Septic Tank Failure: Your Temporary Toilet Options
Many homes around Dothan and in rural Houston, Dale and Henry counties run on septic. When a system backs up or fails, here is what to do first and how to keep the house usable.
What should I do first when my septic system fails?
When a septic system fails, stop sending water down every drain first: no flushing, showers, laundry or dishwasher. Then call a licensed septic contractor to pump and inspect the tank, and call for a portable toilet so the household has a restroom while the system is diagnosed and repaired.
Signs of failure include sewage backing into tubs or floor drains, gurgling drains, wet and smelly ground over the drain field, and toilets that will not flush. Keep children and pets off wet areas over the field.
How long does a septic repair take?
A septic repair takes from 1 day for a pump-out and a clogged line to 2 to 8 weeks when a tank, drain field or permit is involved. Drain-field replacement in Alabama needs a county health department permit, and soil testing and scheduling add time.
Because the timeline is uncertain, a 28-day rental is the usual choice. It renews only if the work runs long, and returning it early has no penalty.
Which temporary toilet works best for a household?
A standard porta potty serves a household of up to about 5 people for a week between services and needs no hookups. Add a hand wash station to save water inside the house. Families with older relatives or someone using a walker should choose a wheelchair-accessible unit with a ground-level floor.
See home and septic rentals and wheelchair-accessible units.
Where should the unit go when the septic field is torn up?
Put the unit on the opposite side of the house from the septic tank and drain field, on level ground within about 25 feet of the driveway. The repair crew needs room for an excavator and the service truck must not cross the field, so mark both when you book.
Driveway edges work well. Keep the path lit if family members will use it at night.
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