This is the very last question that people with septic tank drainage wish to hear. It is usually asked by a visiting relative, and usually on a Sunday. It is often prompted by that unmistakable odour of stale washing-up water combined with ................. something else.   Another tell-tale sign that something is amiss is the appearance of a new boggy patch of nasty black sludge somewhere in the garden.

Most owners of suspect drainage systems know that there is a problem, but hope that it will go away.  Often they are lulled into a false sense of security when warm weather arrives and the drains start behaving beautifully as the ground dries out sufficiently for water to be absorbed from the 'soak-away'. Unfortunately, the problem returns with the first heavy downpour.

The first clues that things aren't quite right are when the loo won't flush properly, or there are strange gurgling noises coming from the sink.  A quick check under the lid of the nearest manhole reveals that it is full of 'gunge'.

The cause of this dilemma is either a blockage in the drains, or a defective 'soak-away'. The easiest way to confirm this is to inspect the outlet manhole immediately after the septic tank. If this is full of liquid, the 'soak-away' is defective.  Some septic tank installations are not fitted with an outlet manhole, and in these cases it will be necessary to check the septic tank itself to see if the water level is higher than the outlet pipe. I.H.S. Systems will carry out these checks for you free of charge, and will provide a report with recommendations to solve the problem.

If the 'soak-away' is defective, there is usually little option other than to install a new one, provided that a suitable piece of ground is available.  When a 'soak-away' fails, the ground for up to two metres around the distribution pipe is heavily contaminated, so a replacement 'soak-away' requires fresh ground to work properly. If there is insufficient space, or an upgrade is needed, click on the 'Solutions' button.