Its never a good idea to park over a leach field. THe design of the fields are based on native soil characteristics such that any compaction will change this characteristics and may cause the field to fail. Even compaction slightly down gradient (for GW) may have that effect.
You might wonder if occasional driving or parking would be okay. Unfortunately, even infrequent use can harm your drainfield. Unlike driveways or streets that are built for vehicles, your drainfield isn't designed to handle any kind of traffic at all. It's always better to play it safe and keep vehicles off.
In general, and if you are talking about a normal car or small truck, it is probably okay to drive over your septic drain field OCCASIONALLY. I would not, for instance, recommend placing your driveway there. Ideally, your drainfield should remain uncompacted by regular vehicle traffic.
Yes, you can. One caveat. Provide access to the top for cleaning. It's inevitably going to need pumping out. DO NOT slab over the drain field or distribution box. The distribution box is one of the other most accessed devices in your system. The drain field need weather to operate properly.
While you should consider all of the factors above, many professionals believe that the maximum weight for a leach field is around 10,000 pounds.
Follow Septic Sam's landscaping do's and don'ts: Don't: Plant a vegetable garden on or near the drainfield. Put plastic sheets, bark, gravel or other fill over the drainfield.
Minimize traffic on the mound, both human and animal, to avoid soil compaction. Do not exercise pets or stake pets on septic mounds. Never drive a car or other vehicle across the mound or mow when the soil is wet.
Things that should not be installed on top of your septic drain field include: Heavy equipment and vehicles, which can compact the soil and damage the drainfield pipes. Paving, such as asphalt or concrete, which prevents rainwater from reaching the soil in the drainfield, disrupting the natural filtration process.
Keeping trees at least 50 feet away from septic systems is ideal, but if you plan on growing plants like willows, shoot for 100 feet. Give your leach field a wide berth when planning out your landscape. Grasses, or even wildflowers, over your septic area make a better alternative.
If the septic tank lead opens, there is a considerable risk of them falling into a tank, exposing them to various bacteria and threatening their health. There are many cases of this, so it is best to keep yourself and any kids away from drain fields and follow the do's and don'ts of a septic tank section.
Best Practices for Mowing Near a Septic System
We advise establishing a zone over and extending at least 10 feet around your drain field where you only plant grass and no heavy machinery rolls over it.
In most cases, homeowners insurance does cover septic tank damage when it results from a sudden, unexpected event (as you might have noticed from the above list). However, home insurance is not likely to cover damage resulting from septic system problems caused by wear and tear or lack of maintenance.
Similar to building a home or deck, placing a shed on your septic field is not advisable. Sheds are heavy and can compact the soil, reducing the efficiency of the drain field. Additionally, heavy foot traffic around a shed could inadvertently lead to damage.
One septic drainfield danger is that it is never a good idea to drive, or build, over any part of a septic system.
In-ground pools can't be built over the pipes leading to your septic tank, which makes this process crucial for avoiding disasters. In addition to avoiding blocking or covering vital parts of your septic system, check your local regulations regarding pools and septic systems.
Tat's not a good idea. You wouldn't have access to the area for necessary septic tank pumping in Petaluma, CA and there are other reasons to avoid doing just that.
Grass is the ideal cover for drainfields. Grasses can be ornamental, mowed in a traditional lawn, or in an unmowed meadow. Or, you can try groundcovers and fems. The key to planting over the drainfield is to select shallow-rooted, low-maintenance, low-water-use plants.
How close to a septic tank can I add plants? You can plant grasses and other shallow-rooted flowers and plants directly on top of a septic field. Keep trees away from a septic tank and field.
Broken components: Over time, the strength of growing tree roots can break pipes apart, damage the tank, or disrupt the drain field. System contamination: Compromised septic systems can lead to untreated waste leaking into the surrounding environment, posing a significant health hazard.
Shield Your Field: Don't: Park or drive on your drainfield.
In order to keep your septic system running properly, you should avoid building on or near your leach field. While it's important to follow state and local building codes, plan to break ground at least 10 to 20 feet from where your leach field is buried.
Finally, it's important to locate your septic tank so that you can protect it. Never place anything heavy over it, think sheds, or above ground pools, etc. It's probably not the best place to set up your kids' trampoline or swing set either.
The 'stock answer' is “don't ever drive anything over your septic tank/lines/field.” It makes sense because the simple installation practices don't really take into consideration the engineering for roads and such.
To prevent compaction, do not allow any vehicles or heavy equipment on the mound. When mowing the lawn, use a hand mower, rather than a riding mower. In general, try to reduce the amount of foot traffic and other activity on the mound. This will also help protect the mound from losing soil to erosion.
Typically, the drainfield consists of three to five trenches that are 18 to 24 inches deep, up to 100 ft long, with a perforated pipe in 12 to 18 inches deep gravel covered by 12 inches of soil.