A septic system works by accumulating household wastewater in the septic tank and holding it there long enough for most solid material to settle to the bottom of the tank. The wastewater then flows into the drain field or leech field where it leeches into the soil
Heavy water usage causes problems for your septic system in two ways. First, too much water usage can overload the system if the wastewater cannot leech into the soil fast enough. The effluent will instead pool near or on the surface of the drain field.
In addition, a high volume of water usage will push water through the septic tank before the solid material can settle out. The solid material will accumulate in the soil and over time the drain field will become partially clogged and unable to handle as much water.
In some cases, a drain field that was once able to handle a high volume of water has become partially clogged by solid material over time and is no longer able to handle that much water although it will work well during normal usage. In other cases, unusually wet weather can decrease the volume of water that your septic field can handle.
If the soil around the drain field is waterlogged from unusually heavy rain or runoff, it will be unable to handle as much water. This problem will usually resolve itself as soon as drier weather returns, but if it becomes a frequent occurrence you should call a sewer septic contractor. You may need drainfield repairs or replacement.
