{"id":96,"date":"2019-03-12T23:10:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T23:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/failures\/"},"modified":"2023-04-02T03:24:08","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T03:24:08","slug":"failures","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/failures\/","title":{"rendered":"Septic System Failures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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Sewage
\ntreatment plants use chlorine to kill these harmful organisms.
\nIn a properly functioning septic system, soil and soil organisms
\neffectively remove these disease causing bacteria and viruses
\nfrom the wastewater. Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are
\nalso found in domestic wastewater. Nitrogen, in the form of nitrates,
\nposes a health threat to infants if the wastewater becomes part
\nof the ground and surface water supplies. These nutrients also
\nfuel the growth of algae in lakes and shallow Puget Sound bays.
\nThese “algae blooms” can cause serious water quality problems
\nincluding loss of oxygen resulting in fish kills.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


\n   Avoiding Septic System Failures<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Poor design,
\nconstruction, or maintenance will cause your septic system to
\nfail. Design is generally best left to a professional. County
\nhealth departments require a percolation (“perk”) test before
\na septic system is built. The test determines how fast the soil
\nabsorbs water. Waterfront and island septic systems demand special
\nconsideration. In these instances and in other unusual sites,
\nsoil examination by a professional soil scientist can provide
\na more reliable assessment of the capacity of soil to accept wastewater.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

New septic
\nsystem designs and entirely new technologies for dealing with
\nhuman waste and wastewater are now emerging. In the resource section
\nbelow, you’ll find several publications that can start your search
\nfor alternatives. If you are thinking of a “non- standard” system,
\nbegin a dialog and information exchange with your county health
\ndepartment to assure your system meets their approval. <\/span><\/p>\n

Select a
\nreputable firm to install your septic system. Tile or perforated
\npipe laid on improper grades, incorrect joints and alignments
\nbetween system components, and tiles or pipes broken or crushed
\nduring the building process can all cause system failure.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n
\n

Signs
\nthat may indicate septic system failure include:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022
\nPonded water or damp places in your yard, foul odors, and\/or
\ndark gray or black color to the soils indicate septic drainfield
\nfailure. These signs are particularly noticeable at the bottom
\nof slopes draining away from the drainfield, and in drainage
\nditches. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022
\nAreas where water comes to the surface, particularly after
\nheavy rains or during activities which increase wastewater
\nproduction such as doing the laundry. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022
\nToilets that flush slowly or drains that back up. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you
\nnotice any of these signs, contact your local health department
\nor a septic system pumping service for information and assistance.
\nSome septic tank pumpers provide free inspection of your septic
\ntank provided you uncover the clean-out opening.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

\nLandscaping for a Healthy Sound<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sewage treatment plants use chlorine to kill these harmful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9070,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template_6.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/96"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/96\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9241,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/96\/revisions\/9241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.forsea.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}