Small septic or tie into existing?

[powerpace]

A seperate septic tank and drainfield will probably run upwards of $10,000 even for a small one. That is if he can get approval.
My understanding is the cabin will be on the friends property. The drop in 400 feet will be over eight feet. The cost of trenching and 4" inch pvc will be well below the cost of a septic tank and drainfield. As far as solids and liquids seperating during travel that should be a minimal worry. The solids in flushed water are more of a suspended slurry after a short distance. Toilet paper is another story.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My shop and house are on the same septic leach field but when I was installing my septic system, the licensed septic installer said that I could run the solids from my shop to the tank at the house as I had the elevation to do it but it may cause some problems. He suggested that I put in a solids tank at the shop (500 gallon) and 1500 gallon at the house. The with 1/4"to the foot slope, I could run the clear water as far as I needed, in my case about 100 feet. So he just put in a Y in the line from the house septic to the leach field and tied in my shop to that. That is what I would do in your case also. By the way, I think it only cost me extra $500 for the price of the tank and sewer lines since he was already here with his backhoe, it may have taken him an extra hour to dig the holes. Of course the cost of the whole septic system was $6500 so I am absolutely sure he had plenty of wiggle room for a few extras in that price even though he was a couple thousand less than the next bidder.

 

[ustmd]

My house (1600 ft-2.5 baths) is close to 400 ft from the septic. We have been here 12 years--no issues.

 

[wedge40]

My septic is about 350' from the house. Been there 21 years and still ok. Just me, so not your typical user.
I dont get many "solids" heading down and every morning when I take a shower I shut the drain off in the tub to keep the water in, till I'm about 1/2 way through. I'm guessing 5-7 gals of water. I then open the drain to let a large amout of water to flow and help flush the system. I plan I putting a new system in the next year or two. One that is closer to the house.

Wedge

 

[quicksandfarmer]

My shop and house are on the same septic leach field but when I was installing my septic system, the licensed septic installer said that I could run the solids from my shop to the tank at the house as I had the elevation to do it but it may cause some problems. He suggested that I put in a solids tank at the shop (500 gallon) and 1500 gallon at the house. The with 1/4"to the foot slope, I could run the clear water as far as I needed, in my case about 100 feet. So he just put in a Y in the line from the house septic to the leach field and tied in my shop to that. That is what I would do in your case also. By the way, I think it only cost me extra $500 for the price of the tank and sewer lines since he was already here with his backhoe, it may have taken him an extra hour to dig the holes. Of course the cost of the whole septic system was $6500 so I am absolutely sure he had plenty of wiggle room for a few extras in that price even though he was a couple thousand less than the next bidder.

This is the best answer. Have your own tank, with baffles to separate the solids. As long as you pump it out before it fills nothing but clear water should ever go out that pipe. Put a filter on it to be sure. As long as you don't have a dip big enough to trap water it won't ever freeze.

Check your local regulations, in some places the fines for doing this kind of stuff yourself are hefty.

 

[Bigkrank]

When I added my second shop I ran to the first shop's septic tank, about 300+ ft with 4" pvc. no problems. The Local village put a sewer system in and it runs 11 miles gravity powered to the next towns treatment plant with only 2 lift stations so I figured I was OK and I am.

 

[BuilderML]

If you don't want to install a whole new system did you ever think about just installing a holding tank? If your not going to use it much it may be the best of both worlds. Yes you'll have to have it pumped out every so often but should do the trick. That is if it is allowed. Then again what they don't know won't hurt'em.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you don't want to install a whole new system did you ever think about just installing a holding tank? If your not going to use it much it may be the best of both worlds. Yes you'll have to have it pumped out every so often but should do the trick. That is if it is allowed. Then again what they don't know won't hurt'em.

That is basically the same thing that I said was done at my shop except the holding tank is a septic tank and the clear effluent is piping into the house leach field. If you are permitted for the amount of bedrooms that you will be putting on the system, then it would be legal to tie in your clear water line to the leach field. The slope and drop then is not as critical as with sending solids along with the flush water. This should be your cheapest option. You could do all the work yourself as far as digging in the septic tank, digging and laying the trench for your drain line. Hire a plumber to make the connections if you wanted to pass county inspection or just do it on the sly as the critical point of inspection is the field lines not the holding tanks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Just a note, when I got my sewer permit, they just wanted to know how many bedrooms I had nothing to do with the number of bathrooms. I told them I would have 4 bathrooms on the system but they said I could put as many as I wanted. The system has to be designed based on number of bedrooms. How that equates to bathroom usage is beyond me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

When I added my second shop I ran to the first shop's septic tank, about 300+ ft with 4" pvc. no problems. The Local village put a sewer system in and it runs 11 miles gravity powered to the next towns treatment plant with only 2 lift stations so I figured I was OK and I am.

My septic installer told me I would LIKELY not have a problem either, but with a separate septic tank, I would for sure never have a problem with anything stopping up the system. I figured that for the additional cost involved to install the solids tank, one stopped up sewer line and a plumber call out would eat up that cost easily. The old pay me now or pay me later saying invoked me to pay him now. I certainly had more money when I was working that I would have after I retired.