Dear Seth,

I just purchased a house on Waterside Rd. several moths ago. The house was built in 1940. The cesspool has over flowed 3 times since my family has moved in, and all the cess poll company has to say is that they just have to pump some pools more than others. Besides being very costly, quite frankly, it is not sanitary, to allow this to happen every so often and then have it pumped and treated. I asked them if a new system would work better, and the answer that I have received now from 3 different cesspool companies is that I really can't have a cesspool installed because I can't get a permit for one because there is not enough property. I also found out that the cesspool is partially on town property so I am not really supposed to try to fix anything unless the town gives me permission. This house exists right across from the marsh, at crab meadow beach, so the water level is high here, I have called the town and am getting no where. Also, 2 out of three times that I had to have the cesspool pumped, the technicians were quite confused because even though they were pumping the water level was not going down. This they said was either the marsh in the cesspool, or maybe a leek from the watermain, to which Suffolk County Water Authority has confirmed that there is none, so the marsh has to be in the cesspool. This cannot be good for the environment, or the public, and I am very frustrated - could there really be no fix. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Regards,
Lisa
Waterside Rd.
Northport, NY 11731

Dear Lisa,

Based on your description and location on the map it certainly sounds as if the cesspools on your property are "into groundwater." When septic systems are within close proximity to open bodies of water, creeks, tidal wetlands, etc, they become influenced by the surrounding waters. The reality is that the bottoms of your cesspools themselves are sitting into groundwater and are saturated. This is evidenced by the fact that they cannot be pumped dry. The waste water being generated from your household is simply sittting on top of the existing groundwater in the cesspools and your system then is acting as a holding tank rather than providing any drainage. Rest assured you are not alone, and I bet if you ask a number of your local neighbors they are experiencing or have experienced, similar problems.

Solving problems such as the one you have described are sometimes not easy. The best repair would be to simply abandon the existing system and install a new system which would meet current Health Code regulations, and I have no idea why any contractor would advise against it. If your home is 3-4 bedrooms the system would require a 1000 gallon septic tank and five overflow cesspools each one being 2' deep by 10' wide. The goal is to keep the bottoms of the cesspools as high above groundwater as possible. The Suffolk County Health Department requires that the bottom of a cesspool be at least 2' above ground water to allow for sufficient drainage. There are circumstances in which it is necessary to actually change the grade of the property to allow for cesspools to maintain this distance above groundwater and this process can be quite costly. My recommendation is to inquire with a LICENSED septic contractor who specializes in septic system installations as to the best plan for possibly installing a new system at your home. The contractor should inspect the site thoroughly and ask you for a copy of your survey to determine the location of property lines, neighboring wells, etc. If the cesspools onsite are in the rear yard which I am led to believe that they are, inquire about the possibility of installing the system in the front of the property or side which will require re-routing the plumbing. This may provide an area which will provide better drainage and keep the system away from area of groundwater which has failed the existing system. Keep in mind that the new septic system will have to meet certain setbacks from property lines, wells, etc. (A copy of these requirements can be acquired at the Suffolk County Departement of Health) As far as your individual town codes are concerned the local installer should be able to advise you best on how to address the problem. Don't forget to mention that a failed cesspool on anyone's property including the town is not favorable for anyone involved.

Other than a installing a new system what are your options....

The number one thing you can do as far as living with your existing system is to conserve water. Installing modern plumbing fixtures which conserve water, repair any leaks, and spacing your laundry loads out over a number of days rather than repeated loads will help but certainly not cure the situation. Another option is to separate the laundry from the septic system by installing a drywell. You should inquire about this with the septic installer when he inspects your property. Laundry useage accounts for the majority of wastewater generated from a single household so the more you keep it under control the better your system will react. Using environmentally favorable soaps and detergents will also help but not necessarily cure your drainage problem.

Please remember that you are not alone and that the condition you are experiencing is not unique. This problem occurs almost daily as groundwater levels fluctuate and especially as older "cottage" type seasonal residences now become year-round dwellings most of which make use of laundry and/or dishwashers which may have not been the case when the home was originally constructed. My advice when choosing a contractor is that if a contractor seemingly shuts the door by telling you it can't be done, he or she is not interested, and you should move on to one that is willing to undertake the project. Projects such as this may take more time and effort due to certain Town and NY DEC regulations so some contractors may not be willing to go the "extra mile" for you. Find one that will and make every effort to install a new system.
I hope that I have provided some options for you and a direction which you may not have originally considered. If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask.

-Seth