Anyone Know Septic Systems?

I just bought a house mid summer and I have been doing standard maintenance. I recently decided to get the septic pumped and I called up the old homeowners to find out where the tank is located and they gave me an approximate location. They also said the whole time they lived here they never got the tank pumped but they put septic treatment stuff in their drains. When I was digging up the yard I hit a power wire (pictured below) I continued my dig and later realized the wires had been cut and tapped off. I am actually not sure if this is an aerator or not. I just need someone to chime in. I dont think the old homeowners knew cause they had the septic tank breaker switched to on (which could increase their electric bill, right?) The first tank in line from the house also has solids nearly all the way up to the lid in it with the outside edge being clear (i'm assuming this allowed fluids to flow). The only thing I noticed this summer was a light septic smell outside the house on occasion (gone now). I am not sure if it was my system or a neighbors cause my yard looks perfectly fine with no issues. I also do not know if the second tank has a lid or not. I stopped digging for the night. Someone please chime in and help! Thanks!

 

Probably a good move on getting it pumped. Septic systems work terrifically when maintained properly.

 

Your house must be fairly new , you shouldn't go more than 5years between pumping. 2nd most states require septic pumping before you go to settlement on your house. Good luck

 

Well, should I just get that first tank pumped and cover it up for a few years till it gives me problems or until I become wealthier?

 

Why you say fairly new?

 

turd runs downhill

 

You must live in a valley.

 

1- when you say cut and tapped off you mean with wire nuts? And this was ina addition to you finding the cut wire on your own?

2- If the breaker is set to on, and the ends of the wires have a nut on them that seems odd...in order to tie the nuts on there or otherwise discontinue power to the source the breaker would need to be off to do safely- then why did they turn breaker back on?

3- I am not a plumber but know enough- depending on how much it is I would STRONGLY suggest that you get that thing pumped...there are few things more repulsive than showing up to a sump that has been left too long or doesnt work etc...

 

did you state require you to call ms utility before any shovels go in the ground? or only when using a mini ex or something larger?

 

Do you know if it is a gravity field ?

Your second tank could be a pump chamber and the power line ( although it doesn't look like NMWU cable ) is to provide power to the pump .

 

The only wire there is-is electrical taped off. I called dig rite before I dug and there is nothing marked even close to there.

Everything has been functioning fine tho except for that light septic smell outside that only came on occasion. This is downhill from my house as well.

 

Also note the same typed of tape (electrical tape) used on the power wires is also used to further tape the PVC end cap on that's covering the exposed tube.

 

The second tank didn't appear to have a lid either but I also didn't completely uncover all of it.

 

closest thing I can find that explains what system I have is this Septic Solutions - Installation

"low-pressure dose system"

except I already have a slight incline so this system isn't necessarily needed

 

actually i live on a hill

 

I am mostly of no use here but idk what the codes are in your area but our septic tanks (we have 3 of them) have to have the lids above the ground more than 6". We had to re-run the power line out to ours a few years ago because the old one shorted out somewhere (cheap ass construction company didn't put conduit underground when they ran the wire) and the zoning guy that came out to mark off where the wires were said we had to raise one of our lids.

 

on my tank the lid is the TOP of the septic tank, lol

 

So you have two seperate tanks yes ? Your link shows a 2 chambered single tank

 

Make sure you check if those wires are hot. What is the awg size?

 

The picture looks like 14/2 no ?