Septic systems and private wells are the water and wastewater infrastructure for roughly one in four your region homes — primarily rural and semi-rural properties where municipal services aren’t available. They’re also two of the least understood systems homeowners are responsible for, two of the most consequential when they fail, and two of the most regulated trades in the region.
A failing septic system can contaminate groundwater, create sewage surfacing in the yard, and make a home uninhabitable. A compromised well can deliver water that is unsafe to drink. Neither is a cosmetic problem. Both require licensed professionals operating under regional regulations.
This guide covers both systems — septic and well — because they frequently exist on the same property, they interact (a failed septic system can contaminate a well), and many rural homeowners hire for both from the same regional service companies.
“The most important thing rural homeowners can do is understand what they have. Do you know where your septic tank is? Where your weeping bed is? When your well was drilled and what your water test results look like? A surprising number of homeowners don’t know any of those things. That’s the starting point — before you call anyone for service.”
— Marguerite Fournier, licensed septic system installer and well contractor with 18 years of experience in rural water and wastewater systems in the local area
Table of Contents
Understanding What You Have
For septic systems: do you know the type and location of your system?
Before any service call, locate your septic records. In many regions, septic system installations after 1977 are registered with the local health unit. Your system type determines maintenance requirements and failure modes:
Conventional septic system (most common):
A septic tank (where solids settle and effluent is clarified) connected to a leaching bed (also called weeping bed, absorption field, or tile bed) where effluent is distributed into the soil. The leaching bed relies on the soil’s ability to absorb and treat effluent.
Holding tank:
A sealed tank with no leaching bed. Effluent is stored and must be pumped regularly (often every few weeks for year-round use). Used where soil conditions don’t support a conventional system or where a leaching bed would be too close to water.
Alternative systems:
Mound systems, eco-flow systems, tertiary treatment systems — used where soil conditions or setback requirements prevent conventional installation.
For wells: do you know your well type and depth?
Drilled well: The most common modern type. Typically 4–6 inches in diameter, drilled to bedrock or a significant depth. Generally the most protected from surface contamination.
Dug well: A larger-diameter shallow well, often less than 10 meters deep. More susceptible to surface contamination. Common in older rural properties.
Bored well: Similar to dug well but drilled. Intermediate depth and contamination risk.
Well records (driller’s log) are registered with the region. Contact the Ministry of the Environment if you don’t have the original records.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
Is your company licensed for this work in many regions?
Septic system service and well work are both licensed trades in many regions:
Septic systems: Installation, alteration, and repair of septic systems requires authorization under your region the applicable building code. Septic system installers and service providers must be authorized. The work must be permitted by the local health unit.
Wells: Well drilling, construction, alteration, and abandonment in many regions requires a licensed well contractor under the applicable regulation 903 (Wells Regulation). Ask specifically whether the contractor holds a valid well contractor licence from the Ministry of the Environment.
Ask for the specific licence or authorization number and verify it with the relevant authority.
What a good answer looks like: A specific licence or authorization number, provided without hesitation.
Is workers’ compensation coverage and insurance in place?
Septic and well work involves heavy equipment, excavation, and work near potential contamination. Liability insurance is essential. Workers’ compensation coverage covers workers if injured on your property.
Ask for a certificate of insurance and workers’ compensation coverage Clearance Certificate. Verify the workers’ compensation coverage certificate at your workers’ compensation board’s website.
Septic System Questions
When was the septic tank last pumped?
Septic tanks accumulate solids that must be pumped out regularly. The standard recommendation is every 3–5 years for a family of four, but the appropriate interval depends on tank size and household size. If you don’t know when the tank was last pumped, schedule an inspection and pumping immediately.
Ask the service company to also inspect the tank condition (inlet and outlet baffles, structural integrity of the tank walls) and the distribution box when pumping.
For more: Questions to Ask a Septic Service Company About Pumping and Maintenance
What are the signs of a failing leaching bed?
The leaching bed is the most expensive component to replace — typically $15,000–$40,000 for a conventional system replacement. Early signs of leaching bed failure:
- Sewage odor in the yard near the leaching bed
- Wet or unusually lush green areas over the leaching bed in dry conditions
- Slow drains throughout the house without a clear blockage
- Sewage backing up into the house
Ask the service company to assess the leaching bed condition during any service visit.
For more: Questions to Ask a Septic Contractor About System Failure and Replacement
Does this septic system meet current setback requirements?
Septic systems must maintain specific minimum distances (setbacks) from wells, waterways, property lines, and structures under the applicable regulation 358/11. Older systems installed before current regulations may not comply. Ask whether the existing system meets current setback requirements — this matters when selling the property or making changes to the property.
Well Questions
When was the well last tested, and what were the results?
Private well water should be tested at minimum annually for bacteria (E. Coli and total coliform) and periodically for other parameters (nitrates, heavy metals depending on local geology). The Ministry of the Environment provides free bacteriological testing for private well water.
Ask a service company whether they offer well water testing and what parameters are included. If you don’t have recent test results, arrange testing before addressing any other well questions.
For more: Questions to Ask About Well Water Testing and Treatment
What is the well’s current output (yield)?
The well yield — litres per minute or gallons per minute — determines whether the well can supply the household’s demand. A well that was adequate for an original single-family home may be insufficient after additions or increased household size. Ask when the well was last flow-tested and what the current yield is.
What is the well’s condition?
Ask whether the well has been inspected for:
– Casing integrity (the well casing should extend above grade, be sealed, and have no corrosion or damage)
– Well cap condition (prevents insect and rodent entry)
– Seal between the casing and the ground (prevents surface water from running down the outside of the casing)
– Submersible pump condition and age (pumps typically last 10–15 years)
For more: Questions to Ask a Well Contractor About Well Condition and Pumps
Red Flags to Watch For
Unable to provide a licence number. Both septic and well work require regional licensing. A company that can’t provide a licence number is either unlicensed or operating under someone else’s licence — both are problematic.
Recommending septic system replacement without a proper assessment. A full septic system replacement is expensive. It should be preceded by a thorough assessment — camera inspection of the tank outlet and distribution box, a review of the leaching bed condition, and a dye test or other diagnostic. A company that recommends replacement without this diagnostic may be overselling.
Septic work proceeding without a permit. Any significant septic work in many regions requires a permit from the local health unit. A company proceeding without mentioning permits is operating outside the regulatory framework.
Well work proceeding without proper casing depth or grouting. A properly drilled well has a steel casing extending to the appropriate depth with grout sealing the annular space. Ask whether the well meets your region’s Well Regulation requirements.
For a full guide: Red Flags When Hiring a Septic or Well Service Company
Related Questions
- Questions to Ask a Septic Service Company About Pumping and Maintenance
- Questions to Ask a Septic Contractor About System Failure and Replacement
- Questions to Ask About Well Water Testing and Treatment
- Questions to Ask a Well Contractor About Well Condition and Pumps
- How Much Does Septic System Service Cost ?
- Red Flags When Hiring a Septic or Well Service Company
- What to Do If a Septic or Well Contractor Does Bad Work
- How Often Should a Septic Tank Be Pumped?
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