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Black water from septic tank.

  • 25-02-2009 6:39pm
    #1
    babyjames
    Closed Accounts Posts: 172 ✭✭


    Hi all I think I may have a problem with my septic tank. There are three vent pipes coming from the tank and they stick out of the ground around 20 to 30 feet away from the tank in an area we kept rough ( Not lanscaped) I noticed black water seeping out of one of these pipes last sunday and the rough ground is now like a bog. As these pipes are coming out of the ground at 90 degrees and about 2 feet high I think it might be a serious problem ,the house was only built in 2002. Any ideas or ways to eliminate this would be apprieciated.

    Many thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Poor Uncle Tom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,547 ✭✭✭✭Poor Uncle Tom


    This is called grey water, (believe it or not) what you are describing are the vent pipes from your percolation area. From what you say I think your percolation area, or length of percolation trenching may have been too small/short.

    The 3 No. vertical pipes should not be any closer then 2m apart. They should be about 16m from the tank/treatment system. If the 'grey water' is black then there is no grease trap before the tank and no breakdown bacteria working in the tank. (too much detergent).

    Get some advice from AT, Architect, etc.,


  • #3
    muffler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 46,607 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    What me uncle Tom said :pac:


  • #4
    Dundhoone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 710 ✭✭✭Dundhoone


    And simply, when was the last time you had it emptied?


  • #5
    Lanshane
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 261 ✭✭Lanshane


    Hi there, just found this thread as I have the exact same problem. House built in 2003 with me and the wife in it for 5 years. Then we had twins so the house has 4 of us in it for the last three years. I went out to cut the grass the other day and noticed exactly what the original OP found, i,e soggy grey water. I have a tank shaped like the number 8. Just after the tank is a manhole, with one pipe in from the tank and 4 out, 3 to the percolation area and the other to another manhole about 10 to the 15 ft to the right of that with three pipes coming from that to the percolation area. So, our pipes coming out of the ground are full of water with one of the pipes actually overflowing! We have never noticed this before in the last 8 years. I emptied the tank last year, not that I needed to just to see how it was operating and it seemed to be working fine. And still appears to be. I am at a loss as to what I may need to do? The 6 pipes protruding from the ground are just under 20 feet from the tank itself. The tank takes everything, detergents and all which I am aware hinders the proper performance of the tank, but as I said before we had no problems until now. So, could the problem be that the pipes are all blocked or 'sealed' with the detergent? If so, would shoving a hose attached to a high pressure washer dislodge things and get things moving again? I'm just unsure as to what to do and want to avoid spending large amounts of money if this can be avoided. I'm really dreading having to dig up the garden as we have put a lot of effort into it but something has to be done as the kids are starting to splash around in it when we not looking :eek:
    Any help greatly appreciated. Tks all.


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