Your home has had its septic inspection in Prince William County VA, and everything is working fine. Yet that septic odor persists, and you wonder if something is going on with your neighbor’s septic system. And since that smell seems to come from all directions, how do you know which neighbor has a septic problem?
It’s important to note that odor problems don’t necessarily mean that your neighbor’s system is in failure; instead it could be that their plumbing and venting has been improperly installed. If a talk with the neighbor provides no relief, you will need evidence that their septic effluent is actually entering your property, before you contact the Prince William County VA Health Department.
Evidence of septic failure
- The most obvious is effluent matter on the surface of the soil.
- Areas that are warm and/or just wet during the winter, or stay wet after rains
- Soil or water testing for coliform bacteria or e coli bacteria to determine contamination with sewage effluent
Once you have your evidence, you should contact the Health Department. They will send out an expert to do a septic inspection, and if needed, a dye test. If the neighbor’s system fails the septic inspection and/or the dye shows up on your property, then the Health Department will force your neighbor to fix the situation.
If you suspect that your neighbor’s septic system is draining onto your property, please contact SES. The professionals at SES are experts in septic system design, installation, inspection, and maintenance in Prince William County VA, and the rest of the Northern Virginia area. They can conduct the required septic inspections, and soil and water testing that will determine if and how bad the problem may be.