[Part time dabbler]

I want to place my new vegetable patch but the best location is roughly where the cesspit runoff field is. I understand that it is not advisable to plant in this area but as it is on a reasonable slope I have been thinking about putting in long raised beds.

Is there any issue with putting raised beds on ground above a cesspit runoff field?

[farmershort]

I want to place my new vegetable patch but the best location is roughly where the cesspit runoff field is. I understand that it is not advisable to plant in this area but as it is on a reasonable slope I have been thinking about putting in long raised beds.

Is there any issue with putting raised beds on ground above a cesspit runoff field?

Can of worms springs to mind...

firstly, is it actually a cesspit, or a septic tank, or sewage treatment plant?

sewage treatment plant run off is supposed to be drinkable (in theory) so no issues there really

Septic tanks are designed to not be emptied, and the run off can be truly hazardous

Cesspits are designed to be emptied regularly, so the only runoff should be if it's full/overflowing. Which will be hazardous, but avoidable.


At our new place, we have a type of septic tank - a 6ft x 4ft brick chamber filled with rubble and other stuff - 1950's technology apparently! It is designed to never be emptied (which is what makes it a septic tank), and our problem is that everything from thehouse runs through it..... toilet, sinks, guttering, everything! This means it's just constantly being "flushed", and what is coming out of the field 50 yards downhill is truly awful.

The same situation would follow for any older septic tank installion. No real processing of the waste is going on, just a token separation/dilution of solids.

There is also capillary action to consider - weeds/grass/plants will draw the raw sewage up if it's only just under the ground.


good luck.

[henchard]

If it's just the land drains underground from a septic tank (a cesspit is a sealed tank) it should only be taking the liquid effluent for final 'polishing' in the soil and should be draining away anyway. Can't really see any issues at all unless the system is faulty and the land is boggy.

[Fleecewife]

To be on the safe side, could you plant a filtering reedbed to protect the raised beds?