Above Ground Pool Over Septic

by Mike R.
(Wichita, KS)

I have a 23 ft. round above ground pool that I want to set in my back yard. My problem is that where I want to set it, it will be on top of my lateral lines for my septic system. It looks like it will cover approx. 20% of my lines. My laterals are only 7 years old and the system needs only to support my wife and I.

Should I be concerned placing the pool on top of these lines? Thanks for any help or advice you can offer.

Hi Mike

It is my opinion that you would not have a problem setting your pool up over these lines. I know I have done it many times without a problem. My experience comes from the hard soil of Arizona and other areas might be different.

I would ask around for some local advice also. A company that installs these systems in your area might have advice, as well as neighbors and friends. If too many of them say don't do it, you may want to consider a new location.

Not a Pool Installer

by John
(22655)

While excavating my yard to level it for an A/G pool, we came across an old (abandoned) drain field. It is no longer used since the house is now on sewer.

Some of the gravel remains and i removed the clay pipe. Will this affect my install? It's a 27' pool and we moved A LOT of dirt. I'm pretty bummed at the moment...Thanks!

Hi John

This is really an impossible question for me to answer without seeing the area. But I will try.

If you dig out what you can of the pipes. And then you level the area. I would pack it and water it. If I had any doubts at all about the stability of the soil I would keep watering and tamping.

Take your time, do this for a couple of weeks and make sure there is no settling. If there is fill the area and do it again. There will come a time when the area firms up and becomes solid.

At that time it should be more than safe to set the pool up.

The other way to do it would be to set the pool up and see what happens. If it were me I would take a little time and make sure it was a firm foundation.

Pool Over a Leachfield

by Jeff
(New York)

We are interested in putting an above ground pool in our backyard. It would go over approx., 20% of our leach field in the backyard and the people we bought the house from used to have one a little bigger than what we want.

Is this safe for the septic system since there was one there before or would you advise not to proceed?

Hi Jeff

I have never had a problem installing pools over leach fields. You could ask around locally to see if there is anything different about your soil that would make it a problem but you will probably find that it's OK. It sounds like you would only be going over a small portion of it anyway.