A Friend has a Question About Septic Tank

[sunnyvmx]

I have lived almost three years in Lower Riberas and until now, with virtually no water or septic problems.

When doing a wash recently I happened to be on the street and noticed that the drain pipe that comes out at the front of my sidewalk had water coming out. I assumed that water from the washer, like water from the sinks and toilets, went into the septic tank. So I looked down into the tank and the water is quite far down, at least six feet. So it can’t be full. And anyway, the tank is not connected to that drain, is it? Isn’t that pipe connected to the drain in my back patio, ie, running under the house and out to the street? For runoff? Or does grey water somehow bypass the septic tank? Do septic tanks here use weeping tiles? Might the holes have clogged up somehow and instead of slowly seeping into the ground the water is running straight through to the street?

I tested today, again, and yes, same thing with water from the washer. I don’t know about showers and the like.

Next question: who to fix this? I noticed a sign today “we clean septic tanks” in front of the place that used to be?? Handy Mail, in the block east of SuperLake. I did not find that contractor reliable in a previous experience but will go with him again if he is the only one in town with the right equipment.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[sunnyvmx]

I spoke to another friend yesterday who reported a broken pipe due to the earthquake. Might that be your problem?

[snowyco]

In Mexico and older homes in rural USA, old-school plumbers would run just the toilets' drain pipes to the septic tank, and often they would run the shower drain pipes, bathroom sink drain pipes, and washing machine drains right into the ground - or into ad hoc "french drains" or (in an even older style) out into the street - sometimes piping grey-water via the storm-water runoff drains from the roof. The grey water from drains without po-po or food waste (kitchen sink) only have wastes with almost no solids, so they generally break down pretty quickly. Black water does not break down so quickly - and leaves solids - so it needs to go into a septic system.

Since the pipe is running water when the washer is "ON", the washer drain is likely plumbed straight to the street. (Which means the black-water septic part of the system is likely fine.)

[RVGRINGO]

The poster probably imagines septic tanks with drain fields, as in the USA, etc. Here, it is more likely to be a cess-pool. Few places have room for proper drainage fields. In any case, all household wast lines should go to whatever type of system you have; not to the street.

[Osoprehistorico]

Nobody can tell without looking at your individual system as there are so many variables. A lot depends on the age of your system. Find a good plumber to check what your system is.

[geeser]

Sounds like the washer drain isn't plumbed to the cess tank. The reason is that clothes washer water contains thousands of thread fibers as clothes wear. These can block up the drainage of the cess tank. the Mexican cess tanks are bricked up tubes usually and the bottom 3'-5' are constructed with every other brick missing to allow drainage into the soil and the bottom is just dirt as well. It is certainly possible that the washer's water drains into a seperate tank some where. If you don't hear water running into the septic when clothes washer is on then it does no go to septic.

Plumbers: Antonio 045-331-361-6610 speaks some english

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