Septic Systems

The things I don't know are abundant. What I do know is that it needs to be big enough for 2 adults but I'd like to be able to go up to 10 people. Any Pro tips as I will have to supervise this, and I want to make sure the installation is a good one.

 

Will this be new construction or a rework of an existing system?

Do you have the records of the perk test?

 

In my area, to get a building permit you must first have a 'perc test' and a septic design. The Civil engineer that I hired to do these things charged me $150, he gave me a septic design and a cover letter stating that the design existed. The cover letter was sent along with my building application.

The septic system was very easy to do.

I have a septic tank that drains into a 'transfer station' [a 50-gallon drum with a pump in the bottom. The effluent then gets pumped to a leech field. Our leechfield is 20' by 40', with one foot of gravel spread evenly, then the drain pipes, and another foot of gravel over the top. Then landscape fabric covered it and then dirt and grass seed.

 

Here in SC they used to do a perk test dig a hole and pour water in and time how long it takes to drain. Now they do a soil profile take a core sample and see what soil type you have. Then they issue a septic permit depending on number of bedrooms and bath will dictate how much drain field you will need and what size septic tank. Don't know what TX does. I put the system in my self 1100 gallon fiberglass tank (easier to handle) most are concrete dug a hole for the tank pipe from the house goes to the tank inlet . exit tank goes to a 100' drain field mine is an H pattern 25' legs spaced about 6' apart --dig a trench put gravel in the bottom with a black plastic perforated pipe on top of gravel more gravel on top of pipe and then landscape cloth and cover with dirt. Son and I put the system in had it inspected prior to covering with dirt, Grade the pipe so there is a slop down. I would check with TX health dept or whoever issues permits they should have info on how to install. Can be done by hand just a lot of digging---easier if you know someone with a small backhoe.

 

Definitely start with the perc test

 

If you build the septic drain field and want to have a garden over it as we have .
NO ROOT VEGS (carrots ,spuds etc.)OR ANY FRUITS AS IN TOMATOES !!!
Good way to make you sick. we grow raspberry to green stuff (I don't do the gardens,just the machine work).
Sloth

 

I had a 500 gallon cement tank put in up at the lake with 3 spiffy nozzle heads, Never hooked it up as we are waiting on the
demokrauts to get out of office

 

My dad used a VW bug as a septic tank and leach field once. Yeah don't do that.

 

New construction around here gets sold immediately now. It wasn't that way when I bought my first home. House next door was vacant for three years and since our water table is high (I hit water at 18") the unfilled septic tank floated up out of the ground a couple feet. Damaged the connections, but went right back down when filled with water.

Nothing grows above my leach lines. No water for growth, since everything drains downward.

I've had the tank pumped twice in 35 years. Our rule is "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."

 

Good point neglect to say fill the tank with water, we have high water table and an empty tank will pop out of the ground. I can tell where the drain lines are --grass is always greener even in a drought.

 

We bought a septic tank when I was a kid and had it installed, then Dad and I hand dug 100' of leach line 3' deep, put driveway gravel in and never said a word to anyone. Built the house a few years later. Had it pumped once, it seems the Clorox my mom used (certified clean freak) turned everything to a black gel.

 

I buried mine empty at the top of a hill or close to it, Guess its still there?

 

Where the devil did you find a hill? I want one! LOL

 

Here in coastL SC the water table is so high it makes it impossible to put in a basic tank and drain field on a lot of property so they came up with what they call an engineered system which cost 15K to put in ---basic system to have some one do it 7K --do it yourself materials tank, gravel, plastic pipe, landscape cloth---about 2 k tops. My son lucked out bought a piece of property with an existing permit (basic system) so we put the system in before the house was built before the permit expired. if it expired I think they would have required an engineered system on re-permitting.

 

Thank you for all the replies. This is very helpful.

 

Take the El Camino Highway close to the river but on this side

 

First of all, when it comes to not knowing things, join the club. No one person knows everything.
I had one put in on my remote property about two years ago. Started by getting hold of a local contractor who does this sort of thing.

He dug several test holes with a backhoe for the next step, which was examination by the engineer. The engineer looks at the soil, mixes it with water and makes the determination, based on that and your needs and specifications, of how big the leach field needs to be. The engineer will also determine proximity to fresh water sources and property boundaries such that it complies with code. Very important.

Mine was designed at my request for a 3 BR 2 BA house and an RV with a total 21 plumbing fixtures and a discharge rate of 495 gallons / day. That's what the permit is based on. For what I'll use it for, it's way over designed. I'll never discharge 495 gallons / day.

Be sure to state to the engineer what you think your Maximum demands will be. Maybe even add fudge factor. It's a lot cheaper to over design than to run into problems later. You seriously don't want septic problems. Go cheap on other things that are easier to fix if they turn out to be inadequate.

 

If you have an existing well the septic system has to be a certain distance from it. SC it is 75 feet

 

100 Feet if it's here in Arizona. The engineer left enough room for another leach field. Should the present one fail in the future, the distances from the well and property line are already taken into consideration.

 

The tank filters out any solids and the leach lines disperse water into the ground where it evaporates into the atmosphere. Just make sure the leach lines are not in the shade or up stream from any potential water supply. You also do not want to drive on them much so keep that in mind.