7 Things I’ll Never Put Near the Septic Again

When we first moved out here, the septic was out of sight, out of mind. That worked—until it didn’t. Turns out there’s a lot you can do wrong around your septic without even realizing it.

After a couple close calls and costly lessons, here’s what I’ll never put anywhere near that system again.

Heavy Equipment or Vehicles

Driving over the tank or drain field can crack pipes and cave in the lid. It doesn’t take a semi-truck to do damage either.

We had a friend pull too close with a trailer, and the ground sank under him. Keep all heavy wheels far away.

Garden Beds

It might seem like a good idea—easy water access and open space—but growing food over a drain field is a bad plan.

Roots can clog the pipes, and you don’t want to eat anything growing in that soil. Find another spot for your tomatoes.

Trees and Deep-Rooted Plants

Big trees send roots deep—and straight into your septic system. We had to rip out a maple that was choking a line.

Stick to grass or shallow-rooted plants. Anything aggressive with roots is a long-term risk.

Fencing Posts

We tried to fence in a small area and ended up hitting the line with a T-post. It cost more than the whole fencing project.

Mark your system clearly and avoid digging anywhere near it. Even a small stake can hit the wrong thing.

Sheds or Outbuildings

It’s tempting to build over “unused” space, but that’s the wrong place to put a structure.

Your tank will need pumping, and the drain field needs to breathe. Don’t block access or airflow—it’ll come back to bite you.

Fire Pits or Burn Areas

We figured it was fine to burn brush a few feet away. Turns out, heat and ash aren’t great for septic lids or pipes.

Now we keep all burn piles well away and mark the septic perimeter clearly so nobody forgets.

Overflow Gutters or Drains

Adding more water to your septic area shortens its life. We didn’t realize our downspout was flooding the drain field until the grass started getting soggy.

Redirect all water flow away from the system—gutters, AC condensation, gray water—every bit adds up.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.