The neighbor called to ask about an issue with his septic tank, a device bured u

Question

The neighbor called to ask about an issue with his septic tank, a device bured underneath a house's yard that performs secondary sewage treatment through the use of anaerobic microbes. He had no idea what was going wrong other than the fact that "the toilets don't work, the yard smells funny, and there's some black stuff coming out of the ground." Provide several possible explanations for what is going on, along with a solution for each problem, detailing why the fix would work. Make sure to keep the discussion grounded in microbial ecology principles, explained in a fashion the neighbor would understand.

Explanation / Answer

A common misconception is that paying a sewer bill leads a lot of people to think the city is somehow responsible.

Couldn't be further from the truth. You pay the city for waste water treatment.

The sewer line from your house to the street is your responsibility.

There could be a blockage in the main if you have stuff coming up in the toilet.

Not likely however, unless it's coming up in a lower fixture like a floor drain, tub, or shower.

The black mess you describe under your sink is sludge buildup from years of accumulated grease, grime, soap, etc. (smells like gray water not sewage).

Don't use drain cleaners. A living bacteria (bio-treatment) will help with preventative maintenance.

Common household items, bleach, anti-bacterial soaps, can kill the natural (good) living bacteria in drains eventually leading to a soft blockage.

If you have a soft blockage, a snake probably won't clear it but temporarily if at all.

It will probably require jetting with a mini-jetter to clean the inside walls of the pipe.

As far as your leak goes; like others mentioned, probably a simple fix.

Black stuff in the toilet could be deterioration of plastic and rubber components in the tank caused by cleaners.

___________

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