffee grinds, kitty litter or any kind of trash down the drain will effectively decrease the size of the tank and the time that the solids have to settle out. This will decrease the life of and potentially overload the system. Even with proper use and maintenance the system will wear out. A garbage disposal adds solids and increases the biological load on a septic system.

If the amount of wastewater entering the system is more than the system can handle, then wastewater either backs up into the house or the yard or both. Doing load after load of laundry on a single day could overwhelm the system. A leaking toilet or sink will overwhelm the system. If you have a septic system you cannot ignore even small leaks. Emptying a hot tub or draining a water bed down a drain into your septic system stirs the solids in the tank and pushes them out into the leach field, causing it to clog and fail. A sump pump should never be pumped to a drain. Some freshwater purification systems, including reverse osmosis systems and water softeners, unnecessarily pump large quantities of water into the septic system. This can contribute a hundred gallons of water or more to the septic tank each day, causing agitation of solids and excess flow to the leach field.

To prevent problems, only put reasonable amounts of grey water, human waste and a limited amount of TP into your system and have your septic system inspected and pumped regularly. In the past decade EPA has shortened the recommended time between tank pump outs. EPA is now recommending pumping the tank every three years. Many towns and counties have no requirements for pump outs or use the older every five year recommendation. Remember, the most likely time for your septic system to back up is when you have a lot of guests at your home using the bathrooms. This is one holiday “gift” you might want to avoid.