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Street to Drainfield
The lot

Street to back fence

  1. 1 Meter or well house
  2. 2 House and crawlspace
  3. 3 Water heater AI picture
  4. 4 Septic tank lids
  5. 5 Drainfield and yard

Or start from a worry

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Septic, wells and house water in Thurston County

Walk your lot, from the street to the drainfield

Five stops on an ordinary Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm or Tenino lot, in the order you would walk them. Each picture shows what to look for; each link answers the questions that come with it, from county septic rules to well tests.

  1. Meter or well house

    A rectangular cast-iron water meter cover marked WATER DEPT, set in a concrete sidewalk
    A rectangular cast-iron water meter cover marked WATER DEPT, set in a concrete sidewalkLook for: a meter lid at the street edge, or a little well house with the pressure tank.

  2. House and crawlspace

    Small single-storey blue house with a red roof, wet lawn and tall conifers in Tenino, Washington
    Small single-storey blue house with a red roof, wet lawn and tall conifers in Tenino, WashingtonLook for: foundation vents low on the wall; the crawlspace pipes run just behind them.

  3. Water heater

    Garage water heater in a drain pan, two wall-bolted straps, copper relief pipe ending outside the pan
    Garage water heater in a drain pan, two wall-bolted straps, copper relief pipe ending outside the pan AI-generated pictureLook for: two straps round the tank and a relief pipe running toward the floor.

  4. Septic tank lids

    Green plastic septic riser with lid standing in a freshly dug hole beside a lawn
    Green plastic septic riser with lid standing in a freshly dug hole beside a lawnLook for: riser lids in the grass, fastened down, a few steps from the house.

  5. Drainfield and yard

    Open mowed grass with dark fir trees on the hill behind, grey sky, Bucoda, Washington
    Open mowed grass with dark fir trees on the hill behind, grey sky, Bucoda, WashingtonLook for: open grass with no cars, sheds or roof water on it.

Or start from what worries you

Street to Drainfield is a publication, not a plumber or septic company. Every article lists the county, city and state pages it rests on, with the date they were read. How the pages are made.