Septic systems in Jacksonville: a homeowner's guide

A lot of Jacksonville isn't on city sewer. Across the Northside, the Westside and older pockets of Arlington and Mandarin, homes rely on a septic tank and a drain field in the yard. The basics are the same everywhere - but Duval County's soil, water and weather change how you should look after yours.

Sandy soil, high water table

Much of Jacksonville sits on sandy soil that drains quickly at the surface, with groundwater not far below. A drain field needs unsaturated soil underneath it to treat and absorb wastewater. When the water table rises in a wet season, that buffer shrinks - which is why a system can work fine in spring and struggle in late summer.

Pump before the rainy season

Jacksonville's rainy season runs roughly June through September, with heavy afternoon storms. A tank that's close to full going into that stretch is the most common cause of a summer backup. If you're due - or can't remember the last pump-out - book it in the spring.

Hurricane season and lift stations

Many lower-lying Jacksonville lots use a residential lift station to move wastewater. It needs power. During an outage the pump stops, but every flush and shower keeps filling the basin.

1. 1Know where the lift station breaker is before storm season.
2. 2During an outage, cut water use to the minimum.
3. 3If the high-water alarm sounds, check the breaker once, then call. Don't open the basin.
4. 4After a long outage or flooding, have the system checked before going back to normal use.

Septic-to-sewer conversions

JEA and the City of Jacksonville have been converting some older neighborhoods from septic to sewer. If your street is on the list, check with JEA for the timeline. Until you're connected, keep your system maintained - a failure before the switch is still your repair. After you connect, the old tank has to be properly pumped and abandoned.

Buying or selling in Jacksonville

A general home inspection usually doesn't evaluate the septic system in depth. On any Jacksonville home that isn't on sewer, a dedicated septic inspection - with the tank pumped so nothing is hidden - is the way to know what you're buying or what a buyer will find. Book it as soon as you're under contract so the findings land inside your inspection period.

Signs to watch for

• Slow drains or gurgling throughout the house
• Sewage odor near the tank or drain field
• Soggy ground or standing water over the field after the rain has stopped
• Grass over the drain field that's greener than the rest of the yard
• Backups in the lowest drains in the house