Identifying Failing
Septic Systems
and Straight Pipe
Discharges
Goal of Presentation
• To train all DENR field staff to identify
failing septic tank systems and straight pipe
discharges, and instruct them to notify the
local health departments (and Shellfish
Sanitation if adjacent to shellfish waters)
when they identify them.
Who has a Septic Tank System?
• In NC all buildings with plumbing must be connected to
some type of approved wastewater disposal system.
• If a building (with plumbing facilities) is not on a city sewer
system, then in most cases it has a septic tank system (also
known as an On-site Wastewater Disposal System, or
Subsurface Wastewater Disposal System) to dispose of the
wastewater.
Who Regulates On-site
Wastewater Systems?
• On-site Wastewater Section (OSWW)
Division of Environmental Health (DEH)
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Tel. (919) 733 2895
http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/oww/
• Authority is delegated to local health departments to
issue septic permits, regulate installations and
enforce NC Laws and Rules. Local health
department staff are trained and authorized by the
DEH and OSWW Section.
Basic Legal Requirements
• A Permit (issued by the Local Health
Department) is needed before any Septic System
is installed or repaired.
• Before a Permit is issued an Environmental
Health Specialist (EHS) must visit the site and do
an evaluation (of the soil and site conditions).
• An EHS must also approve the installation before
it is put into use, and before the electrical supply
is permanently connected to the building.
What is an On-site Wastewater
System?
• An On-site Wastewater Disposal System collects,
treats and disposes of all the wastewater produced in
a building.
• A conventional system includes a Septic Tank, a
Distribution Device and a Drainfield.
What is a Septic Tank?
A Septic Tank is a below ground watertight box (concrete,
plastic or fiberglass), often about 9 x 5 x 6 feet. It separates
the liquids and solids, provides digestion of some organics
(mainly by bacteria which live without oxygen) and storage.
It discharges partially filtered and clarified effluent to the
drainfield for final treatment.
What is a Drainfield?
• The Drainfield (also known as the nitrification
field) is the area which contains the pipes
(and/or other approved materials). It receives
the effluent (partially treated cloudy liquid)
from the septic tank for distribution, treatment
( mainly by bacteria that need oxygen) and
absorption into the soil.
• Approved Drainfields in NC are made from
many materials including pipe and gravel,
plastic chambers, concrete blocks, polystyrene
aggregate and other piping systems. For full
information see:
http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/oww/
What does an On-site Wastewater
Disposal System do?
Avoids the spread of disease by preventing human
sewage from contaminating the ground surface,
well water supplies and streams and creeks.
Maintaining a Septic
System
Some things which can be done to
prolong the life of a Septic System:
• Pump out the accumulated solids from the
Septic Tank regularly (check it every 3 years, and
typically pump it every 5-7 years).
• Don’t overload it (minimize water usage).
• Don’t put things which don’t readily decompose into a
Septic System (grease, cooking oils, sanitary napkins,
chemicals, etc).
• Don’t drive on it, or build over it.
Maintenance Responsibilities
The person who owns or controls
a facility served by an On-site
Wastewater System is responsible
for ensuring that it is working
OK, including that:
– no sewage or effluent comes
up on the ground surface, or
goes into any stream, creek or
lake, or contaminates the
ground water (well water
supply).
– no sewage or effluent backs up
into the building.
Maintenance Responsibilities
(continued)
If a Septic System is
malfunctioning, or
failing, then it is the
owner, or controller’s
responsibility to ensure
that it is repaired (with
a repair permit from
the Health
Department).
Types of Failures and Violations
1.Failure by surfacing
Failing Septic Systems
often show up as a wet or
mushy area above the
drainfield (often because
the drainfield can no
longer absorb the
effluent).
Ways to spot a
failing septic
system
Failing septic systems
can often be spotted
from the road.
Nutrients from effluent
often cause the “grass to
grow greener”.
Types of Failures
and Violations
2.Straight pipes
• Some buildings discharge all their
untreated wastewater (from
washing machines, sinks, toilets,
etc) through pipes directly onto the
land surface, or into streams and
creeks. This practice is called
Straight piping, and is a violation of
NC Laws and Rules.
• Some buildings have a Septic Tank,
but Straight pipe some of their
wastewater (such as from the
washing machine). This is still a
violation of NC Laws and Rules.
Types of Failures and Violations
3. Unpermitted Privies
• In some situations permits are
issued for the construction of Pit
Privies. In these situations a soil
evaluation is completed, the privy
has to be built and located to
standards (including insect
screening), and any plumbing
inside the house must go to an
approved wastewater disposal
system.
• All other privies are in violation of
NC Laws and Rules.
Methods of Identifying Failures and
Violations
Indications of a
Surfacing Failing Septic
System:
• The ground near the septic system
maybe wet or mushy, even during
dry weather.
• Surfacing liquid in these wet areas is
often dark (sometimes nearly black).
• The area around the failure may
have a distinctive odor.
• Flies are often attracted to the failure
(especially in the hotter season).
• The vegetation may grow greener in
these areas.
Methods of Identifying Failures and
Violations
Straight Pipes
Some pipes coming from
a house may be
legitimate, for example
from:
Gutters
Heat pumps
Pond over flows, etc.
Methods of Identifying
Failures and Violations
Straight Pipes (continued)
Indications of straight piping
can include:
– deposits collecting at the end of the pipe or
on the ground underneath the pipe
(including staining of the ground, collection
of lint and fibers from the clothes washer,
food deposits, toilet paper, etc).
– by flies & smells (from sewage, rotting
food, etc).
– by witnessing the pipe in use (soap bubbles,
or toilet paper, etc may be visible).
– by visually following the pipe back and
seeing whether or not it lines up with
anything (the house guttering system, etc).
If a home owner wishes to
confirm whether they
have a Straight Pipe:
– Refer the homeowner to the Health
Department to see if they have a
septic permit,with a site diagram for
the system on file.
– Advise to use something with a
distinctive color (ideally dye tablets )
in the plumbing fixtures and see if
any of the color comes out the end of
the pipe.
– How many wastewater pipes leave
the house? Usually only one large
pipe leaves to connect to a septic or
sewer system. A second pipe going
out may indicate some of the fixtures
are straight piped.
What to do if you come
across a Failure or Violation
If you come across a failing septic system or other
related violation it should be referred to :
The Environmental Health Section at the local County
Health Department.
• Before any new Septic installation or repair can be started a
permit must first be obtained from the local Health
Department .
• For information about financial assistance contact:
The Wastewater Discharge Elimination (WaDE) Program
Tel. 1 866 223 5718.
• If failures or other violations are found in coastal counties
also contact:
N.C. Shellfish Sanitation Section, Morehead City
Tel. 252 726 6827.