What can cause my septic system to fail?

Several factors can cause a septic system to fail. Here are some:

1. The age of the field: after 15 to 20 years of filtration, it is normal for a drain field to jam and to become saturated.
2. The use of a food sink crusher and the discharge of cooking fat, oil and grease: all this contributes to the increase of fats and suspended particles which can go up to the drain field and affect its functioning.
3. A hydraulic overload: if the volume of water flushed out by the house tenants is greater than the capacity of the field to absorb it, it is very likely that particles will pass from the septic tank to the drain field contributing to its failure. Furthermore, the excess water will soon reach the surface and soak the lawn.
4. The backwashed water from the water softener: If this water is sent into the septic system, thus in the drain field, the chemical reaction produced with clay particles has the effect of hardening the soil and rendering it watertight. It is process hardly reversible.