Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm about to purchase a new construction home in Central TX, and it'll be my first time dealing with a septic system. I'm not worried about the system itself breaking down since it's new, and we plan to keep up maintenance. But I am wondering if the grass I'll be planting in the leach field will be safe for pets. My dogs like to eat grasses to supplement their diet, and if it's not, should I block just put paving stones there instead and keep the vegetation back, behind the system itself?
I grew up in a house with septic. My mother bred and raised show dogs (collies) We never had a problem. As kids we plaid in the yard over the septic tank and leech field. We played in the same yard. We grew up healthy. Our house was over 30 years old when we bought it. We did have to replace the tank itself after10 years or so but that was due to the fact that in the 1930s they used steel tanks not concrete ones. My mother sold the house about 20 years later. The system never had any problems.
There is an old saying 'The grass is always greenest over the septic tank' and we found that to be pretty true (but it is actually over the leech field) I believe it is mainly because there is a more steady source of water to the roots of the grass. I don't think a drain field with paving stones over it would work properly but I'm used to systems here in the mid Atlantic region.
Really appreciate your responses, MidValley and ThreeRun! I'll feel safer knowing we can let our (future) kids roam around on the grass, too (not just the dogs).
I'm about to purchase a new construction home in Central TX, and it'll be my first time dealing with a septic system. I'm not worried about the system itself breaking down since it's new, and we plan to keep up maintenance. But I am wondering if the grass I'll be planting in the leach field will be safe for pets. My dogs like to eat grasses to supplement their diet, and if it's not, should I block just put paving stones there instead and keep the vegetation back, behind the system itself?
Thanks so much in advance!
I know you can't put anything over the tank and I'm pretty sure you can't cover the leach field with anything either or the tank won't drain and the system won't work properly.
The "sewer" leaches down so there's no worries when the system is working properly. Over the years, you just want to make sure it's not coming up to the surface. If/when that happens you need to get it repaired. Normally it's from blocked leach bed lines. I've had my system for 25 years without issue or any blocked lines.
Every time I see this thread get a new post I forget what it's about. I thought at first you were flushing dog poo down the toilet.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
