A no-longer-used septic tank may seem harmless enough, especially when it’s “out of sight, out of mind.” However, an obsolete or abandoned septic system must be decommissioned for health and safety reasons. In fact, once you’re connected to public sewers, you’re required to decommission the septic system in accordance with local regulations.
Many home and business owners are unfamiliar with this process or have never heard of it at all. In these cases, it’s essential to allow an experienced professional to ensure that this critical process is executed correctly from start to finish.
Why Is It Important To Decommission Your Septic Tank?
The primary reason to decommission your septic tank is due to health and safety concerns for you, your family, your community, and anyone who may want to purchase your property in the future. That’s why most local governments require decommissioning once the property is connected to the public sewer system. In fact, if you live in King County, decommissioning is required within thirty days of connecting to the main sewer line.
An abandoned septic tank can become a hidden danger. Over time, the tank’s walls can become weak and unstable. Once this occurs, the tank can collapse. An unexpected septic tank collapse can cause a sinkhole or other catastrophic damage to property. Even more importantly, it could cause someone to get hurt, or worse.
Another potential danger is the buildup of harmful gases in the tank. If the septic tank becomes cracked, damaged, or corroded, these gases can escape, causing health or environmental damage or even an explosion.
The good news is that you can avoid many of these problems by simply hiring a licensed provider to decommission the unused septic tank.
What Happens When Decommissioning A Septic Tank?
After the property owner or the sewer service provider obtains the required permitting, the technicians can begin the process of safely taking the old septic tank out of service. The process is actually quite simple and can be completed without causing too much disruption to the home or business.
Locate The Septic Tank
The first step is finding the existing septic tank, which can sometimes be a challenge that requires special equipment and a good amount of technical knowledge and experience. Once the technician locates the tank, they’ll dig it up and remove the lid.
Pump Out The Old Tank
Next, the technician will disconnect the power and dig up any buried electrical lines to the system. Then, they will pump out any remaining liquid from inside the tank. Pumping out the sludge before breaking open the tank will prevent an underground reservoir from forming underneath the ground.
After all the liquid is removed, the technician will break apart the bottom of the tank. This will allow ground moisture to soak into the surrounding area, preventing a potential surface collapse later on.
Fill The Septic Tank
Once the tank is emptied and the bottom is broken open, the technician will fill the empty space with a crushable but permeable material. Typically, rocks, gravel, concrete, or clean sand are used to fill the tank.
Whatever material is used should be compacted down to prevent it from settling and creating a depression or collapse over time. Once this is done, the technician will either crush the tank lid or seal it off safely.
Some property owners choose to remove the tank altogether, but this is a much more extensive (and costly) process. Filling the tank and sealing it off is a much more practical solution.
Inspect, Grade, And Certify
Once the process is complete, the area needs to be properly graded to ensure proper runoff and leveling. The technician will inspect the entire area, do a thorough grading, add soil as needed, and install any necessary vegetation cover. The inspection will include ensuring that any permitting requirements are met so that your property is in compliance with all local regulations.
Finally, the property owner is provided with a certificate to document that the septic tank has been properly decommissioned.
Trust Us With Your Septic Tank Decommissioning
Don’t let your unused septic tank become a health and safety hazard now or in the future. Contact the professionals at All Septic & Sewer today to learn more about the simple but critical process of decommissioning your septic tank.
You can reach us toll-free by phone at (888) 541-6680 or by using our convenient online contact form!
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