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4 Tips To Update Old Septic Systems Near Water Resources To Meet Modern Standards

6 June 2018

Diego Rojas

If you have an old septic tank and live close to lakes, rivers and streams, your system has to meet standards to ensure that it does not cause contamination. Your tank and drain field may need to be updated to ensure your septic system meets modern standards, which is also something to consider if your home uses a well for water resources. Here are some tips to help update old septic systems that are located near water resources:

1. Retrofitting and Repairing Old Damaged Concrete Septic Tanks

Concrete is a common material in old septic systems, which is still used in some areas for waste treatment systems today. The problem with concrete is that it degrades when exposed to the harsh waste treatment conditions. Concrete tanks are also susceptible to damage like cracks. Have your tank inspected and repaired to prevent failure. In addition, retrofitting the tank with a liner will also help reduce deterioration and protect against damage to the concrete materials.

2. Adding A Secondary Treatment Tank to Deal with Undersized Systems

In many cases, old septic systems are undersized for waste treatment needs of homes. This does not mean that you must have an entirely new system installed. Instead, ask a septic repair service about installing a secondary treatment tank to improve the capacity of your septic system. This also helps improve the breakdown of solids to reduce problems that cause failure of septic systems.

3. Distribution Tanks and Pumps for Improved Percolation of Waste from Tank

Another problem with old septic systems is poor distribution, which can lead to contamination of groundwater due to poor percolation (filtration of liquid waste through soils). Distribution tanks and pumps can be used to ensure that effluent (liquid waste from septic tanks) is evenly distributed for better percolation through the soils.

4. Contained Drain Fields and Filtration Medium to Prevent Ground Water Contamination

In some cases, groundwater supplies or other resources are too close to the surface or septic drain field. In these cases, the best solution is to have a contained drain field installed. This is a special waste treatment system that has a liner on the bottom of the drain field area to prevent percolation from reaching groundwater supplies and causing contamination.

These are some tips to update old septic systems that are near water resources and could cause contamination of water supplies. If you have an old and outdated septic system, contact a septic system service and talk with them about some of these upgrades to ensure that your water stays safe. 

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