He discovered shortly thereafter that his system had failed and he was forced to install a new one. Septic systems only last 20 years. Janie Sharp, a realtor who lives in Prosser Lakeview, agrees. You have to be concerned about contamination with septic systems. Problems with outdated septic systems can be costly to repair, and environmental restrictions can further raise costs to homeowners.
Sewer is just so much better in the long run.
Some of the first signs of septic system failure may be fertile plant growth in the area of the leach field, slow or sluggish drains or the smell of sewage on or around the property. Rieders experienced all of these problems when his system failed. He thinks the subdivision is already dealing with soil or ground water contamination due to the outdated systems. He points out that drinking water has had to be heavily chlorinated within the past several years. But the cost of installing a sewer system is expensive.