by Larry E. Matthews » Feb 17, 2009 10:49 am
Here in Tennessee, when we conduct dye traces for septic tank systems, we use the overkill method.
If the water entering the cave looks like sewage and smells like sewage, then it must be very concentrated and a straight line shot from the septic tank system.
Us about 1/4 pound of Fluorescein powder, or a liter (or more) of the pre-mixed solution and flush it down the toilet.
Then, go into the cave within a few hours and see if it is coming out. If not, go in every day for a week. If it hasn't shown up in a week, you probably have the wrong septic tank system.
Why do we use the overkill method? Simple. When the property owner sees the green dye coming out, he KNOWS it is his problem and he has to fix it. It stops a lot of arguments. Also, good evidence, if you take a photo, if you have to go to court.
NOTE: Here in Tennessee you must report all dye traces to a central clearing house in the Department of Environment and Conservation, to prevent erroneous testing results. See if your state has such a requirement.
If you don't have access to dye, you can do a Google search and find suppliers.
Larry E. Matthews
NSS #6792-F