Chickens wont stop drinking leach field water!!

[wf1992]

Yeah its definitely a few factors. Our water table is HIGH. We are less than a mile from a lake. In the summer though, there are no issues with our leech field. Right now, with all the rain and everything it is much more soggy there. We're planning on basically adding a foot or 2 of dirt over the entire area. We aren't in a normal neighborhood and so the ground is super uneven out here. We replaced and rerouted the lateral line with PVC.

Noooooo! Do not bury your septic lines deeper than designed, at least without talking to your installer first. Regrading a few inches to prevent runoff pooling on top of the field is one thing, burying the lines an extra couple feet can prevent your field working properly.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As reference, septic lines are usually buried between 18" and 36". Deep enough for the bacteria to do their work, not too deeply (which results in the wrong kind of bacteria, and MUCH slower decomposition, but not so shallow that there is a big chance of untreated effluent rising up thru the soil. You want to try and stay in that range of depths

 

[HarleyBarley]

As reference, septic lines are usually buried between 18" and 36". Deep enough for the bacteria to do their work, not too deeply (which results in the wrong kind of bacteria, and MUCH slower decomposition, but not so shallow that there is a big chance of untreated effluent rising up thru the soil. You want to try and stay in that range of depths

It am going to do about another foot then. I know we buried it 2' deep. Our water table is so high that when we were building our chicken coop the holes we dug filled up with water. It is no where near a septic line or a water line. Just live really close to a lake.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

It am going to do about another foot then. I know we buried it 2' deep. Our water table is so high that when we were building our chicken coop the holes we dug filled up with water. It is no where near a septic line or a water line. Just live really close to a lake.

I've lived in FL most of my life, its a glorified sandbar. I feel your pain. Yes, if they are only 2' deep now, you can easily add 9-12" of fill to regrade it and still be "safe" for your field to work as intended.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you have a problem? No one knows. If your septic system is working properly the water is treated in the tank and "clean" water comes out to go to your drainage field.

How do you find out if your septic system is working properly, get that water tested. Your local health department should be able to tell you how. You can go spend a bunch of money and possibly mess up a perfectly working system when you don't have a problem to start with.
Find out if it is broken before you fix it. If it is not working properly it is a health risk to you and to wherever that water drains.

 

[HarleyBarley]

I've lived in FL most of my life, its a glorified sandbar. I feel your pain. Yes, if they are only 2' deep now, you can easily add 9-12" of fill to regrade it and still be "safe" for your field to work as intended.

Yeah I'm going to put like 9" and put some type of flower bed or shrubs there to help soak up the water. In the summer it's not a problem because its Texas and it gets so dry the ground cracks.

 

[MarkJr]

How is your field built? Is it perforated pipe bedded in drain rock?

In my state, its permit work only. The ground has to pass a perk test. Standing water in bottom of hole is immediate failure.

I use infiltrator plastics for my leach fields. Most effective and highest perk rate I've seen. 250' of field will cover 4 bed 2 bath house.

https://www.infiltratorwater.com/products/chambers/

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yeah I'm going to put like 9" and put some type of flower bed or shrubs there to help soak up the water. In the summer it's not a problem because its Texas and it gets so dry the ground cracks.

TX is where I lived for most of a decade. Hated it (no offense intended) - but work, you know? Anyhow, I had good luck with mint in semi-shaded areas. It overwintered well, was a weed, and spread effectively underground, helping to break up the soil. I'd love to suggest ginger or lemon grass, as both are shallow growing and attractive, with good heat tolerance, but they don't overwinter at all, and when they clay gets dry/hard, a good rain will drown them, rather than renew them.

Going to defer to others with more experience (and success) in that field of study.

 

[HarleyBarley]

How is your field built? Is it perforated pipe bedded in drain rock?

In my state, its permit work only. The ground has to pass a perk test. Standing water in bottom of hole is immediate failure.

I use infiltrator plastics for my leach fields. Most effective and highest perk rate I've seen. 250' of field will cover 4 bed 2 bath house.

https://www.infiltratorwater.com/products/chambers/

It is perforated pvc pipe bedded in drain rock 2' deep.

 

[MarkJr]

If you have to redo it, look into the infiltrator stuff. No drain rock required. Just non compacted ditch bottom 20-24" deep.

I'll second getting the water tested also. May be a moot point if it's just surface water. (Unless it has the smell already)