09/23/2020
Post Fire Septic Information
For your safety, please locate and flag off your septic tank and drain
field areas prior to debris removal to avoid any accidents or damage to
systems.
All septic tanks treatment units, and cesspools should be located and
roped off with caution tape to avoid accidents.
Concrete tanks with cement risers are not expected to pose a threat,
however, they should be located so that during cleanup, crews know
where these tanks are so they know not to drive heavy equipment in
this area.
Plastic risers on cement tanks have the potential to melt during fire
events, leaving a 2x2 or 3x3 open hole. These risers if still in place may
have been compromised as well and should be assessed for damage.
Plastic tanks should be considered an immediate concern and flagged
off until further evaluation can be done.
Metal tanks rust and rot over time and should be considered an immediate
concern as well.
Very old systems may be actual cesspools, these cesspools will have
been compromised not just by fire but by natural processes as well and
need to be flagged off for health and safety concerns.
If records are unavailable contact a septic professional to locate your
tank and drain field. Once the full septic system has been located, flag off this entire area to protect it against further damage.
Septic systems will be further evaluated after the debris removal phase has
been completed.
