What causes a septic system’s drainfield to flood?
That drip-drip-drip from a leaky bathroom faucet or running toilet does more than waste water and annoy your family. If your house has a septic system—and thousands in northern Arizona do because they’re not hooked up to a city sewer system—a leaking faucet could be flooding your drainfield. The drainfield—also called a leachfield—is the area on your property where your septic system’s pipes deposit the water from the tank into the ground. The water sinks deep into the soil, where natural bacteria break it down and convert it into nutrients. The remaining liquid evaporates or penetrates far beneath the surface. That is, unless the surface is saturated. If your drainfield is taking on more water than it can absorb, it never has a chance to dry out and make room for more water. As long as your family is awake, you’re sending water to that drainfield. Every time you flush the toilet, take a shower, brush your teeth, cook a meal, rinse the dishes or wash a load of laundry, water is flowing
