Drainage pipes are at surface level!!

[Ladyoftheapple]

We have a sewage treatment plant and have discovered our drainage pipes are pretty much at surface level! What do we do about this? Do they need a special covering? Thankyou

Is this a new build or new installation?

Neither, our house was built about 17 years ago

Have you just moved in? Did you have a survey?

There has to be a fall unless it's pumped, where does it run to and from? Is that actually the working pipe or lengths just left on the site? I would dig around and have a look. If that is pipes that are in use and you can't or don't want to re-run it all I would just build a raised border over it so it can't get damaged but mark where it runs on a drawing. Also check building regulations to see if it has been laid in accordance to the rules.

The OP hasn't explained why this has only come to light now so it's unclear what the issue actually is

The pipe is current and connects our toilets to our septic tank which is located about 10 metres away. We only found it being just under surface level as we had to dig out the concrete ramp at the front of our house as it was built too high, bridging the damp proof course and causing rising damp up our hallway walls. This is just one of many flaws and bad build jobs we’ve found since we moved into this house