Septic problems and backups in the Harrisonburg area

Most septic failures give warnings first. Catching them early often means a pump-out or small repair instead of a new drainfield.

Warning signs

• Several slow drains at once, especially at the lowest fixtures
• Gurgling pipes or toilets
• Sewage odors near the tank, drainfield or inside
• Soggy ground or standing water over the drainfield in dry weather
• Unusually green, lush strips of grass over the field
• Backups into tubs, showers or floor drains
• An alarm on a system with a pump or treatment unit

Right now

1. Use as little water as possible. Hold the laundry, dishwasher and long showers.
2. Keep people and pets off wet areas.
3. Skip the "septic additives." They don't fix a full tank or a failing field.
4. Never open or enter a septic tank. The gases can kill quickly.
5. Call a septic company. If sewage is backing up into the house, say so first.

Common causes

• An overdue tank, which is the most common and easiest fix
• A clogged outlet baffle or effluent filter
• A failed pump or float on systems with a pump tank
• Roots in the lines
• Drainfield failure after years of solids escaping from an un-pumped tank
• Damage from vehicles, construction, livestock or new landscaping over the field
• Too much water at once, such as several loads of laundry in a day, leaky toilets, or gutters draining onto the field

Repairs need the health department

Pumping and routine maintenance don't usually need paperwork, but repairing or replacing a tank, lines or drainfield typically requires a permit through the local health department and appropriately licensed professionals. Start with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Health Department (540-574-5200).

If you're inside city limits and a repair is coming anyway, it may be worth asking Public Utilities whether your property qualifies for the city's sewer connection assistance.

Why it matters here

In karst country, a failing system isn't just a smelly yard. Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation warns that failing septic systems can contaminate karst groundwater, with contaminants entering "quickly, with little or no filtration" (Virginia DCR).