How Do You Find Your Septic Tank in West Virginia?
Start inside the house. Find where the sewer pipe leaves the basement or crawl space wall, then look straight out from that spot. A university extension guide says the tank often sits 10 to 20 feet out, in line with that pipe. From there, a thin steel rod pushed in gently can find the top of the tank.
A paper record can spare you the search. Your county health department may hold a permit sketch of the system. When the lid sits deep or the yard gives no clue, call for septic tank locating and digging. We dig up the sewer line at the house, follow it out to the tank and dig down to the lid.
Where does the sewer pipe leave your house?
In a basement or crawl space, find where the drain pipes join and run out through the wall. An extension guide calls this pipe the building sewer. Note where it exits, then find that spot on the outside wall. On a house with no basement or crawl space, look outside for a capped cleanout pipe.
The EPA notes that where the plumbing leaves the house usually decides where the tank goes. West Virginia’s design standards have that pipe drop at least an eighth of an inch per foot toward the tank. Unless a pump lifts the sewage, the line runs downhill to the tank. On a hillside lot, start your search on the downhill side.
How far from the house is the tank, and how deep?
Most tanks sit fairly close to the house. The EPA says a tank is usually about 10 feet from the building. West Virginia’s current design standards keep every part of a new system at least 10 feet from a building.
Older systems went in under older rules, so treat these numbers as a place to start. Depth varies too, and a university extension guide puts the top of most tanks 1 to 4 feet down.
A new tank set deeper than 12 inches needs a riser under the state’s standards. The riser must reach within 12 inches of the surface. An older tank may have no riser, so its lid sits at the top of the tank.
Which clues in the yard point to the tank?
After a few years, the soil over a tank can look like the rest of the yard. Still, a few signs are worth checking before you probe.
| Clue | Where to look | What it can tell you |
|---|---|---|
| The building sewer | Basement or crawl space wall | Which way the line runs |
| A cleanout cap | Outside the house | The same line, seen from outside |
| A green or black lid, or a capped 4-inch pipe | In the yard, in line with the sewer pipe | A riser or an inspection port over the tank |
| Drier grass in dry weather | Over a shallow tank | Thin soil over the tank top |
| Greener grass | Farther out from the house | It may be the drain field, not the tank |
| A permit sketch | The county health department | Where the tank went, if a sketch was filed |
The grass clues are hit or miss, and the extension guide that lists them says so. The capped pipe is a better bet on a newer system. West Virginia’s current standards call for a 4-inch inspection port on a new tank. The port reaches up to the surface.
Does the county health department have a record of your tank?
In West Virginia, the county health department issues septic permits under the state’s sewage rules. The state’s permit application asks for a sketch of the system as it will be installed. It also asks how far the septic tank sits from the building foundation. A wastewater clearinghouse at West Virginia University notes that the original permit sometimes includes a sketch.
The state also has a sworn form for an existing system. It asks how far the tank sits from the house, and on which side. It also asks for a detailed sketch of the tank and the drain field.
In McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Mercer and Logan Counties, call the county health department and ask what is on file. Give the property address, plus the tax map and parcel number if you have them. A system that never had a permit may have no file at all. The papers from your home purchase are worth a look too, and the EPA suggests asking the seller.
How do you probe for the lid?
Call 811 before you push anything into the ground. West Virginia law says anyone who digs must call 811 at least two working days ahead. Weekends and holidays do not count. The member utilities mark their own buried lines, so plan on finding the septic tank yourself.
Use a thin steel rod or a length of rebar. Start about 6 feet from the house, straight out from the building sewer. Push gently, because a hard jab can punch through the pipe. When the rod stops on something flat and solid, move a foot farther out and probe again.
Keep going until the rod sinks deeper. That is the end of the tank, so mark it and find the other end. Most tanks run about 5 by 8 feet, though sizes vary.
A tank can have more than one lid. State standards call for access at both the inlet and the outlet.
Federal soil surveys map most ground around Roderfield as steep and stony, with shale and sandstone close under the surface. In ground like that, a rod can stop on a rock that feels just like a lid. Probing after a rain is easier, because wet soil lets the rod slide in. Once you find the tank, draw a rough sketch of where it sits from the house.
What should you avoid while you search?
- Never climb into a septic tank or lean into the opening. Extension guides warn that the gases inside can overcome a person.
- Keep flames and cigarettes away from an open tank, because the gas inside can catch fire.
- Put the lid back and secure it so children cannot open it.
- Do not drive or park over the tank or the drain field.
- Do not dig until the utilities have marked their lines or reported the spot clear.
The Mercer County Health Department’s homeowner sheet adds one more step. It says to record where your tank and drain field are, and keep a copy on file.
When should you call for the digging?
Some lids sit too deep for a probe and a shovel, and rocky ground can hide a tank well. If sewage is already backing up into the house, skip the search and call. If the tank is due for a pumping, see what septic tank pumping costs in West Virginia.
Some septic services charge extra to locate and uncover a tank, a university extension guide notes. A riser means less digging and an easier find next time, the West Virginia University clearinghouse adds.
Honey Dippers handles finding and digging up buried septic tanks across McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Mercer and Logan Counties. We use no locating equipment: we dig up the sewer line at the house, follow it to the tank and dig down to the lid, then close the hole back when the work is done.
With the lid open, the job moves on to septic tank pumping. If the trouble is the pipe, we dig to it for septic line repair. Call or text (304) 436-3409.