Oh man, I live in Marlowe, up the hill from the river. We have always had problems with the water table being fairly high, at least I believe that is the huge problem. I don't understand how Dan Ryan got all those lots to pass the perc tests for septic systems!!!!!!

Ever since we moved here 16 years ago we've had ongoing problems with our septic system when there are huge amounts of rain. I see those septic pumping trucks on our road (a dead end one at that!), more than is comfortable, in fact I see them in Marlowe all the time. Does everyone around here have this problem?????

Just to try to make a long story short, Sunday evening our toliet started spouting water (uh hum), so that we actuallyhad to turn off the main water supply to our house!! That was the only way to stop it. Called the Pooper scooper truck guy, he comes and of course its SUNDAY and late, so that was $240. Later that ngiht we noticed the glug glugging starting again. The very next morning ( I may be getting some of this a little wrong, I've been sick), the downstairs toliet started running over again, so we are thinking there mut be a clog somewhere in the pipes, so we called the plumber. He came around 5:30 or 6 and snaked the pipes for about an hour (?), made sure the toliets were flushing ok and then we paid another $260!

Ok, so just when you think everythng is running smoothly...........the glugging starts again. We try to do some plunging, scarcely use any water, etc. Still our toliet keeps filling up. Ok, so today we call the plumber back and say please please come back, our toliet is running over AGAIN, no one can flush the upstairs toliet, and how dare us take a shower!!!!!! That just makes MORE water (well thats we are calling it) come out of the toliet downstairs!!! We feel like prisoners in our house! Plumber comes, takes off lid to septic tank, and what does he see but a FULL TANK!!!!! So he is very nice about the whole thing and...... drum roll please.....doesn't even charge us for coming back!!!!

So next step is call the pooper scooper truck AGAIN!!!! He comes out and pumps once again, and kindly asks for $210 (its not the weekend), and goes on his merry way, oh and btw, he could see water running back into it as he left!!!

Well you'd think that after spending over $600 in app. 3 days we'd have the emptiest/cleanest tank in town, but guess what?????? Our naughty toliet is still filling up and running over!!!!!! So we have been using the wet dry vac alot in between vists from the various professionals, and now we still continue to do so!!!

We obviously have a more serious problem than a full septic tank, oh yes, and right after he left the last time we go ANOTHER downpour!!!!!!!!!

I don't think we can wait out a dry spell, or have enough time for it to absorb back into the ground, so I guess we will go over into Williamsport and get a motel room for showers and such until SOMEONE can figure this out!!!!!

Anyway, I just felt like sharing our horror story, sorry if I bored anyone, but now I feel much better....except for the fact that Mike Gansy did not get picked in the NBA draft!!!!!!! I am even disappointed that Kevin Pittsnogle didn't get picked up either!!


I guess I'll try to get some sleep now!!!!

i lived in the mountains , we got a bad rain my tank got full, water runs back the drain lines, cant be stopped your waisting your money pumping it out, so while the water table was high, like right now , i had a backhoe dig around till he found a dry place, there is dry places,, when he found it we dug a 12 foot hole and put in a seepige pit, never had any trouble after that,

Oky Doky,

If i was you, i would try and get my money back. If they couldn't fix it the first time i sure wouldn't have paid for the second. I hear what your saying that this has been an ongoing problem and i'm sure they know it also. It's sad you had to pay all that money out.


My Sister lives right across the parking lot from the Rod and Gun Club. I went out yesterday to see the water, it was so crazy the bridge was no where to be found, it was clean up to the pavillion. Her appartment is on the second floor and there is a huge hill up too the appartments but that water was so close the people on the first floor was scared. I was joking with her, i told her i could cast my rod out her bedroom window, be in the cool air, lay on her bed and fish away, but it wasn't a joke i really could have !

Oh man! that is bad. sorry about what you're going through.

I always thought they had back valves on the distribution box coming out of the tank which was supposed to keep the water from pouring back into the tank. If not, maybe you can get one installed?

will your homeowner's insurance cover any of the costs since it was a "natural" disaster so-to-speak?
if not,it sounds like you're going to have to do what tagout said. you need some where for the extra H2O to go to.

What a crappy problem. I'd call a septic tank guy (installer) who has been in business a long time and have him give you a recommendation. The other guys just want your money to treat symptoms.