No. EPA and Riverside County both say to keep vehicles, paving and buildings off a septic drain field. In unincorporated Riverside County, putting a structure or paving over the tank access or drain field areas is also unlawful.
Very little. EPA says not to park or drive on the drain field, not to build structures there without checking with a local designer or permitting authority, and not to cover it with impermeable materials like concrete or asphalt. EPA's homebuyer guide puts it simply: keep your car and anything heavier than your lawnmower off the drain field.
Riverside County's brochure adds that the absorption field should be an open, uncovered, sunny area, and that water should not pond over it.
Ordinance 650 makes it unlawful to install any structure or paving in the areas identified for tank access or for the primary and expansion dispersal area. The ordinance applies in unincorporated Riverside County.
The expansion area is land set aside for a replacement field. The county's certification form asks for the system and its 100 percent expansion area to be shown to scale. Sheds, pools and driveways placed over that space can block a future repair.
Violations of Ordinance 650 are infractions or misdemeanors, and each day counts as a separate offense. In the version amended through 2016, fines for an infraction run up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second on the same site, and up to $500 or six months in jail for a third. Paying a penalty does not remove the duty to correct the problem.
EPA says to avoid trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens on the drain field. Native grasses and ground covers suit it best. Riverside County says not to plant large trees over the field, and EPA's homebuyer guide says tree roots can clog the field.
EPA also says to keep roof drains, sump pumps and other rainwater systems away from the drain field. Spread laundry across the week so the field is not flooded in one day.
Riverside County's brochure tells owners to contact Environmental Health if they are remodeling, adding a pool or adding another structure. Ask the county or your city whether the plan needs approval before work starts.
Riverside County suggests checking the detailed plot plans for your home, looking in the yard for lids or manhole covers, and using an inspector or pumper to find the exact location.
Ask a septic pro to locate the tank and drain field before you plan any driveway, shed, pool or addition.
EPA says not to build structures there without checking with a local designer or permitting authority. In unincorporated Riverside County, Ordinance 650 prohibits structures over the drain field and tank access areas.
EPA says no. It lists vegetable gardens among the plantings to avoid.
EPA's homebuyer guide says tree roots can clog the field and cause the system to fail, and Riverside County says not to plant large trees over it.
Yes. Ordinance 650 protects the tank access area, so keep it clear of structures and paving.
Riverside County Septic is a free referral service, not a contractor. Request a free quote from a local septic contractor.