Septic System - Infiltrator System

[ultrarunner]

I've been looking at property that was built in the 70's...

1200 gallon tank with pumpers report every 3 years going back decades.

Home has 5 bedroom with a "90' deep trench" and by today would seem the system is undersized.

From what I understand it is ok as long as it is functional... if not all kinds of expensive designed systems come into play.

 

[teejk]

Several years ago "This Old House" did a remodel using the infiltrator system but never heard of it since until I read this thread. I guess in the right soil and climate it might make sense. Around here the specs are "conventional" as amended. Three chamber tank with pump and filter. We live in a sand/gravel area so drainage is not a problem (they no longer "perc", rather do coring analysis). I think Wisconsin probably spends more on groundwater protection than most states so the system design is strictly regulated...e.g. even the fields have to be matched to the pump to ensure even distribution. In a normal year we have a 5' frost depth so that is the new "minimum". Ours leaves the house at about 9' below grade (a few risers on those tanks but I don't have to pump up anything from the A/C or boiler/furnace condensate).

 

[hawkeye08]

Our closest neighbor has 5 bedrooms with 150' conventional drainfield. In 1993 when we started our house, we were told we had to do a $20,000-30,000 pressure mound system that was engineered by state certified engineer. We ended up moving our building site and finally got a "surface" conventional system approved. Literally, the top of of gravel was at the surface and the trenches were 12" deep x 36" wide. The whole drainfield was then covered with 8" topsoil. They made us put in 600' of drainfield for 3 bedrooms. It is higher than our 3 chamber tank (1500 gallons) so we have to pump to Dbox and feed the 6 100' lines equally. Grass grows really good about 10' each side of middle in all 6 legs. Looks like we are using about 60' of drainfield. We had to space things so replacement legs could be put between the existing legs in case of failure. They also told us if we had a failure, we would be forced to put in pressure mound.

Neighbor that built after us spent around $60,000 on septic and water. She has expensive pressure mound system and the well driller for the first two wells cost her a bundle, the third well got her some water. Her house is not nearly as big as the original plans showed.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm seeing 60 to 80k systems when all is said and done and they require power and a maintenance contract.

 

[Pettrix]

I'm seeing 60 to 80k systems when all is said and done and they require power and a maintenance contract.

Engineered systems become expensive and a constant maintenance.

My conventional system including tank, chambers, labor and install is around $9k

 

[ultrarunner]

Just about impossible here now to do conventional... all about controlling development...

When I bought 12 years ago I had plenty of room and zoning for 3 home sites... with changes to setbacks and septic requirements looks like I am built out with one home on 17 acres...

 

[Billrog]

It's got to the point this will be my last year designing and installing systems I dislike all the paper work & we are expected to constantly take up grade courses to gain credits. My expenses to do this & maintain a stamp add close to $1,000 to every system . It's this sort of system that starts getting expensive & has on going expenses. Preserving ground water is the main goal of all systems today as well as being functional.
Effluent filter
A pump chamber hard wired to a computer control panel in the home and alarm .

2" line the length of each run drill every 18" at the bottom of the pipe
with defusers attached to each one.

An $800 indexing valve so alternating chambers are loaded with each discharge.

Nice dead level area prepared for the chambers.

To test the system before burial the pipes out the end have a 3/16th hole drilled in the and you run a cycle to make sure the index valve is function properly and the squirt and the end of each run is identical in height. The larger pipes are inspection ports.

Then you cover the entire area with a min. 3' of course sand with a genital slope around the edge so it can be mowed some top soil and plant lawn on it. Whole sale my cost for material to do this system was approx. $20,000 and it didn't require a treatment plant like some do.We are also required to hire a certified electrician.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^Great post with pictures...

 

[oosik]

This is all an excellent example of why we must take good care of what we have and keep up on the maintenance. Should our existing systems fail and need replacement - I can guarantee the replacement system will no longer be a cheap adventure.

I know that several contractors in my area no longer install septic systems. Technology has made the design, installation & maintenance just too expensive.

 

[ultrarunner]

All of the oldtimers I know including the one that installed my system no longer are in the septic business... it is too bad in that they were honest and reliable.