In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 4 Sep 2019 22:04:24 -0000 (UTC), "Arlen G.
Holder" wrote:

On Wed, 04 Sep 2019 16:20:18 -0400, micky wrote:

What does your grass look like near the finger system?

This is California where there is no rain for 10 months of the year, and
then the monsoon season for the other two months - hence - the grass is
green in winter everywhere - and brown in summer - everywhere - septic or
no septic.

Besides, how DEEP is the septic system anyway?

2 or 3 feet, I guessed.

They're all on hills so they flow downward but aren't they too deep to
affect the grass anyway?

Not in Indiana. In the hot days of summer, the grass is light green,
except over the finger system where it's darker green and taller. Can't
miss it. I think when I first got there, age 10, I wondered what it
was, and got it explained to me. It was a first for my mother too, and
I think it took her a few years to learn it was supposed to be cleaned.

My guess on the depth is based on how far I think the water would spread
out while getting closer to the surface, and how wide the green strips
are. They were about 15=18" wide ttbomr.

Ask the septic tank cleaner next time he comes if he saw anything, or if
he knows anything about this. Better yet, call the company now and ask
them. They won't charge extra if you make this admission, will they?
Maybe call from a pay phone so they won't know it's you.

I've been here for over two decades and never once needed the septic system
pumped out so I don't have a 'septic cleaner' guy.

Besides, with all the septic systems on steep hills, I can't imagine them
ever "overflowing" to the point that they could possibly reach the surface.

How deep are they anyway?

I think we only had ours cleaned once in the 8 years I lived there, or
maybe more but I was never home when he came. I guessed the top of the
tank was a foot below the surface. The previous owner violated some
rule and built the patio over it, with a 4' hole over the tank so that
when it was dug up for cleaning it didn't affect "the yard", just a
flower bed or whatever was planted there after he left.