Excess Water

Identifying and Reducing Excess Water in Your Septic System

To help identify excess liquid in a septic system, food coloring tablets can be provided so you can test your toilets for leaks.

Septic systems are designed to handle a limited amount of water over a 24-hour period. Proper performance and longevity depend on practicing water conservation and distributing water usage evenly throughout the week. For example, avoid doing multiple loads of laundry in a single day—spread them out instead.

There are several common sources of excess water that can be difficult to detect and should be checked carefully:

Leaking Toilets

To test for leaks:

• Place one food coloring (leak detector) tablet into the toilet tank (remove the lid first).
• Wait about 5 minutes without flushing.
• If colored water appears in the bowl, there is a leak.

Possible causes and solutions:

• Overflow issue: Check the water level in the tank. If it is too high and spilling into the overflow pipe, adjust the float arm so the shut-off valve stops the water at the proper level.
• Worn flapper valve: If the water level is normal but color still appears in the bowl, the flapper valve is likely leaking. Replacing it is inexpensive and can prevent serious septic issues.

Water Softeners

Water softeners periodically run a backwash (regeneration) cycle every 1–3 days, flushing salt brine into the system. If the unit malfunctions, it may become stuck in the “on” position and continuously discharge water into the septic tank.

What to do:

• Manually initiate a backwash cycle.
• Observe whether it shuts off properly after the set duration.
• If it does not stop as expected, contact a service technician for repairs.

 Basement Sump Pumps

Sump pumps are designed to remove groundwater from around your foundation and discharge it to a storm drain or dry well—not into the septic system.

Check your setup:

• Locate the discharge pipe from the sump pump.
• If it connects to your home’s sewer line, it is incorrectly routed into the septic system.
• A proper installation will discharge water outside to a separate drainage area, dry well, or storm system.

Why This Matters

Excess water can overload your septic system, leading to premature septic drain field saturation, reduced efficiency, and costly repairs.

Identifying and correcting these hidden sources of water can significantly extend the life of your system.