5 signs that your septic system is failing

The first indicator of a problem will likely be an odour. If you smell sewage odours inside the cottage, that could indicate a backup. Smells outside could mean that one of the access hatches had been left open or that sewage is percolating up to the surface from the leaching bed.

Do you find that your water fixtures are slow to drain? Or do you occasionally have backups? While there are a number of potential reasons for this—from clogged interior pipes to roots in the exterior drain line— it could also be an indicator of an issue, particularly if the problem affects all the drains.

Every cottager should know where their septic leaching bed is (so they don’t drive over it, park on it, or plant deep-rooted vegetation nearby). If you see water pooling on the ground over your leaching bed, you could have a problem.

Some people erroneously think that vibrant strips of grass indicate a healthy system. The opposite is true. Parallel lines of bright green grass indicate that the ground is being over-fertilized from below ground.

If your septic is equipped with an alarm, it will go off if the float detects high water. Step one is to stop adding any more water to the system until you figure out the problem. It could be a clogged effluent filter, a failed pump, or a backed-up leaching bed.