Wastewater should not be backing up into your home, nor should your yard become full of foul smelling liquid bubbling up; this is an obvious sign of a septic system failure. If these symptoms are not present, you may think that your septic system is running smoothly. However, contaminants could be reaching your well water, which means your system is failing. You won’t know, however, if your system is leaching out contaminants unless you are aware of the warning signs.
Here are some things that you can look for to determine if you have a serious problem. Is sewage backing up in your drains or toilets or are they flushing slowly? Despite your best efforts at home repair, many of your household drains will seem much slower than usual if you are developing a problem. You may notice the ground around your septic system is wet even when there hasn’t been any rain. If your property is close to a lake or pond and you observe an unusual increase in algae or weeds, it is possible that your septic system is seeping into the surface water. Additionally, you may notice disagreeable odors round the house if the system is failing or improperly vented.
Should any of the above indications exist, you may want to contact your local septic professional and arrange for a septic tank inspection. You should also have your drinking water well tested to ensure that there hasn’t been any seepage from your system. The presence of bacteria would indicate that septic system seepage has gotten into your well water. Your service professional can pump your septic tank, inspect the entire system, and give you the appropriate options for making any septic system repairs.
