Building over septic leach line

[Daddydavesr86]

Im starting to get bids on having my new 24 x 30 x 10 metal building garage built.
I have septic leach line that will run in the middle of new building roughly 8 feet in.
I had septic guy come out to bid to relocate or cap run new line.
My system is 45 years old. So lines and d box are 3 feet deep.
Septic guy said he would have to move dbox up to 2 foot depth because new code. This will line up new line. Not sure how he plans to tie other lines to new depth. Said roughly $2k.

With that said. He told me to let them build the building and if no issues happen with line not to worry about it. If issue arrives he would resolve it.

I dont like the idea of rolling the dice.
I called couple other guys and they won't even look at job with out the health department saying what we can do.
Id rather not involve them if i dont have too.

What would you all do in this situation?

 

[PelicanPines]

Neighbor poured a concrete driveway over part of their leach. Worked ok for a bit then everything underground needed to be redone... next to the driveway... don't know the details but it had to be ten grand...

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

We unknowingly but an above ground swimming pool over part of our leach field. We did not have any problems for about 10 years. Things started going bad about the time we were going to sell. The system was about 25 years old and what I found on line was that fields last about that long YMMV. So did we shorten the life of the field, probably. We had to install a new field before we got the house sold.

 

[78SC4X4]

To build in Washington state you must get a building clearance permit ($110) from the health district. They require a 10' setback from existing and reserve drain fields. I know the county can require some stupid stuff, but it seems like a bad idea to me to build over your leach field.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Do not build over a leach field. Besides the fact that you can screw up your septic system, the building above can fail, or stink. If you intend to build over an abandoned leach field, you should rip it out, dump something compactable in the hole and then build over that. I've seen multiple slab and stem wall failures from building over septic fields.

 

[Farmall450]

So you don't want to involve the health dept, but also don't want to wing it?

 

[Daddydavesr86]

So you don't want to involve the health dept, but also don't want to wing it?

I know right.
I was surprised of what the septic contractor told me.
I guess i just fear that the health dept will say system not up to code require a major over haul.
But i will call them tommorow and firgure out what i need to do.

 

[tarmy]

They usually require a setback for a couple reasons...

So it actually dissipates the discharge, fumes that may emit from the junction box or an overcharged field and ground settlement.

Seems like building over it may not end well...

 

[Showkey]

In Wisconsin there’s no way they allow building over a septic line. If your area is zoned, can’t believe KY would be a whole lot different.

Septic leach lines are designed to have the water “leach up and down“. Up is evaporation, so building over is asking for a failure.

Neighbors septic is not draining properly. Removing the lines and replacement is $7800.

 

[CraigStu]

You may as well do it right according to code now. When you go to sell, someone is going to notice a building on top of a drain field. And then you get to fix it before you can sell it. At the very least you will have to make it a known fact which will have a terrible effect on selling price. Last house we wanted to do an addition so I went to the county code guys and talked w/ one for about 20 minutes about options. He pulled up the lot info and easily told me my first choice was a no go. It was not over the drain filed but was less than 10 feet from it. I wouldn't talk to the health people. Talk to the building permit people.

 

[bcoke]

Kaymccampbell has it right do not ever build over a leach field.......I do not completely understand the statement "one leach line is 8 feet in" does that mean the distribution box is outside the area to be built on and only one of the {fingers} leach line is partically onder the build site???? if that is the case could you just remove the one leach line that goes under the site, fill/compact, and add another to the other end....as for the d-box depth just add a 1 foot riser to it......imho although I am known to be full of --it......

 

[Jackfre]

Doing anything that can even possibly compromise a good or at least not bothersome septic system. As you are building, you apparently intend to stay there for a while. Septic problems can get very spendy very quickly. I agree with you that not taking the first guys advice is wise. Essentially he was saying, "go ahead and build it and if you don't have problems, don't call me." A marketing genius. A real pro. I'm interested to hear what the Health and Building depth say. Good luck with it.

 

[nadogail]

Building over a leech field is like putting lipstick on a pig.

 

[APEowner]

They system is 45 years old? Is there going to be a place to put the new field when the current one fails after the new building goes up? I'd be more concerned about that. if there is then I'd leave the current system in place, untouched and if there are problems down the road replace the whole system then.

 

[johnnyradiant]

One thing with rolling the dice is not only could the system end up with a failure at an inconvenient time, the building on top could too. Another is that as time moves on so do code requirements. If you plan for something based on what is allowed now but put it off for a few years you may find that new codes or bylaws have you screwed.

 

[Daddydavesr86]

Thank you all for your post.
I spoke to health dept environmental engineer.
He said its not that bid of a deal.
$155. Permit covers inspection and soil test.
Line is no more than 2 feet deep.
Dbox is set higher.
Other 2 lines install fittings from dbox to get to there 3 feet
depth.
I tried calling couple different septic companys no anwser yet.
Engineer also said we could cap line at d box or stop line before building.
5 foot easment on foundation of garage. 10 foot easment on house.

 

[Daddydavesr86]

Screen shot of lines in yard.
Green lines leach lines.
Where they meet in middle dbox
Red line is my over head power service lines.
White lines corgated black pipe barried for gutter drains.
Shed 10x12
Shed will be moved and 24 x 30 shop in its place.
End of driveway at shed 26 feet. Plus 2 feet allotment for side easement.
From driveway to back fence is 100 feet. All have to measure again to be sure.

 

[Shopshirt Mofo]

We bought a place that, unbeknownst to us, the leach lines run under the driveway. It was ok for a month or so then we noticed the wet crack in the asphalt driveway. Turns out most of the field is under the drive. We have a company coming to fix it we have to dig up the driveway and will likely have to try to find an alternate route for the driveway. $$$$. In any event if you can avoid building over the field do it.

 

[Mike in Ohio]

If your system is 45 years old and working fine, do not mess with it in any way! Can you move the new building forward enough to avoid it and I mean avoid it by more than the minimum?

 

[Daddydavesr86]

I dont know for sure its that old.
Baseing that off few different sources.
Im almost sure the d box and leach field have been replaced in the last 20 years.
I know dbox was in 2015.
Had record of it health dept.
But they couldnt anwser why it was so deep.
I had lid replaced and up to code risers installed 3 years ago.

 

[Daddydavesr86]

The only spot for building is at end of driveway.
The other side of our property 3 tier deck with above ground pool.

 

[kaymccampbell]

The picture helps a lot. You could terminate the one leach line at the white line, cap the pipe, clay seal the end of the trench. Then fill the part the building will sit on with crusher run or gravel. Then you could run another finger off towards the upper right corner of the yard. That would get your leach field out from under the proposed building, and get you a slightly larger leach field.