Can I have a swimming pool in my yard if I have a septic system?
I would like to put a pool in my yard. However, I have a septic system with leach fields. Can I still install a pool (above ground) or is this out of the question for me. I am also unsure of where my fields are. How can I map out where they are?
Public Comments
- I have a septic system and an in ground pool, their on opposite sides of the yard though and my lines and fill bed are far from the pool. To find out where your lines are you'll need someone (usually the guy that cleans your system) to locate them for you if you don't have a blueprint of the system. If you put the pool on top of your system or lines and you have a problem down the road with any of it the pool will have to be removed so repairs can be done. I found this out because of where I wanted to put a storage building.
- Hire a septic service company to inspect/service your tank and map the drain field at the same time. They will advise as to where you can and can not place a swimming pool.
- The local health department (or licensing agency) should have the original permit, which will show where the system is located. Some systems are old enough there isn't a permit. If this is the case, the health department can help find the system. You might ask the previous owner or neighbors who have lived in the area a long time. A septic tank pumper or installer can help you, but will likely charge for this service. In many cases the health department will do this free of charge (ours does). Nothing should go on top of or near any part of the system, this includes pools, sheds, decks, etc. Like all of the appliances and structures in your home, sewage treatment systems require care and will eventually have to be upgraded or even replaced. Most sewage treatment systems consist of two basic parts; a septic tank and a soil absorption system. The septic tank provides a small portion of the treatment by creating a large quiet compartment to allow solid material to settle out of the wastewater and collect in the tank. Once the large solid material has settled out, the sewage flows into a layer of unsaturated soil where the soil and microorganisms growing in the soil remove pollutants before the wastewater enters ground or surface water. Since the soil must accept all of the water used in your home, using less water is the best thing to maintain a septic system. Water conservation includes: • Repair water leaks, such as toilet valves that don’t seal and dripping faucets. • Install water conserving fixtures like low flow shower heads, low flow toilets, and even a front-loading washing machine. • Space out water use throughout the day and week. For example, avoid washing all of your laundry on one day. The soil absorption system (or leach field) is the most important part of a septic system, so it is important to protect the area. Careful landscaping includes: • Divert downspouts & other rainwater drainage away from the soil absorption system area. • Do not park cars, boats, other vehicles, or heavy equipment on or near the soil absorption system area. If the soil is compacted, the leach field has difficulty accepting wastewater, causing it to surface in the yard or back-up into the house. Also, driving over the sewage treatment system can crush leach lines or tanks. • Keep pavement, decks, above ground pools, and out buildings off of and away from the soil absorption system area. Construction activity can compact the soil and the structures limit access to the leach field for maintenance. Septic tanks are installed to allow solids to settle out of sewage and hold these solids in the tank. Over the years of operating, accumulated solids begin taking up too much room in the tank, reducing the volume available for settling. When this happens, solids start escaping the tank and can clog the soil in the soil absorption field. Before this happens, the septic tank should be pumped to remove the solids. In short, the ONLY thing that should be flushed into the sewage treatment system is what naturally comes out of humans and toilet paper. This includes septic system additives! There are no additives that will significantly help the system, and there are some that will hurt the system.
- You should as long as you know where the tank is and the field lines. When you get it- join us here at http://www.troublefreepool.com Lots of knowledgeable and people who know LOTS about pools. I am a new pool owner of a 27' AGP.
