Septic tank and water usage problems

I would really appreciate some serious thoughts/input/help rather than jokes or snide comments please.

I had my septic tank, 10,000 liters, pumped a few months ago and it cost $6,000. A few months before that, it was pumped, only one side, and the cost was $3,000.

I took an online water use survey (converting from liters to U.S. gallons) and looked up usages for toilets and washing machines.

I calculated for toilet flushes, showers, washing machine. The survey also included letting the water run for 1-2 minutes for it to warm up. I didn't include the bathtub since I set up a system to recycle this grey water.

Even using low flow toilets and not flushing just pee (as recommended in many instances and countries), I'm still having to pump the tank at least 2X per year.

I am told there is no leach field for my septic tank, so it's a closed system. At one point I thought maybe there were drain holes in the bottom of sides of the tank, but then I was told there weren't, and this was to keep the "black" water away from the groundwater.

First I would ask, if you know how big your septic tank is and how often you have to pump it. There are only two people in the house here. And has anyone here had a house built and seen or know about how septic tanks are done in the Laks Chapala area when there is no place for a leach field?

It's sort of frustrating when I'm paying more to pump my septic tank than I pay for a year in colonos fees.

Maybe there is no answer but it never hurts to ask. I always figure there are many others that know more than I do.

Thanks.

If you have a closed system of course it will fill up fairly quickly. Usually there are gaps in the septic tanks sides that allow water to seep out into the surrounding soil so you would only need the tank pumped when it fills up with solid stuff than won't seep out. This should take years. You have a fairly large septic tank and the water should be able to seep out somewhere. Who told you there were no drain holes? When I bought my house the drain holes were all plugged so the grass was very wet in that area. In some the septic tank feeds to a distribution tank that has drain holes. A few places have proper drainage fields but most just seep out into the surrounding area so the black water mixes with the groundwater.
About 4 to 5 thousand liters a month goes to my septic tank (this is lower than average. I calculate this by the amount of water that passes through my tinaco) so my tank would fill pretty quickly if it couldn't drain away.

It may be that I was misinformed about it being a totally closed system. My plumber told me this a year ago and I took it for gospel from a "professional."

Last night, I read an old article by Brad Greaves about septic systems and I think he mentioned something such as the drain.

Right now, water is coming out of the tank at the access holes and in the garden area, so no matter what the cause, I'm figuring the tank is full.

It also may be with the torrential rain over these few nights, albeit only for a short time, the ground may be 100% saturated and the tank sludge/water can not be absorbed.

Did you call a plumber as CBob suggested when you asked the exact same question on Thursday?

Yes, no return call yet.

I was asking for anyone who had first-hand experience to educate me.

It was a plumber that told me the system was totally closed yet I also read there is someplace for the water to be absorbed into the ground.

I thought my questions were pretty direct.

I wonder sometimes when I read threads, if this is how people would talk w/each other is they were sitting around a table drinking coffee.

Thanks.

No return call? Most of the people I use have cell phone and I aways get them one way or the other.

Don't understand how someone else's experience with their system is going to help you with yours. Hence the advice to call a plumber?

And, yes, this is what I would say to you face-to-face. If you are sensitive you might want to post your questions on TOB. Here, it is assumed we are all adults and can handle direct responses.

Everyone's points here are well taken.

A smart person recently suggested that with my 10+ years living here, I should be answering questions rather than asking (simple) ones.

I'm going to take that suggestion and hope I can help people with my knowledge.

OK.

Clueless wrote:     


I wonder sometimes when I read threads, if this is how people would talk w/each other is they were sitting around a table drinking coffee.

At least here, on this board, all you will get is words, whereas around a table, at least in my family, it might get physical.

like......

More likely drinking Guinness......

When a plumber does come question him closely as some of them are pretty clueless about septic tanks. There is a guy in Chapala who is supposed to be a septic tank expert but he gave me a bum steer and charged a fortune but I could dig out his number if you want.

You are probably correct in assuming that the ground is saturated, especially if you bought in a low-lying area not served by municipal sewer lines. My guess is that you live in lower Riberas, or somewhere close.
I know of no true septic systems at Lakeside, which would be designed above maximum water table and include an appropriately sized leach field in a sandy clay friable soil capable of providing treatment. The tank would be closed and contain two compartments. In difficult situations, two such tanks might be used to provide secondary treatment; tertiary being provided by the leach field.
These are details one should investigate before purchasing a property. Frankly, I would avoid the purchase of any property in Mexico with a typical “fosa“ system on a lot less than an acre, or even larger if the lot has a well.

pay attention rv. he lives in haciendas,waaaaay uphill.

Clueless is there clay spoil around your septic tank?

I missed the location, but he could still be in a saturated area when it rains hard. A properly designed system should not be affected. If the system is flooded, allowing effluent to escape, the system needs to be re-designed.

cypress wrote:Clueless is there clay spoil around your septic tank?

No, I believe it's fill with a lot of rocks. Very little "soil" from what I have found.

I believe the heavy rains have something to do with it. I have areas around some plants/vines that usually soak up water when I give it by a hose, now, they have standing water around them, and I know they are at the edge of the large chamber.

I'm going to wait until it dries out and see what happens and probably will have it pumped. I'll make sure all the sludge at the bottom is taken out (as much as I can make sure).

I may have to end up taking out s couple of sq. ft. of patio and digging a "well" hole for overflow and hope that lets the added fluids dissipate into the ground.

The neighbor in back of you (on Cordonices) has a septic system that flows into his neighbors yard, it seems to be a problem on that block!?

In the USA, septic systems may only be installed in undisturbed soil; never in fill, as it does not treat the effluent.