Tips For Combating A High Water Table For Your Septic System

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If you're building a new home on a plot of land that the city sewer system won't cover, you'll need to consider a septic system installation instead. Septic tanks are a convenient alternative, but they aren't without their own special considerations. For example, if the property has a high water table, you need to consider how that water table will affect your plumbing. Here's a look at some of the basics you should understand about high water tables and their effect on septic systems.

Why Does A High Water Table Matter?

The septic system needs to be able to seep waste water from the septic tank to the drain field. Once in the drain field, that wastewater is filtered through natural draining. This means that the water table, which is the top layer of water beneath the ground surface, must be low enough for the soil in the area to actually filter that waste water.

A high water table on the property around your septic tank can hinder the drain field's ability to absorb and filter the wastewater. This may cause the drain field to be too heavily saturated, which might lead to a septic system backup.

How Can You Compensate For A High Water Table?

A high water table isn't automatically going to keep you from installing a septic tank on your property. In fact, there are a few things you can do to keep the system working. Start by choosing a tank that's a size or two larger than you'd expect to need under peak demand times. That helps to reduce the chances of the tank filling to begin with.

In addition, work with your septic tank contractor to schedule frequent tank pumping. The more often you pump the tank, the less chance there is of any waste accumulation that can overflow the tank. If you'd normally have the tank pumped every five years, consider having it done every two or three instead.

You might also find it helpful to install a treatment system between your septic tank and the drain field. That helps to filter the contaminants and clean the wastewater before it reaches the drain field. Filtration systems like sand filters run the wastewater through a few sand layers to filter out the contaminants.

As you can tell from the information here, a high water table may pose a challenge for your new septic system, but it doesn't mean you cannot have one. With the suggestions here and the help of a knowledgeable septic system contractor, you can install a septic system and accessories that work well with the water table. For more info, research services such as septic systems by Glanborough Pumping.

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29 April 2016

Learning About Septic System Care and Usage

Hi there, I am Wes Nelson. When I lived in my first home, I discovered the plumbing connected directly to a septic system on the land. The septic system consisted of a tank, lines and leach field that processed the waste. I had to quickly learn how the septic system worked to keep it in good shape. I had to pay close attention to the substances I sent down the drains or flushed down the toilet. I did not want to disrupt the colonies of bacteria hard at work processing the waste products. On this site, I would like to help others keep their septic system in good working order by sharing the information I discovered. Please visit again soon.