Small hole in top of septic field.

[Skooterj]

I am replacing a broken fence post. It appears the post is directly above one of my fingers. So I guess I need to move it over a couple of feet. But when digging out the old hole, I noticed a small hole in the top of one of the field covers. About the size of my fist. Is this something I can just cover and backfill? I stuck my hand down the hole and it is full of wet muck.
Do I need to call a pro? My system is way oversized for just my wife and I, but I don't want a super expensive fix 10 years from now.

 

[mm08822]

My field has vertical inspection risers that I cut flush with the lawn surface and replaced the end caps at ground level.

Years later I punctured a couple of them aerating. I eventually replaced those caps.

Not sure of the wet muck situation. How much is normal, expected, etc., is something a septic company should know. (I don't think every company driving around in a honey sucker would have this knowledge. )

 

[Skooterj]

Update. I have sucked most of the muck out with my shop vac. I can't get it all. I called the local septic guy I know, but it's Sunday, so left a message. So hopefully he can come take a look next week. The hole has all twisted plastic, so I'm guessing it has been there at least 6 years since I had a fence "pro" auger and set the posts.

 

[Skooterj]

Pretty sure the muck is super wet clay soil. I probably got 75 percent of it out. I **** out water, but it just fills back up.

 

[mm08822]

Pretty sure the muck is super wet clay soil. I probably got 75 percent of it out. I **** out water, but it just fills back up.

Time to wash out the shop vac - jic.

"Filling back up" is ok if it eventually drains out. That all depends on the last time it received some type of discharge. If it's non-stop w/o receiving more discharge or never empties then it's on to an oh **** time for the meadow muffin field.

 

[Skooterj]

Time to wash out the shop vac - jic.

"Filling back up" is ok if it eventually drains out. That all depends on the last time it received some type of discharge. If it's non-stop w/o receiving more discharge or never empties then it's on to an oh **** time for the meadow muffin field.

The water level is slowly dropping. And I took a shower. We have 5 fingers. The system is designed around 5 bathrooms, but we really only use one. I'm hoping just this one chamber had a bunch of clay flow through the hole over the last 6 years.

And yes, I washed out the shop vac and the hose.

 

[Wrench97]

Drain field finger, the liquid from the septic tank runs through a Dbox and then out to the fingers.
It should be wet, the fence post has been blocking it off since installed.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Drain field finger, the liquid from the septic tank runs through a Dbox and then out to the fingers.

I love how in the diagram the ground water flows past the fresh water well first and then on towards where the septic effluent will merge with the groundwater. Curious how they determine direction of flow of either.

I have noted over the years that towns often use the same stream or river to draw municipal water from and to discharge sewage outflow to and although they always point to the outflow and say "That's treated to the point you could drink it" they always put the discharge downstream of the intake for the water system.....but it's upstream of the next little towns water intake a few miles downstream.

Same thing would be true above for the next door neighbors not shown in the diagram.