Why Would a Titusville Property Have Two Septic Tanks?
Because some systems are built in stages. A property can have a primary tank that takes everything from the house and a second tank that gives the liquid more time to settle before it reaches the drain field. Both need pumping, and that is the job Centrel Services did in Titusville, in Brevard County. We do not have a Titusville office, so the crew rolled out of our Sanford yard loaded for the whole visit. We opened both tanks and pumped each one, and the service that followed is the same one we run for every home.
Before: digging down to the buried lid
Before: lid edge uncovered, still shut
How Do You Find a Septic Lid Buried Under Dirt?
You probe for it, then you dig. Many older systems have no riser, so the lid sits under a few inches of soil and grass. These two photos were taken before anything was pumped, the first step of our septic tank pumping service. The first shows the small hole where we opened the ground and found the square concrete lid. The second shows the edge of the lid uncovered, still shut.
Sandy, mixed soil like this digs easily, but it can also fall back into the hole, so we work carefully and keep the spoil on a tarp. We recommend installing a riser while the lid is exposed. A riser brings the access up to grade and means the next pump out starts in five minutes instead of thirty.
Brevard County septic permits and records go through the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County, which is worth a call if you do not know your system's layout.
During pump out visit: lid open, tank liquid visible
What Is Inside the Tank Once the Lid Comes Off?
Dark, standing wastewater and the pipe that feeds it. In this photo the lid is off and the opening shows liquid sitting in the tank with the inlet pipe visible above the waterline. A little buildup on the pipe is normal. A pipe that is blocked or hanging at the wrong angle is not, and that is what we check first.
The inlet is where the house line enters, so a clean pipe and a normal waterline mean the tank is breathing the way it should. A waterline that sits above the outlet usually points to a clogged outlet or a saturated drain field downstream.
Titusville sits close to the Indian River Lagoon, and the state is working to cut nutrient pollution from septic systems along it. The Florida Department of Health onsite sewage program explains the rules that apply. Regular pumping keeps solids out of the drain field, which is better for your yard and better for the water.
During pump out visit: second tank full
Why Pump Both Tanks During the Same Visit?
Because a half done job leaves the problem in place. If the first tank is empty and the second is full, solids and liquid keep moving and the system is back to square one. Pumping both in the same visit resets the whole system at once.
This last photo shows the second opening, with the tank full of dark liquid and a white PVC pipe rising out of it. We pull the liquid, then the sludge, and then take a look at the pipe, the walls, and the outlet. A full tank right to the top tells us how long it had gone without service.
If the tanks check out, you are done and we note it in your service record. If the drain field is the real problem, we say so plainly, and drain field repair is a separate conversation with its own written estimate. We never fold surprise work into a pumping bill.
Need Both Septic Tanks Pumped?
Centrel Services serves Central Florida and the surrounding counties. Call, tell us what you have, and we will give you a free estimate.