Drain Field Problem with a Cesspool

[doley50]

Hello,

My house was built in 1890 , and I am guessing that my cesspool was installed sometime in 1940 or 1950.
The system works like this the solids go into one tank ( it's really a hole )
then a pipe drains the liquid off into what I call a holding tank ( another hole )
The liquid is suppose to leave the holding tank and leach into the drain field , but it is leaving a large puddle in my yard.
I have looked at some products that suppose to fix this problem , but they sound to good to be true. Here is a link to one of these products :

http://www.newtechbio.com/cesspit.htm

The last time I had my cesspool pumped out the company suggested a power-wash treatment for $2,000.00 , and I was not guaranteed that it would work. The driver also suggested sulfuric acid , but he told me it's not legal , and I would have to do it myself.
My neighbor who has installed many septic systems in the past told me I need to get a septic system , and while digging a new drain field would give me a quick fix, he was not sure if our town would allow it and I don't think he it willing to put himself in jeopardy like that. I don't blame him.
I am very confused about what way to go , I don't mind spending the money on a septic system , but I don't have the cash and our credit is crap,I have lots of equity, but that don't help when you have bad credit.
I am just want to get some suggestion from more people and see what most of you say. Maybe there is something I have not thought about.
Here is a picture of my problem.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AR...E5dmd3&hl =en

Thanks for any help you can give.
John

[demoguy]

I feel your pain. I have a septic system and for the first few years since we moved into our current house, there were no problems. Later some problems did start to pop up and slowly progressed to the point of having to replace the leach field.

We first developed problems with the tanks, I had to keep having them pumped out more often than normal. Tanks should be pumped out every 4-5 years, 3-4 if it's a large family (preventitive measures). Finally, it was determined that the life of the leach field had come to an end.

If you have water standing on the surface and the water is near the tank area, there may be some blockage that is forcing the water to surface because the distance of run off has been drasticly shortened. If it's the length of the leach field then I would check with the city/county permit department to see if there is any problems with having a new leach field installed. Perhaps you don't have the room in your yard to move it to a new location so the option is to have the existing leach field excavated deep enough to remove saturated dirt and replace with good leaching sand mixed with rock/gravel.

Good luck.

[suemarkp]

Do you have baffles on the output pipe to keep solids, scum, and TP in the first tank (hole)? If not, that's the first thing to fix. After that, you may have a drain field issue or a clogged pipe

[AllanJ]

In your system there are three places where the liquid filters into the ground:

1. The first hole,
2. The second hole,
3. The drain field (leach field).

It appears that all three no longer absorb water, probably due to grease getting all the way to #3. Also, tree roots could have clogged #3 or the connecting pipes. Most cesspool systems don't have #3 and some don't have #2. The purpose of the power wash with sulfuric acid is to break up the grease soaked into the sides of the hole and restore the filtering/absorbing capability.

A true septic tank system has #1 and #2 impermeable, it relies on #3 to dispose of the liquid.

The best thing to start with is to redo #3 (and also the baffles mentioned earlier). It is likely you will have to remove and cart away the soil and put down new, to assure that any and all (most) grease is gotten rid of and then the drain field, if it worked properly in the past, will work "good as new".

Your town building code will restrict what you can do. You might be forbidden to do anything until you are prepared to put in a complete system including a new two chamber septic tank (the older septic systems had just parts #1 and #3 above).

[doley50]

Thanks for your replies , I was hoping there was a magic solution to fix my problem , but you all suggest the same thing , a new drain field. Well I guess the good news is I have found some one who came highly recommended and while the cost is twice as the power washing , I will be getting a new drain field.
Next summers cook outs will be much more pleasant.