# Drain Field



## kathyh (Mar 12, 2005)

We are still on Septic tanks in parts of Fort Lauderdale. I have a separate 
drain field for the washer. The drain field now floods when the washer is used.
Is there any solution other than digging a new drain field? Any thing that can 
be poured down the drain etc?

Kathy h


----------



## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

Pump out the septic tank?


----------



## Moscow (May 3, 2005)

I would say that your drain field is pluged or you have ground water over taxing the drain field. I would dig up the pipe and see what the problem is. If it is pluged the clean the pipe and put it back together, but if it is over taxed then you willhave to move the drain field.
good luck 
Justin


----------



## kathyh (Mar 12, 2005)

Moscow said:


> I would say that your drain field is pluged or you have ground water over taxing the drain field. I would dig up the pipe and see what the problem is. If it is pluged the clean the pipe and put it back together, but if it is over taxed then you willhave to move the drain field.
> good luck
> Justin


There is a fifty gallon drum that the drain is connected to. I guess we will replace that, however can it go in the same place, since the pipe runs under a cement block?


----------



## plumguy (May 29, 2005)

kathyh said:


> There is a fifty gallon drum that the drain is connected to. I guess we will replace that, however can it go in the same place, since the pipe runs under a cement block?


 Installing the drum for washers years ago was common practice. The best solution is to tie the washer drain into main drain with the rest of the house. Which is how new houses on septic are piped today.


----------



## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

kathyh said:


> There is a fifty gallon drum that the drain is connected to. I guess we will replace that, however can it go in the same place, since the pipe runs under a cement block?



My question would be did it ever work well that you know of. If it did work at one time and your having a wet year, the ground might not be able to absorb the water or the water table could up into your 50 gallon drum. In my state a drain field like that would be illegal. Illegal meaning not only non-comlying but something that is enforcable by the local law enforcement agencies. Raw sewage affects everyone in your households health and it effects your neighbors health. Everbodys family pets love to play in raw sewage. Not to scare you but it probably would be best to get a septic guy to take a look. You might not want to let the local health dept. know right away because they would give you a time line to get it fixed, (if it is illegal in your state). Chances are your septic might not be able to handle the extra load, probably why they did it in the first place. Washers generally are the biggest load on a septic and making your septic bigger will cost some money. A quick fix if ground water is your problem is to try to get the water to evaporate through some surfaces trenches filled with rock but that might be a waste of time and money. There is not much that can go wrong with a 50 gal drum with holes in it so I don't think changing that will help at all. I've owned two of these drainfields in my life and neither one worked very well. Too many variables. In my area engineers are doing designs on septics when the soil or ground water look to be a problem. I don't know if all that helps you but I got some typing practice in. RT<P>


"To old to die young"


----------



## plumguy (May 29, 2005)

Years ago washer machines weren't as effecient (water) as they are today and also today's detergents are easier on the earth and are also bio-degradable.

Also, washers give off a tremendous amount of lint that plugs the soil which is likely the problem with youre's. 

If it was mine I would install a filter on the washer and pipe it into the main and not get involved with the locals until you have to. Checkout this site for some info.. www.septicprotector.com


----------



## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Just curious, where are you located in FTL? I was a utilities engineer there for almost 7 yrs. We were close to being 100% hooked up back in the late 70's when I quit.


----------



## kathyh (Mar 12, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> Just curious, where are you located in FTL? I was a utilities engineer there for almost 7 yrs. We were close to being 100% hooked up back in the late 70's when I quit.



River Oaks...just south of the Citrus Isles off SW 9th Ave. They are slowly coming into the River Oaks and Croissant Park neighborhoods.


----------



## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

The Davie Blvd. area. I don't remember going in there for anything, water or sewer. You are probably ready for some serious updates as the city grew up around you.
Is the swing bridge still there?


----------



## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

Here is a tip for figuring septic problems. A trench isn't supposed to be less than 12" or more than 24" under ground. If you are having a backup, dig a test pit out in the area of your fields. If you hit water within 24" your fields are saturated. If you are buying a home, try to get the homeowner to allow this test too. It goes a long way to finding out if the fields are about shot or not. The hole isn't big, just deep (24") You can use a post hole digger for this test.


----------



## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Digger1799 said:


> Here is a tip for figuring septic problems.


Here is a tip for posting on forums. Don't bring up old threads. They are dead for a reason :cheesygri


----------



## ContractorSon (Feb 4, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> Just curious, where are you located in FTL? I was a utilities engineer there for almost 7 yrs. We were close to being 100% hooked up back in the late 70's when I quit.



That is incorrect... Most of the acreage in Ft Lauderdale is on septic,especially west of the Turnpike.

Southwest Ranches,Plantation Acres,Davie etc... It was cost prohibitive for sewers as the lot sizes are above 1 acre.

There are many future problems in store for the area,as the Biscayne Acquifer is being depleted and thousands of homes are also on wells.


----------



## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Son, the last time that I looked, the Citrus Isles were east of the turnpike. The acreage of which you speak of was county jurisdiction, not city.

As far as the aquifer goes. We were moving new wells westward and shutting down eastern wells in the 70's.

If you are as concerned as I am, Big Sugar has got to go. They are the impediment to fresh water to your area. Billions of gallons per day are being shunted from Lake Okeechobee through the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee waterways and harming both sides of the state. Get involved!


----------



## ContractorSon (Feb 4, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> Son, the last time that I looked, the Citrus Isles were east of the turnpike. The acreage of which you speak of was county jurisdiction, not city.
> 
> As far as the aquifer goes. We were moving new wells westward and shutting down eastern wells in the 70's.
> 
> If you are as concerned as I am, Big Sugar has got to go. They are the impediment to fresh water to your area. Billions of gallons per day are being shunted from Lake Okeechobee through the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee waterways and harming both sides of the state. Get involved!


Still considered "Ft Lauderdale..."


----------

