[Lanelle]

Maybe some of you deal with this more than we do since municipal sewer is more prevalent here. How close (laterally) do you build to septic lines and tanks? Also, do you run any type of equipment over the top of the septic line? For example if you need to move material into a back yard and the septic line runs across your only access point, will you run across it?

[NC Lawnscapes]

Lines are put in depending on the lay of the land and every system is diffrent.........

Easy to tel where the drain fields are becasue the grass is diffrnet colors.

We will go across them BUT the MOST important thing is getting a SIGNED release

[agla]

In Massachusetts there are laws very specific to building distances from septic. Some of these are that the leaching component (whether it is perf pipe in trenches or leaching chambers) have to be at least 20' from a full basement, 10 feet from a crawl space or garage, 15' from a 3:1 slope, 25' from a drywell or drainage leachpit, three feet or less to the grade above, and 20' from a swimming pool.

There are different standards for septic system components for ability to handle a load. The ones that can be driven over have what is called an H20 rating, the others are H10. H20's are used under driveways and in areas where it is likely that they would be driven on.

You should be able to get a copy of the septic system design from the local health department if it is not a really old system (assuming these are as regulated as here). If you do, you may want to make a friendly inquiry to the engineer who designed it to ask him whether it should be safe.

[dan deutekom]

The rules and regulations in our area are very specific in what you can and can't do around septic beds. All of the new septic beds are built above ground and then buried with a mound of leachate material and topped with soil.(really ugly and a definite landscape challenge) We try never to run heavy equipment over the leaching beds or the tank because it can cause problems

[jwholden]

I avoid septic systems like the plague, I don't want to have to deal with the 'mess'. My first job out many years ago I asked the homeowner where his septic system was. He told me. Shortly thereafter a leak developed in his tank and it was nowhere near where he said it was. The guy then came after me for busting his tank?????

Check very, very, very well if you will be running dump trucks near the system. I don't fret driving my bobcat over the leaching fields or tanks (if the soil above isn't already mushy). But even my 26,000 lb dump truck stays off of them.

I have heard of guys laying 3/4" plywood over leaching fields or preferably the pipe connecting the leaching fields to the tank.

[MarkH]

With us all of our properties are under county building and zoning and they have specific rules to follow which are pretty similiar to local gov. as far as how its put in. As far as bringing in equipment, if there is even the slightest hint that we may have to cross a field its down with the lightest foot print piece of equip we have or done manually. We just got an ASV track skid stear that works great for this.

[PSUscaper]

My only concern with septics is with the leaching fields and with old systems, where they pretty much did anything and everything to make it work.

Besides the leach field, new systems should be pretty much impervious to damage by equipment. Should be all sch 40 pipe. There isn't really all that much to a septic, so its not a 'super complex' thing going on under there like people think.

The tanks are concrete. When they install tanks with the boom trucks, I've seen tri-axles drop the first 1000 gal tank in the hole, then BACK on top of it, so it can drop the second 1000 gal tank behind it. Tanks are tough. I can't see much of anything hurting them.

The leach field is really the only part that can get damaged easily, as the leach pipes can be shallow and the ground tough. Think the code here is you can't plant a tree within 20 ft of the field, or put a dry well within 50', but every county/township will have its own list of specifications and vary greatly.

Don't know if anyone has, but installing a sytem isn't very difficult. Pretty straight forward, and is a good money. My friend put a system in for his new office building last winter and we put the tank right behind a 10' tall srw. The tank was about 4 ft behind the wall and we got a tip to put styrofoam insulation panels on the side of the tank facing the wall as it help insulate the tank in winter and speed up the 'stew's breakdown inside the tank.

Also done a few srw's for leach fields.....pretty basic walls about 4' tall. The only thing different we had to do was install thick plastic sheeting along the back of the wall to prevent leaching of unwanted 'goodies' coming through.

[Bill Schwab]

Like most everyone said as well....With an old system, you need to be careful. Many of them have clay and tar pipes and you can break them. You never should spread dirt of the top or change the elevations of an exisiting leach field. Those are all calced from soil perc tests and the depth they are set is pertainate to how well the soil percs out. I would make sure you get a damage waver signed by the owner, or bid the job on hand labor unless it is a newer system.

What used to be pretty easy has been turned into rocket science thanks to the EPA and many local governing bodies. Systems that were done for under $5,000.00 now cost $25,000.00 because you need engineers to design the sydtem, and, the company installing has to be licensed and bonded for that type of work.

It equates to big dollars and cents if you damage it.

The subject remids me of an old friend, he had a business pumping tanks...Had am MR-600 Mack with a 1,000 gallon tank painted dark brown. He called his business "Turd Busters" LOLOL

[Stonehenge]

Out here the septic systems are different than I recall them where I grew up - it's all mound systems here.

Other than brand new construction, we drive over the area where the pipe lead to the mound all the time. Many times that's the only way to get to the work area. But we are careful about the mound itself - nothing heavy on that.

And even with new construction, we sometimes still have to drive over the area where the pipe is run.

[PSUscaper]

My favorite septic company slogan is "Were #1 in a #2 business". The only one I've seen funnier is a trucking company that is call "NBS trucking".......standing for " No Bull &*$# trucking"........even funnier is they have a picture of a bull squating right under it! I love seeing those tractor trailers go by.

Wait......forgot a new one I saw the other day......one guy has started up a dog turd removal business.........drives around in a white f150 with black splotches painted all over it.......and the best part is the name....."DR. DOODY!"......now that's funny!

[Bill Schwab]

Where do they come from? LOL, well, along those lines...

We are having this lettered on the back of all our trucks....

"Can we hold up your bank?"

Then Keystone retaining walls, and our telephone number, and under that, "Man can we ever hold up your bank!"

Only cost $150.00 per truck and if it does not work, off it comes with the heat gun!