If you've recently bought an older home, there might be a septic tank on the property. This is true even if your home is connected to the municipal system now. At some point in the past, a previous owner may have abandoned the old septic system and connected to the city sewer when it became available. Show
There are regulations in place today for abandoning a septic tank properly, but years ago, it was common to just leave the tanks in place and forget about them. An old septic tank on your property is a huge safety risk, especially if you have kids, pets, or livestock. The solution is to have the old tank destroyed or filled in. Here is a general overview of this process. Permits and Inspections May Be RequiredOld septic tanks are such a hazard that local codes govern how they should be abandoned. They are hazardous because curious kids may pry open the lid and fall in. Also, old tanks can fail and crumble when someone walks across the surface. Falling into a septic tank can be fatal due to the toxic nature of the contents and because of concrete falling on top of you. Many years ago, steel tanks were used for septic waste. This practice was discontinued because the steel would rust and make the tank vulnerable to collapse. Even concrete cracks and breaks down after years underground. An old septic tank is like a small cave covered with a lid that could give way at any time. For that reason, abandoning the well is done according to local codes and followed up with a city inspection to make sure the closed tank is safe. The Old Tank Is Crushed and Buried or RemovedYour contractor will decide on the best way to abandon your old septic tank. If it is made of steel, it will probably be crushed in place and buried. If it is made of concrete, the bottom or sides may be broken apart so the tank can no longer hold water, and then the tank can be filled with sand, gravel, or some other type of rubble and buried. The soil on top of the tank is then compacted so the rubble doesn't shift and the sand doesn't sink when someone walks on it. Tanks can be completely removed or they can be destroyed and buried in place. The decision depends on if you plan to use the land for something else, such as a home addition or pool, and need the remains of the tank out of the way. The Abandonment is Documented and MappedSeptic tanks are sometimes hard to find even when they are currently in use since they're underground. Once the tank is abandoned, you may forget it exists. Future owners will have no idea it's there. For that reason, you may want to draw a map of the location of the old tank. Plus, your city or county will have the permit and inspection documents that prove the job was completed according to code. This could be a selling point for your property if you can verify an old septic tank was abandoned properly, and the new owners will appreciate knowing huge chunks of concrete are buried underground before they go digging to build something in the yard. Keep in mind, septic systems don't last forever, so it's possible you have more than one abandoned tank on your property. It may take some investigative work to uncover your property's history and learn what's lurking under the soil. If you find out your property has an old septic tank that isn't in use, then call Total Enviro Services for proper tank abandonment procedures that comply with local codes and keep your family, pets, and farm animals safe from injury or death. Guide to Septic Tank, Drywell & Cesspool Abandonment Procedures, laws, safety advice to decommission an unused septic system
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. How to abandon a septic tank, cesspool, drywell or seepage pit. Septic tanks are abandoned for any of several reasons: connection of the building to a public sewer, installation of a new septic tank, perhaps at a different location on the property, or when a building and its septic system are to be demolished to permit a different use of the property. This document outlines basic procedures for finding and safely abandoning unused septic systems and cesspools, and provides some safety suggestions for septic system inspectors, septic system inspections, septic pumping contractors, and home owners. When a septic tank, drywell, or cesspool is no longer to be used, either because a building is connected to a municipal sewer or because the old tank is being left in place and a new septic installed elsewhere, there are very important safety steps that should be taken. We describe the steps in abandoning a septic tank in-place and alternatively we describe how the abandoned septic tank may be removed completely. We also provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need. Guide to Proper Abandonment of Un-used Septic Tanks, Drywells, Etc.Safety Concerns in Abandoning Septic Systems, Seepage Pits, Cesspools, Drywells, even dug wellsSeptic tanks, cesspools, and drywells present serious hazards including septic cave-in's or collapses, methane gas explosion hazards, and asphyxiation hazards. Simple precautions which we describe here can help avoid a dangerous septic, cesspool, or drywell hazard. In addition to having been consulted in fatalities involving humans, we have learned that falling into septic tanks and cesspools is a risk for animals as well. Readers should also see specific warnings about cesspools at CESSPOOL SAFETY. Watch out: for unsafe septic tanks and cesspools or drywells and for systems that were not properly abandoned. In 2008 Mark Cramer shared a report from an owner that that their horse fell into a septic tank and died tragically before it could be rescued. The collapsing septic tank was not in the location which the owners thought it would be found, and clearly it had an unsafe cover. We were consulted in a Long Island death of an adult who
fell into and was buried in a collapsing cesspool. And in 2012 we were contacted for comment involving the death of two boys who fell into and perished in an "abandoned" septic tank or cesspool that lacked a safe cover. See SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY. It is important to properly abandon un-used septic tanks, cesspools, or drywells. If an old septic tank, cesspool, or drywell is simply "left alone" there may be very serious cave-in or fall-in safety hazards. Septic tank, drywell, or cesspool abandonment or tank closure may involve complete tank removal, tank crushing (steel septic tanks), or most common with site-built tanks/cesspools/drywells, and with concrete tanks, the cover is opened and the tank is filled-in with rubble and soil. Details of septic tank, cesspool, drywell abandonment procedures are discussed in this article. Article Contents
Septic Tank Abandonment ChoicesWhen a septic tank is no longer going to be used, various factors determine what will happen to the old tank:
To avoid the risk of a collapsing septic tank, cesspool, or drywell which is no longer used, it is important to find and properly close out such facilities at any property, residential or commercial. In the photo at the top of this page, the truck "found" an abandoned septic tank by driving over it. Septic D-Box, Piping, & Drainfield Abandonment?Are septic tank and D-box abandonment actually required?Yes, for safety and sanitation, a septic tank and D-box that will no longer be used must be properly abandoned as we describe in this article. Health risks associated with sewage left in an abandoned septic tank and the risk of a cave-in or of a person falling into an abandoned septic tank, cesspool, or drywall are very serious, often resulting in death. In addition, in many jurisdictions a proper, inspected septic tank and D-box abandonment must be completed within a limited time after a building has been connected to a public sewer. Our review of septic regulations found that that time varied between 30 to 90 days. In most jurisdictions whose septic abandonment regulations we have reviewed, the septic drainfield, mound, or raised-bed septic and D-box can be left in place when a septic tank and system are to be abandoned. Exceptions were found such as Michigan's recommendation that the drainfield be inspected by test holes to permit inspection for excess effluent and to provide for its removal - cited in detail below. Septic D-Box Abandonment ProcedureThe septic D-box will not normally contain solids or actual sewage but may contain sewage effluent. Hover if the septic system has failed such as by broken outlet baffles at the septic tank, there could be raw sewage, including solids, in the distribution box or D-box. The D-box should be pumped out by a licensed septic pumping contractor and the D-box then can be removed completely or it can be left in place and filled in with rubble and topsoil. Septic Drainfields, mound systems, sand mounds, raised bed septic AbandonmentWhen a septic system is being abandoned the septic drainfields, mound systems, sand mounds, raised bed septic or similar soil absorption system can be left in place, but these areas should not be excavated nor constructed upon for at least a year after the septic system was last used. Michigan's guidelines are one of the few SDS and septic system abandonment guides that includes steps to assure that the soil absorption system (septic drainfield, soakaway, leach field, or soakbed) does not contain harmful levels of sewage effluent at the time of abandonment. The suggestions below were developed by the U.S. state of Michigan and the state's department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Excerpt: To ensure the soil dispersal area does not contain excess liquid waste before removal, it is helpful to dig a hole in the four corners of the soil dispersal area along with a hole in the middle to create sump pits that the liquid septage waste can pool and collect to be pumped out by the licensed septage hauler. This process may take numerous days to ensure the surrounding soil, pipes, and dispersal media are drained. This method should be completed prior to the removal of the dispersal area and bringing it to the ground surface. Removing saturated dispersal media to dry at the ground surface will threaten the public health of nearby residents and the contractors removing the material due to potential exposure to pathogens in the process. - source: MI EGLE Onsite Wastewater Program: Soil Dispersal System and Septic Tank Abandonment [PDF] Michigan - cited in more detail below on this page. Abandon a Septic Tank, Drywell, Cesspool - Tank Left in PlaceProperly abandoning a septic tank, drywell, or cesspool which is no longer in use involves at least the following steps:
 Illustration, adapted from the City of Oxnard, CA, Septic Tank Abandonment guide from the Oxnard Department of Engineering, by Ro Roshanian, cited in detail below. With the top cover removed the septic tank pumped and cleaned, (disinfected some jurisictions) and 12-inch drain openings cu into the tank bottom, the septic tank is filled with sand, gravel, stone rubble, or other approved material, but the fill must not extend above the top of the vertical portions of the tank's sidewalls nor above the level of the septic tank outlet pipe until after the abandonment job has been inspected by the local authoriity.
Abandon a Septic Tank by Septic Tank Removal
Septic Tank Abandonment Codes & RegulationsWatch out: although there are potential life safety hazards in ignoring an un-used or "abandoned" septic tank, seepage pit, cesspool, drywell, or holding tank, regulations vary widely by country and jurisdiction within country. For example in the U.S. the New York state Department of Health does not require abandoning an un-used septic tank BUT local regulations may do so. Watch out: regardless of whether or not local laws require you to make sure that an unused septic tank or similar buried vault is properly abandoned or made safe, you should do so properly in order to avoid the risk of a fatal injury.
Reader Q&A - also see the FAQs series linked-to below@Dana, For safety you want an excavator to be sure that the septic tank has been properly abandoned - filled-in; you may need to add fill; Septic tanks can also be crushed or broken-up and collapsed in place or removed - a more-expensive option usually not required; While we are not attorneys here at IAP, our opinion is that you, as property owner, own this problem and its cost and you are responsible for safety issues or hazards at property you own. The house I purchased about 5 years ago had used a septic tank years ago but was converted to city sewer maybe 20 years ago. The first year here, I noticed an area in the back yard about 3 ft in diameter was slightly sunken in. Since then it has grown to about 12 in deep. There are also 3 other places in the yard at least that size. You can also now see where the septic tank was because all the grass has died over top of it. I'm to the point that I do
very little in the yard except mow. What can be done and who would be responsible for what I assume is going to be quite an expensive project? @inspectapedia.com.moderator, @Pat, The first order of business is to clean up any unsanitary conditions in the basement: sewage backups are a health hazard, particularly indoors. The second order of business is to confirm what is present and to determine its condition. Is that simply a drain leak at a sewer line cleanout that's backing up or is there really an abandoned septic tank under the basement floor slab? If there is a septic tank that was not properly-abandoned it needs to be emptied and then filled-in. Hi , Would this cause any future problems with health concerns or the
structure of the basement floor? Should the tank be removed or filled and then covered with concrete before we buy it? @Welch, Most likely the septic tank remains water tight and is in a low area allowing surface runoff to pond above it. You may need to add fill and correct surface grading to avoid the ponding. My old abandoned septic tank is covered with water. What does that mean? @Andrew, We've worked hard on this material for decades, so are really grateful when a reader finds it useful and trustworthy. We also welcome your photos, questions, criticism or suggestions. @mak.church, @Andrew, @mak.church, @Andrew, As far as using the patio stones and concrete as part of the fill, that is fine. Along with the gravel you mention, make sure that the septic tank fill is solid & compacted to avoid future settlement of the septic tank fill that can cause sudden dangerous collapses. I recently realized we have a 60 year old concrete septic tank that hasn't been used in, probably, over 40 years that was possibly never drained. While locating it, my probe went between two lids (It has 3 lids which are side by side), and came up wet. I'm unsure whether it's just groundwater or if the tank was never pumped when it was abandoned. I'm having it pumped, but I'm unsure about filling it. It's currently beneath a patio consisting of 88 patio stones. My thought it that, since I need to dispose of those stones, I can just dump them in the tank, once it's been emptied. Then fill the rest with gravel, and finally a layer of concrete (I'm having concrete poured for a project, so the expense of topping the tank off is not an issue. Does this sound reasonable? Would the extra weight from the patio stones/gravel/concrete be a concern? Would this tank need holes bashed in the bottom, considering how it will be filled? Thanks! @Anonymous, For safety be sure that you block off access to the area so that no one can fall into the septic tank @John, @inspectapedia.com.moderator, Thanks! @Nick, I have not found a "standard practice" across any country on this question. In my OPINON it would make a lot more sense to 1. Identify the construction plan: what excavation will be required? 2. How much septic drainfield soil will be disturbed, to what depth, and what will remain, and where? 3. With 1 & 2 addressed, obtain objective data by having appropriate soil - bacteria tests performed to determine the level of contamination and this to guide any further action (if any is needed). In my OPINION the cost of such tests and construction planning would be next-to-nothing and would far outweigh the cost of simply waiting some arbitrary guideline time period without a shred of data about the actual conditions at the actual building site. Could I build a residence neighborhood on what once was a leach field after proper decommission of the septic tank and leach field? How long would one wait for the soil to be considered "uncontaminated?" My county
and city ordinances don't address this; what would you consider standard practice? Thanks. @John, I am of course completely sympathetic with your point and have myself in many articles emphasize this safety hazards, and I have personally been involved in investigating fatalities in which someone fell into a collapsing system. So of course I take this seriously. However the important thing now is to address what you agree is a significant hazard and to argue about who should have done what later. I understand what you are saying but I still think whoever installed the sewer should have made sure it was filled in. I know they currently do but it seems unfair t have to pay several thousand dollars for something that could have been prevented years ago. I was never "being served" by the system since the property already had sewers when I bought it. Also I think those ion charge of these thing should publicize the dangers they pose since they can have fatal consequences. I had no idea that it was even there until I looked out a window and saw a big hole in my backyard. On 2021-05-15 by (mod) - My abandoned tank lid fell into the tank.@John, Thank you for asking and important question that clarifies who is responsible for septic tank abandonment. The answer is the property owner. This is just an opinion, but I think that in every Community private on-site septic systems are the installation, responsibility, and cost to the property owner who is in fact the person who is being served by the septic system. You wouldn't expect the town to be obligated to pay for that any more than you would expect the town to pay for fixing your electric wiring or putting shingles on your roof. However the more important consideration now is that of safety. If there's an open hole in your property if needs to be filled in. It should be a straightforward job in any local excavation contractor can perform. Meanwhile rope off the area and keep people away so that no one will be injured by falling into the hole. My abandoned tank lid fell into the tank. I had some dirt dumped into the hole but after reading a number of articles, it appears that this is not the best solution. I called the town right after it happened and they said it is my problem because it is on private property. I have lived in my home about 30 years and was not even aware it was there. It also seems that there will be a considerable expense to correct this. I am on a limited income and get about $1200 a month Social Security. Marcie Usually an old septic tank is broken up in-place using a backhoe. The backhoe operator may pull in the tank sides, crush them, and push the whole steel tank to the bottom then back-fill with soil and rubble. In a DIY project we might use a heavy steel wrecking bar or "digging bar" like the six-foot long Westward-brand bar shown below: just punch a dozen holes in the old steel tank bottom. Watch out: falling into the old septic tank risks being cut and badly infected even if the tank is already emptied of sewage. Don't work alone. Marcie Usually an old septic tank is broken up in-place using a backhoe. The backhoe operator may pull in the tank sides, crush them, and push the whole steel tank to the bottom then back-fill with soil and rubble. In a DIY project we might use a heavy steel wrecking bar to just punch holes in the old steel tank bottom. Watch out: leaning-over or falling into the old septic tank risks being cut and badly infected even if the tank is already emptied of sewage. Don't work alone. How do I bust through the bottom of an old septic tank and just how much do I need to tear it up before filling it? There's a septic tank that used to service my house, which I found when digging in a garden. I uncovered the whole thing. It's metal and the roof was corroding. I rented a pump and pumped the rain water out. The tank probably hasn't been in use for 20+ years (I've been in the house for 13 years), but one of the former owners just didn't bother fill it. A plumber cleared me to get the tank filled. Another company was supposed to fill it, but it rained heavily the day they were supposed to do the
work. The machine they would use will tear up my yard if the yard isn't completely dry. Right now, I don't know when that will be, since the weather channel is predicting more rain. I already have the dirt to fill the tank. I just need to know how to bust the holes. For safety I recommend filling in the old brick-built septic tank completely. The alternative is to risk a sudden fatal collapse some day in the future when some unfortunate person walks over the tank. I've had
our septic tank replaced with a sewage treatment plant in April 2019. The old brick built septic tank has been emptied . Anon: I can't say for sure but generally if the seepage pits no longer function they are abandoned. However in some installations they're left in line rather than excavating and running all new drain lines. But in your case, as the Infiltrator system is going to be nowhere nearly-as deep, you'll disconnect and abandon the pits. Watch out: an abandoned septic tank or seepage pit can cause injury of death if someone falls-in. It'd be best to have the pits emptied and filled with rubble. My septic has 25 ft deep drain pits cause ground don't absorb water well ,was upgrading to infiltrator chambers do I still need the 25 ft deep pits Jonathan, a final reliable answer really depends on what gets discovered at the site. However for life safety reasons it is important to at the very least find and properly abandon each of those unused septic tanks. That means finding the tank emptying it opening it and filling it with sand or gravel. If the tank is going to be removed the cost goes up. Sometimes the steel tank can be crushed and left in place at the bottom of a hole. In that case of course you're not filling the tank, you're crushing it I've inherited where a mobile lot used to be out in the country. There are six septic tanks buried there. I do know where each are. I'm wanting to dig them up and build a pond on the land. Is this even cost feasible or is properly having them drained, collapsing them and filling them in and then having them removed going to cost me a fortune? THX!!!! For gardening, there are so many variables to consider including: - the degree of sewage effluent
water that actually was in the soil that will be in contact with plant roots In the case of a septic system that was not sending effluent to the surface, my inexpert OPINION is I'd wait a year or more before planting root crops (potatoes) or low crops that might be contaminated by rain splash-up. Taller
crops that produce edibles high enough above ground to avoid those risks, and fruit trees, are safe for planting sooner." If a drain field is abandoned, and a new drain field is constructed in a different area, could you make use of the land where the abandoned drain field is? If so, what precautions should you take? How long should you wait before using the abandoned drain field? Can you use it for purposes of gardening or building a patio on top? I've inherited where a mobile lot used to be out in the country. There are six septic tanks buried there. I do know where each are. I'm wanting to dig them up and build a pond on the land. Is this even cost feasible or is properly having them drained, collapsing them and filling them in and then having them removed going to cost me a fortune? THX Jack you'll find oil tank abandonment described on this page - above and in the ARTICLE INDEX you'll find OIL TANK REGULATIONS - which vary by country and jurisdiction such as state, province, or city. Generally you test to assure that there has been no leakage, then either fill in place a buried tank (eg with sand) or remove the tank. If the tank has leaked it must be physically removed and the oil contaminated soil removed. Need a how to
abandon a old residence septic tank what regulation covers this topic Don My most complete suggestions are in the article above. Please take a look and let me know if you have any questions. We have a kitchen extension which revealed a Victorian cess pit which has been long abandoned. There is absolutely no smell and the walls and floor are brick which we have cleaned. We want to fill this in with approx measurements 1.6 m deep 2 m long and 1 wide. What is the
best way to do this please. Investigate the yuck smell further. If the septic tank was "filled in" without first pumping out the sewage then it was not properly abandoned. In that case you *might* have success by adding a plastic barrier then more fill; otherwise it's dig up, haul away, and bring in fresh fill and re-seed. We are buying a house that had an old septic tank filled in. All I can smell is pure yuck in the backyard. What can be done? ... Continue reading at SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX. Or see SEPTIC TANK ABANDONMENT PROCEDURE FAQs - questions & answers posted originally at this article Or see these Recommended Articles
Suggested citation for this web pageSEPTIC TANK ABANDONMENT GUIDE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. Or see this INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMSOr use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia ... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaQuestions & answers or comments about problems with the operation of aerobic septic systems Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. Search the InspectApedia website Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay. Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca Technical Reviewers & ReferencesClick to Show or Hide Citations & References |
Do I have to remove my old septic tank
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 ShotOnMac Inc.
