October 11, 2008
"Hotspots" Over Cesspools?
Q. I have what I call "hot spots" on the ground over where I'm sure my two cesspools (one is an overflow) are located. We moved into our home nine years ago, and whenever it snows, the snow rapidly melts in two areas on my lawn above the cesspool. Is there a problem brewing? It's been like this for years. I don't seem to have any problems inside the home, but I haven't seen anyone else's lawn doing what mine does.
-John G., Dix Hills
A. Because of all the bacterial action that goes on in a septic system, it's not uncommon for areas around drainage tanks or overflow tanks to be considerably warmer than the rest of the ground. Tony Wachinski, a civil engineer from Oyster Bay and author of "What Do You Mean My House Has a Septic Tank? A How-To Book for Homeowners," says you should examine the hot spots to see if the ground is squishy or saturated with wastewater. Ground that is squishy even during dry weather could indicate a failure in the septic system's overflow tank. Such a failure could mean you need a new system. If the area where the snow melts is not squishy, it's likely just the difference in temperature caused by the wastewater running through the septic system, Wachinski says.
You should find out when your septic system was built and exactly what type of system you have. You could start with your survey, which might be included in your closing statement from nine years ago. The survey should indicate the precise location of your septic system. If the survey doesn't help, you'll have to go through the Suffolk County Department of Health. (The Town of Huntington does not keep records on septic system installation.) Call the Office of Wastewater Management at 631- 852-2100. The office's acting chief, Walter Hilbert, says records from the early to mid-1970s are available. You'll need your tax map identification number to start the search process.
Systems built before 1973 often were constructed from cesspool blocks. These block systems usually contained two cesspools, with the first taking in household waste and the second serving as a drainage or overflow pool. Pumping these older systems can be dangerous. Reduced pressure from pumping can lead to cave-ins. If you have any doubts, my advice is to replace the entire system.
Later systems are true septic systems, in which the initial tank is an airtight concrete container and the second tank disperses a clear effluent into the soil.
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