Sewers and Water Tables

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

I live in California, and recently had a sewer back up. The contractor said that the area around the plumbing was wet, but not just from the back up. He said the water table in the bay area was low. How do I find out what the water table is for this area? What does the water table indicate or show? If the water table is low, does the plumbing need to be above it? Please help.

[CallMeChazParticipant]

To try to answer, your post needs to be clarified. 1. What kind of sewage system do you have (septic/conventional)? 2. What exactly backed up? 3. What exactly did the plumber tell you about the water table in relation to your sewage backup? Other than that, some things are downright confusing.

But first, to answer some general questions, the water table is an indication of how close underground water comes to the surface of the earth. There is no general answer for how far down that is, even in your area. It could vary considerable from your lot to your neighbors’–or even just on your lot. Also, the water table usually moves up and down, often in response to rain, surface runoff, etc… The upper extreme of the water table is discerned by digging a hole big enough to climb into, and examining the soil. An experienced person can find the interface in the soil that indicates the upper extreme of the water table in that general area.

Now for the confusing parts of your post–if the water in the bay is low, the water table should be low, not high. That generally means less problems, not more. And unless you have a septic system, I don’t know why the water table affects your plumbing at all.

Not sure if the plumber is giving you some BS, or if we need to claify some things. Try again, and we will take it from there.

Chaz

[bungieParticipant]

To find the water table, grab a shovel and dig down. When the hole starts to fill with water you have the water table

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