When Digging a Pond, How Far From a Septic Field Line Should You Dig?

Dangerous Area

• Septic, and its cousin, sepsis, have long been used to signify putrefaction, or the rotting of meat. It is a medical description common for people who have a bacterial infection that is causing major trauma. This indicates that septic fields are an unhealthy place to be. For every bacterium that is rendered harmless by time, another takes its place from new rotting food and feces in the septic tank.

Vulnerable Water

• Water, whether from a well, stream or pond, is particularly vulnerable to leakage from a septic tank and field. County codes establish minimum distances the field must be from such areas. Because the drainage conditions are different in various parts of the country, you have to check with your individual county clerk's office to determine the specific distance requirements in your area. In Missouri, for example, most counties require that the closest edge of a lake or pond be at least 50 feet from a septic tank or field.

Drinking Water

• Drinking water sources must be even farther from septic fields. For example, a private well in Missouri must be at least 100 feet from a septic field, while a public drinking well must be at least 300 feet away. An open spring must also be at least 100 feet from the nearest septic field. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that all wells providing drinking water be checked at least once a year for bacteria. Wells can deteriorate over time, and many older wells were built too close to septic fields for safety.

Planting Vegatation

• The planting of trees and other plants with deep, extensive root systems directly on top of the septic field is discouraged, because they can interfere with the distribution system that takes the waste to the tank and then to the field. Grasses and other perennials that need little maintenance are best, since that lessens the foot traffic over the field. A no-till philosophy is helpful because the soil underneath the plants will not be disturbed.