neighbors septic runoff contaminating our property

[TheGibberingPotato]

I live in a neighborhood that is all on septic-systems.  Our neighborhood is on a slight hill and so we have a few neighbors uphill.  There is occasionally a faint septic smell when you walk around the neighborhood... however, the past few days things have really intensified just next to our garage (garage is on uphill side of house).  This coincided with the winter storm that the east coast just got, so I figure the melting snow is saturating the ground, causing leech fields to flood, and a septic system to fail.  There is a swale on the side of my property that allows surface water to route out front to the street... I figure that the waste water is following a path such as this out towards my house... currently hard to see everything sicne there is snow on the ground, but the ground is water log.

There are a couple neighbor houses that could be causing this; the house directly next to ours was foreclosed a few months ago and has been emptied and resold to another buyer who is going to try to flip it presumably.  It is currently unoccupied and has been for a couple months now, but we were previously anticipating septic issues from this house (another neighbor warned us).  There are also two other houses uphill of us (next to our backyard) that could be the culprit: these houses are occupied.

Originally this was going to be simple, with me calling the state environmental department to have them send someone over, since I thought it was from the unoccupied house.  However, if it's actually one of the other neighbors, then I guess I should talk to them first...  However, I don't know these neighbors; despite living here for 2 years, I haven't gotten around to meeting them.

I don't really want to start a potential confrontation just before Christmas... I also don't want human waste runoff on my property, and I especially don't want it contaminating my well system.  What would you do? I am tempted to just call the state environmental department because I am confrontation averse.

*For those wondering, this is not due to my own septic system; our system is on the opposite side of the property and it would have to flow up hill to make it to the location where the oppressive smell is strongest.*

[the_fixer]

Are you sure it is not from a standpipe on your roof?

We had a house in the mountains and once in a while I would get a whiff of a nasty smell on the uphill side of my house I talked to a plumber, had our septic checked and they said everything was fine and that since that side of the house was closer to the hillside that air could drop down and be trapped between the house and hill.

Their only recommendation was to extend the pipe coming out of the roof or they make a device that you put over the pipe that helps disperse the odor better.

In the end we did not do anything about it since it was not that frequent and that side of the property was rarely used due to being a hill.

Good luck!


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[TheGibberingPotato]

it seems unlikely to be from standpipes; these are on the other side of the house, and I have smelled directly overhead them before... their odor is a faint sewer odor, while this is a concentrated/intense.  It is so intense that if I open my garage door, it will come in the garage and be smell-able for an hour.  Fortunately, the small is not yet coming inside my house (unless I open the inner garage door).
The only other time I smelled something like this was when I lived in another location, in which the city had a flood which cause city sewars to back-up.

[researcher1]

It is currently unoccupied and has been for a couple months now, but we were previously anticipating septic issues from this house (another neighbor warned us).  There are also two other houses uphill of us (next to our backyard) that could be the culprit: these houses are occupied.

However, if it's actually one of the other neighbors, then I guess I should talk to them first...  However, I don't know these neighbors; despite living here for 2 years, I haven't gotten around to meeting them.

I don't really want to start a potential confrontation just before Christmas... I also don't want human waste runoff on my property, and I especially don't want it contaminating my well system.  What would you do? I am tempted to just call the state environmental department because I am confrontation averse.

The problem almost certainly lies with one/both of the occupied properties.
You need to wait until after Christmas, then pay a visit to the 2 neighbors and introduce yourself.
Be friendly, mention the issues your are experiencing, and say you want to resolve the issue amicably/reach out personally before calling the environmental department.

A few questions...
How much space is between you and the neighbors?  Are these 0.5 acre lots or 5 acre lots?
Are you familiar enough with the septic systems to ask to look into their septic tanks to see if they are full/overflowing?

[TheGibberingPotato]

It is currently unoccupied and has been for a couple months now, but we were previously anticipating septic issues from this house (another neighbor warned us).  There are also two other houses uphill of us (next to our backyard) that could be the culprit: these houses are occupied.

However, if it's actually one of the other neighbors, then I guess I should talk to them first...  However, I don't know these neighbors; despite living here for 2 years, I haven't gotten around to meeting them.

I don't really want to start a potential confrontation just before Christmas... I also don't want human waste runoff on my property, and I especially don't want it contaminating my well system.  What would you do? I am tempted to just call the state environmental department because I am confrontation averse.

The problem almost certainly lies with one/both of the occupied properties.
You need to wait until after Christmas, then pay a visit to the 2 neighbors and introduce yourself.
Be friendly, mention the issues your are experiencing, and say you want to resolve the issue amicably/reach out personally before calling the environmental department.

A few questions...
How much space is between you and the neighbors?  Are these 0.5 acre lots or 5 acre lots?
Are you familiar enough with the septic systems to ask to look into their septic tanks to see if they are full/overflowing?

There are 0.5 acre lots or less.  I'm familiar with the principles of how a system works, but don't have hands on experience aside from cleaning my own filter.  We have a leech field, and I assume these neighbors due as well (probably the state law requires it but I don't have familiarity).  Presumably I'd go out and look for a soaking leech field (and then thrown out my shoes).

From what I can tell, these problems often indicate a failed leech field, which is a $$$ repair. 

[researcher1]

There are 0.5 acre lots or less.
Presumably I'd go out and look for a soaking leech field (and then thrown out my shoes).

From what I can tell, these problems often indicate a failed leech field, which is a $$$ repair.

I'm surprised a full septic system with leech field can even fit onto a 0.5 acre lot.

This might indicate that the leech lines aren't long enough to sufficiently disperse the liquids and could mean big money as you suggest.

[TheGibberingPotato]

There are 0.5 acre lots or less.
Presumably I'd go out and look for a soaking leech field (and then thrown out my shoes).

From what I can tell, these problems often indicate a failed leech field, which is a $$$ repair.

I'm surprised a full septic system with leech field can even fit onto a 0.5 acre lot.

This might indicate that the leech lines aren't long enough to sufficiently disperse the liquids and could mean big money as you suggest.

There is room, but you are correct that the reality of space plays in.  I have a 0.3 acre lot, my entire front lawn is the leech field.  I am careful to have only grass on top of it.  The leech field was replaced prior to us buying it; it had failed with the previous owners.

The state has guidelines on size requirements for leech fields... the neighbor probably met it or else they wouldn’t have passed inspection.  But, they may not have pumped their tank enough and gotten it contaminated with biofilm.

[Linea_Norway]

One of our previous houses had a well and a septic and a closed tank. The closed tank was there because one of the downhill neighbours had complained to the community about smell when the previous neighbour lived there. She then installed the closed tank. The closed tank was on the toilet only, the septic on the grey water.

We once had an issue with our well water. It contained some bowel bacteria during a test. Not sure whether it came from a neighbour, as there weren't houses straight above us. Maybe it was our own tank that overflowed once. Then we installed an UV light in the kitchen cupboard, where the kitchen water ran through. That way we had safe drinking water.

[researcher1]

There is room, but you are correct that the reality of space plays in.  I have a 0.3 acre lot, my entire front lawn is the leech field.  I am careful to have only grass on top of it.  The leech field was replaced prior to us buying it; it had failed with the previous owners.

The state has guidelines on size requirements for leech fields... the neighbor probably met it or else they wouldn’t have passed inspection.  But, they may not have pumped their tank enough and gotten it contaminated with biofilm.

Approximately how old are the houses in your neighborhood?
These septic systems may have been originally installed at a time where there were little/no state guidelines.

In my area, there is no way you could install a proper septic system on 0.3 acres.
That is way too little land for a system to work properly, after subtracting the footprint of the house/driveway, and setbacks from the house/road/utilities/fresh water source/neighboring properties/road. 

And you mention that these houses get fresh water from a well!
I don't think you can adequately space a leech field from a well on only 0.3 acre lot.

[TheGibberingPotato]

There is room, but you are correct that the reality of space plays in.  I have a 0.3 acre lot, my entire front lawn is the leech field.  I am careful to have only grass on top of it.  The leech field was replaced prior to us buying it; it had failed with the previous owners.

The state has guidelines on size requirements for leech fields... the neighbor probably met it or else they wouldn’t have passed inspection.  But, they may not have pumped their tank enough and gotten it contaminated with biofilm.

Approximately how old are the houses in your neighborhood?
These septic systems may have been originally installed at a time where there were little/no state guidelines.

In my area, there is no way you could install a proper septic system on 0.3 acres.
That is way too little land for a system to work properly, after subtracting the footprint of the house/driveway, and setbacks from the house/road/utilities/fresh water source/neighboring properties/road. 

And you mention that these houses get fresh water from a well!
I don't think you can adequately space a leech field from a well on only 0.3 acre lot.

The houses are old, like built in 40s-60s.  Certainly possible they are not up to code on septic.

Our septic system seems to work perfectly well on a 0.3 acre lot, but it is located on a hill so drainage is not too much of an issue.  There are 4 largeburied  trenches in my front yard.

The critical thing with leech fields is to pump your system routinely and prevent water saturation of the field with water.  These contribute to biolfilm growth which clogs the absorption area.  At this point, the only fix is to dig it all up an replace it, which is many thousands of dollars.  At least that is my understanding.

[researcher1]

At this point, the only fix is to dig it all up an replace it, which is many thousands of dollars.  At least that is my understanding.

Based on everything you've said, I think the only fix is for one/both neighbors to have to do this.
Good luck.

[Dicey]

If the state entity will actually do something, I'd hand it off to them asap. Easy enough to say you called  the agency because you didn't know where it was coming from.

[KarefulKactus15]

Tough one.  You hate to mis diagnose it and cause friction with your neighbors.

At the same time, if you are having certain bacteria growth and have a test to prove it, that's a problem. . .

An easy thing would be asking some targeted neighbors about their last well test and share your results?  I get that the smell is annoying but it might be easier to get action with a more measurable problem like tainted water.

Anyway - I did not have a well at the time - but my old neighbor disconnected their leech field when it clogged and just had a pipe coming out as a drain. Guess no money to fix the field.

I found out when their mower was broke and I cut their grass. There was a spot where the grass was soooo thick I had to make like 4 passes.  On the final pass that's when I saw the happy little pipe just spewing gray water about where it should have connected to the leech field. - it never smelled though....

[Dicey]

Tough one.  You hate to mis diagnose it and cause friction with your neighbors.

If he doesn't know the neighbors after two years, it doesn't seem there's much to lose.

[TheGibberingPotato]

Tough one.  You hate to mis diagnose it and cause friction with your neighbors.

If he doesn't know the neighbors after two years, it doesn't seem there's much to lose.

One of the neighbors is a friendly young couple I had intended to introduce myself to post-pandemic... hate for my intro to be this, but maybe it's better than the intro being a knock on the door from the state. 
The other neighbor I have heard is a hot-head, and so I may just avoid interacting with that one.

[Dicey]

I'm going to add another layer. Your neighbors are literally shitting on you. A tiny bit of righteous indignation would not be out of line here.