Septic Backup in Cocagne, NB: It Wasn’t the Field
A failed effluent pump in a buried pump chamber — found, replaced and tested, with the lawn restored, in under five hours including travel.
The problem
A homeowner in Cocagne called us because sewage was backing up into his house. He suspected the worst: a septic field that needed to be redone, with the cost and the torn-up yard that come with it.
What we noticed
On inspection, one detail stood out. The septic tank sat very deep, with four to five feet of soil on top of it. A tank that deep usually means effluent cannot reach the field by gravity, so a pump is likely involved.
We checked the electrical panel and found a breaker labelled “Septic Pump.” That confirmed there was a pump somewhere in the system, even though nobody knew where.
Finding the hidden pump chamber
We had a good idea where the field was, so we excavated carefully from the tank toward it. Along the way we probed the ground with a five-foot steel rod to make sure we would not hit anything by accident.
Partway there, we found a second tank: a pump chamber housing the effluent pump. The pump had failed. With nothing pushing effluent out to the field, the whole system backed up into the house.
The fix
- Replaced the failed effluent pump
- Tested the new pump to confirm it was working properly
- Drew the chamber down quickly with the new pump
- Backfilled the excavation and put the sod back
- Cleaned up and demobilized
Total time, including travel: under five hours.
The result
The homeowner did not need a new septic field — a far bigger and more expensive job. And because we dug only where we needed to, his well-kept front lawn came through with very little damage. He was very happy on both counts.
In his own words:
“Please keep in mind this is the 4th septic system provider we had come do a diagnostic… he eventually ask do you have a septic pump on our electrical panel in house. My ears perked and thought no one asked me this in last 5 mths… Mark[’s] detailed analysis and willingness to try something different and not jump to the first conclusion saved me over $18,000 dollars… Get the right Team on your side.”
Sewage backing up at your place?
A backup does not always mean your field has failed. Pumps, floats, alarms and blocked lines can all cause the same symptoms, and they cost far less to fix. Learn more about septic pump repair and replacement, or see the septic warning signs and what each one means.
We work in Cocagne and the communities across southeastern New Brunswick. If it turns out your tank or field really has failed, we also handle tank replacements and new systems.
Ready to talk about your septic system?
Serving homeowners, builders, and property owners throughout Greater Moncton and southeastern New Brunswick.