We recently moved into a house with a 26 year old septic system. The grass grew very well and green over where we assumed the septic field was (from reading on this website,I now know this is a sign of failure in the field). A few months ago we had odors and water seeping out of the ground. Pumped the tank and found the exit baffle was broken off (so we assume lots of scum ran out into the distribution pipes) and that the first three foot section of clay pipe exiting the tank had "settled" and was broken and disconnected (pipe was 4" lower) from the exit hole of the tank. 

I installed a new plastic "tee" baffle and exit pipe, connected it to the existing distribution pipe (which, strangely, was a plastic pipe after the first broken clay pipe section). We crossed our fingers, reduced our water usage and hoped this would solve the problem. Now, a few weeks later we are getting wet areas again (not as severe as it first was). 

A last few observations; I do not think we have a distribution box (I am a contractor and have rarely seen them on systems here in Ontario) and in connecting up to the existing distribution header pipe I observed that the bottom inch of the pipe had a scum or sludge build up in it. I have been looking for information on how to clean/rehabilitae the distrbution and weeper lines and now realize it is also the soil/sewage interface that must be dealt with. 

Do I need to/ would it help to install a distribution box? I can insert your product through the exit Tee of the septic tank.

I have heard of septic systems that now use a tank with a pump to push the grey/black water more fully into the distribution field (the concept being that in a gravity feed system only a portion of the weeper lines are utliized). Would such a pump unit help my system by using 100% of the field pipes?

In your instruction for use of Septic Scrub, you say to ensure the distribution pipes are empty of standing water. With no distribution box on my system, how do I tell the pipes are empty... how much do I have to try to empty them?

Lastly, the biggest question. Will Septic Scrub clean out the accumulated 1" of scum I saw in the distrbution header pipe (and the scum I assume is in the balance of the pipes) and restore the flow in the field bed?

I hope you can help me! Thanks.

Terry Fenwick, Harwood, Ontario