Flooding of your septic system occurs when the drain field or the septic tank is flooded by rising water from very heavy rain, overflowing creeks or streams, storm surge, or any other source of flooding. Flooding of the septic system will cause the system to stop functioning and may even cause untreated waste water containing raw sewage to back up into your home through the lowest drains in the house.
If your septic system has become flooded, stop using it immediately. Even after the floodwater begins to recede, don’t start using the system again until the drain field has dried out and you have had the septic system inspected and serviced by a sewer septic professional. Also, if you are on a well, have the well tested before using the well water to make sure it has not been contaminated by your septic system.
The septic field will not begin to function properly until the water table has dropped below the level of the septic field. Using the septic system before this happens will result in untreated wastewater and sewage accumulating in the septic field and possibly making its way to the surface. In some cases the leech lines in the septic field will have become filled with silt and soil and a new drain field will need to be installed.
If your septic tank was flooded, solid material from the bottom of the tank may have been disturbed and the scum layer may have been washed into the outlet pipe or drain field. The tank may have also filled up with dirt and silt. Have the septic tank pumped and inspected by a sewer septic professional to make sure it is in good operating condition before using it again.
