"benick" wrote in message
...

"Jungle Man" wrote in message
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Water from the washing machine splashed back recently, so, I took that
as a sign that the septic tank needed to be emptied. I was right. Been
there for 30 years without ever having been cleaned.

When we pulled the lid off, the level was up over the entry pipe to
the drain field, indicating the drain field is not draining. Probably
clogged with sludge.

So, looks like I have two choices; spend a ton of money on a new drain
field, or try to salvage the drain field in place. The economy has
been rough on me and I haven't had much work this year. Funds are low.

I need ideas and suggestions as to what I can do to get this drain
field draining again, without totally replacing it.

One plan is to expose the ends of the drain pipes, dig a large hole
and dump rock in it to creat more drainage. I'm wondering if I can
also run a snake or waterhose into the existing drain pipe to get it
working a llittle better.

Any advice?

Well...Is doing somthing like that "legal" ??? Here in Maine it is VERY
illegal....Seems disturbing soil around a septic leak requires Maine
Department of Enviromental Protection personal in spacesuits to remove
said soil to be transported to a "special" disposal site...Cost about
200.00 bucks a yard to dispose of it...Cheaper to cap the old system and
go new which is the point , I guess...That's what I did...So FIRST I would
inquire what the law is in YOUR state , county , ect. and make your
decision from threre...Here just pulling the permit for doing it means you
LOSE anything that's grandfathered and EVERTHING has to be up to current
codes....If you do try to "fix" it yourself without permits , ect. be very
carefull...Beware nosy neighbors who mighted be upset that your "hurting
the enviroment" or ****ed cause they had to fork out the big bucks for
their repairs...Try to make it look as though you're planting trees or
some such thing and do it when the neighbors aren't down wind of
you...LOL...

Yep, same here in Northern Illinois. Gone are the days when you could do it
yourself with a shovel. I used to live in an area where there was a layer
of clay under the topsoil. When it rained heavy for a few days, the soil
would bccome saturated above that clay and there was nowhere for the field
tile to drain to. Present house is topsoil and then several feet of sand
and gravel. I know because I just hired a contractor to build a road down
the hill in front of my place to the river and rip/rap the bank. He owned
the five acres on the other side of my property and he "borrowed" the fill
and some gravel from that land.

Tom G