New Septic System

silvertree

I am a city boy who now lives in a more rural area. Before I can build a new deck this spring my building dept. is asking that I replace my 50 year old septic system. Lot is 1 & 1/2 acres, lots of oak trees and heavy clay content.
4 BR home, family of 4 and no problems with my tank system, but they say it's non compliant. I have the tank cleaned every 2 years. I have read what I could on the subject and went from knowing nothing about septic systems to knowing I should find a septic contractor I trust. Have a gentle slope in my back yard and don't think I will need a mound system. My question is, where can I find the latest info on septic systems? I live in Minnesota.

KillerToiletSpider

Start with the building dept. and find out what they require, my uncle lives in Wis. and is not allowed to have a septic system, he has to use a holding tank and get it pumped once a month. Here in Ill they require a regeneration system that produces 90% clean water.

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A flush is better than a full house.

silvertree

I found a University of Minnesota website that I can get local information from, plus I can buy some books they have on approved septic systems for Minnesota, I'm on it. After living my whole life with city water and sewer, septic and well systems are next on my learn list. Now the only problem I have is with my wife who loves our house and it's location, but hates the water.
I put in a new water softener and adjusted for softness, but the high iron content apparently makes clothes washing unsatisfactory. My solution is to buy new clothes more often. My daughters think that suggestion is a sign of genius.

KillerToiletSpider

Install an iron bottle after the softener.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

silvertree

Never heard of it, is their a brand name?

KillerToiletSpider

Most of the softener manufacturers also make iron bottles, it is similar to a softener but only removes iron ore. The down side of using both is there will be some pressure loss on the finished water pressure, so you may have to increase the pressure in your tank by 5 to 10 pounds.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

Kingfisher

First off never trust that you have to replace it. Check and make sure what if anything has to be replaced. The tank and drain field togeather is a nice chuck of change but maybe you just need a new tank or and a first stage tank to pre-treat the waste or just add some drain field. It can be a very tricky thing and depending on where you are a PITA. Don't give up a working system just to find out that now you need and have to but in a 4' high mound in your bakyard beside your new deck

KillerToiletSpider

A lot of counties in Illinois make you change your tank and leechfield if they exceed 25 years in age when you apply for any kind of home improvement permit, or bring in a crew to do environmental core testing to prove the system is not leaking, I'm sure other states have similar policies.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

silvertree

I'll install the Iron Bottle, my wife is cool but this complaint about the water is becoming is becoming tiresome. To her credit she thinks being married to a contractor is a plus.
For the septic, I am looking for the truth in housing, I remember it saying something like= Soil test ok=Perk test ok maybe. All the tests were good. The non compliance part was something about a dirt floor in the tank, I checked that a few months ago, took off the cover and tapped the bottom with a 1x2 and it sure sounded like it was hitting cement. I have to find that Truth in Housing and get the right words. Septic does not freeze, drain field looks like the rest of the lawn. No odors, no wet spots? I've been warned, no building permits until I'm in compliance. I heard from a neighbor that a simple gravity system around here goes for $12,000. I cant confirm this, after all these years in business I never once had to do a septic system. Thanks for the input.

silvertree

Just saw your post Kingfisher. That may be the deal here. I think I'll just call the building dept and flat out ask what the situation is. I understand the need for proper waste disposal and will comply. I belong to a local builders group and I will get a referral for a septic contractor. The simple physics of my septic system is impressive, 50 years and still good with no working parts.
Whoever dreamed these systems up knew what he was doing.

Kgmz

First in Minnesota as well as a lot of other states you must be certified and licensed to install, design, inspect or perform maintenance on onsite septic systems.

Second you mentioned a high clay content, good luck. You better find a very good septic designer/engineer to design your septic system and get it approved.

You already found the U of M website for septic. Here is a couple of other links for you.

NOWRA-National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association.
http://www.nowra.org/

Which I am a member of and as are most other septic professionals.



Septic Locator
http://www.septiclocator.com/

A site to search for septic installers, designers, O & M, etc. by zip code.




MOWA - Minnesota Onsite Wastewater Association
http://www.mowa-mn.com/

silvertree

Thanks KGMZ I work with good subs, and I'm sure I'll get a decent system. As for the clay, I have no water problems with the home, but I have 4ft overhangs and keep my gutters clean. You can see the clay in certain parts of my yard, but if the gopher holes are any indication, I got dirt and sand under the clay. I wont mess with septic, not my area of expertise, but I do want to understand what the septic guy is saying. My town requires a recent lot survey, septic design and septic contractor licensed in my county.

JohnJ0906

I'll bet they are more than willing to help you out like that....

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John from Baltimore
"One Day at a Time"
All replies based on the 2008 NEC

Michaeljp86

Around here 10k is about what you would spend on a new system. There was a house about 3 miles from here they dug about 1 acre and about 6ft deep from what I could tell. Then put in the new system and brought in sand and filled it in. Im not sure if it was a problem with clay or what but this guy spent some money.

Kingfisher

Killer, I was manly thinking of the bunch of SC DEHC boys that I delt with in the past,they all thought they were god, you had to do it their way, and flat out did not give a hoot what it did to you. It can be a big problem and cost alot of money , if you can avoid it, do. I was also on the town council and we debated doing something like that but never where happy with the burden it put on people to fix something that may not be broken. We ended up with a information program to explain the importance of keeping your system running right. Since there is no public water, only wells, its in everyone personal best intrest to keep them in tip top form. I have seen them, SC DEHC, come in a tell someone that they could only have a 4' mound system and it had to go right in the front yard, mind now these are all 1+ acre lots too. They never would approve new technology or systems without a fight, ie laywers, even thought they were approved by the state gov. and EPA. Good Luck