Dean Solomon District Natural Resources Agent and Eckhart Dersch Professor of Resource Development Michigan State University Discovering that your septic system has failed is a miserable experience. This bulletin is designed to help you recognize this problem, determine what to do if it happens and, most importantly, learn how to prevent it. These tips are best used in conjunction with Extension bulletin WQ-39, "Maintaining Your Septic System". What Is Septic System Failure? A septic system should effectively accept liquid wastes from your house and prevent biological and nutrient contaminants from getting into your well or nearby lakes and streams. Anytime these things do not happen, the system is failing. For example, when waste backs up into your home or liquid is bubbling up in your backyard, the system has obviously failed. If significant amounts of biological or nutrient contaminants reach your well or surface waters, the system is also failing, even though it may appear to be working just fine. Why Septic Systems Fail Most septic systems will fail sometime. These systems are designed to have a lifetime of 20 to 30 years, under the best conditions. Eventually, the soil around the absorption field becomes clogged with organic material, making the system unusable. Many other factors can cause the system to fail well before the end of its natural lifetime. Pipes blocked by roots, soils saturated by storm water, crushed tile, improper location, poor original design or poor installation can all lead to major problems. But by far the most common reason for early failure is improper maintenance by homeowners. When a system is poorly maintained and not pumped out on a regular basis, sludge (solid material) builds up inside the septic tank, then flows into the absorption field, clogging it beyond repair.

How To Know if Your System is Failing Look for these symptoms to determine if you have a serious problem: Sewage backup in your drains or toilets. This is often a black liquid with a disagreeable odor. Slow flushing of your toilets. Many of the drains in your house will drain much slower than usual, despite the use of plungers or drain cleaning products. Surface flow of wastewater. Sometimes you will notice liquid seeping along the surface of the ground near your septic system. It may or may not have much of an odor associated with it. Lush green grass over the absorption field, even during dry weather. Often, this indicates that an excessive amount of liquid from your system is moving up through the soil, instead of downward, as it should. While some upward movement of liquid from the absorption field is good, too much could indicate major problems. The presence of nitrates or bacteria in your drinking water well. This indicates that liquid from the system may be flowing into the well through the ground or over the surface. Water tests available from your local health department will indicate if you have this problem Buildup of aquatic weeds or algae in lakes or ponds adjacent to your home. This may indicate that nutrient-rich septic system waste is leaching into the surface water. This may lead to both inconvenience and possible health problems. Unpleasant odors around your house. Often, improperly vented or failing systems cause a buildup of disagreeable odors around the house.