About Installing Septic Systems

If you have not begun construction of your house you will want to give careful consideration to the placement of your home on your property. Once the homesite has been situated, you will need to decide on the type of septic system you will be installing. Generally, you are required to use aerobic systems. Depending on environmental factors and population density you may not have a choice. Many localities now require aerobic systems for almost all new houses. Even in situations where a conventional system has been operating for many years, once the system fails, you may be required to install an aerobic system. Aerobic systems allow for the installation of an on-site sewage disposal system in situations where you would not otherwise be allowed to install a septic system at all. In our area, there is a strong trend on the part of permitting agencies to require the installation of aerobic systems in most situations. A strong plus for aerobic systems is the reduced potetial for environmental impact.

Evaluating Your Site
To determine if you will be required to install an aerobic system and to determine the size of your storage tanks, characteristics of your soil will need to be evaluated by a professional engineer. The engineer will be assessing your soil's ability to cleanly process the waste water that flows from your absorption field. Typically he or she will be looking at the proposed field's proneness to flooding or ponding, depth to bedrock or cemented pan, depth to the highwater table, the ability of the soil to permeate or release water. To get this information the engineer will have several holes dug in the proposed absorption field and will run tests. This information will be used to determine if an aerobic system is required or if you can install a conventional system.

Getting A Permit To Install A Septic System
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You, your builder, or your septic installation contractor will need to apply for a permit. Typically these are issued by authorized permitting agencies of the state. In most states authorized permitting agencies are at the county level, often at the County Board of Health. In localites where aerobic systems are virtually universally required, you may be required to personally file the permit application. This is because you will be personally involved in running an active waste treatment plant and the local authorities want to make certain that you understand the maintenance steps you will need to perform to keep your plant operating effectively. The typical application package will include the results of the professional engineer's site evaluation, a property plan showing location of the proposed dwelling, driveway, sewage lines, tanks, and absorption field, and any ponds, tanks or adjacent lakes. The application will also require a floor plan for the site, indicating rooms, closets, and total heated/air conditioned floor space . It will also include several copies of the proposed design of the septic system and a map showing the property location. There will probably also be a requirement for a floodplain certificate, and the identification of a suitable second absorption field, should the initial absorption field fail at some future time and need to be replaced.

Septic System Construction
Once the septic construction permit has been issued, construction may begin. Usually the regulating authority will require that all or part of the construction be performed by a certified septic contractor. Typically your system will need to pass one or two inspections