Where I used to live the building department had a folder with a few dozen
had drawn pieces of paper showing leach fields and septic systems it depends
how rural area you are in someplace have the stuff over a 100 years old!
Never hurts to ask.

That said when I put up a large barn quite a few years ago they did run into
the leach files, simple solution was just to extend it in the other
direction by a like amount . if you are talking about less than 10% I would
go with that solution.

As of where it is located the guys who pumped it out should have a good idea
where it is from experience as all your neighbor probably have fields
similar to yours, ask them to come out an see if they can guestimate it then
start digging and see what you hit. Leach file sis basically a bunch of
perforated pipe with crushed rock etc.. depending on just how the soil is.


This site has a pretty good explanation

http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/emd/en...er_septic.html


Wayne
"Don Wallace" wrote in message
...
Hi,

My wife and I are considering construction of a two car detached
garage in our backyard. Our septic system is also in the backyard. I
*THINK* the new garage could be located such that it would not
interfere with the septic system. I think.

Our lot is only 1/2 acre and the way the lot lines are located and the
way the house is situated, there is only one reasonable place to
locate the garage, which puts it at least on the border of the septic
field.

The house is old construction, 50 years old, and has the original
septic system (which was pronounced in good shape by the guys who
pumped it out last spring.) So my guess is that maps, plans, etc as
well as the original plumber or septic company are loooong since gone.

Last thing I want to do is to trash out the leach field by
construction so that we are in for another $7-$8K in redoing the
septic system.

I checked out some old NG articles via Google. The best DIY technique
seemed to be this one:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...news.aol .com

Another guy in this thread suggested flushing barium enema down the
toilet and using a geiger counter to find the lines, but somehow, I
don't think I want to deal with Homeland Security's guys on this one.
(LOL)

Now, do septic construction or maintenance companies have other, more
reliable tools for doing this?

Thanks much.

- Don