lagoons

[mechanic]

Does anyone know how a lagoon works and do you need a septic with a lagoon. We are looking at home with a lagoon but no septic. I did notice that the lagoon water level is evaporating. I know this can be a problem. What is your advice?

 

[Jimbrown]

If i understand your question you are dumping your waste water grey and black into an open pond/lagoon with no treatment of any kind and letting it evaporate. You would be in jail here in Arizona.

 

[midmodan]

Well I'm not sure how they work but I was amazed when I moved to this state and the use of lagoons. I have lived here 12 years. No septic system other than the lagoon. I have yet to have a problem. We hate it and have inquired about a different system. I am constantly told with the clay in the area, a normal septic system will not work. I'm not going to try something different. I don't know a sole in this area that uses anything but this out in the country. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[MarkV]

Mechanic, in this area the public health department is the one who issues permits for septic systems. I would see if it is the same in your area and ask what to look for when buying property with an existing lagoon. It sounds like septic systems do not work where you are so you want to make sure the lagoon meets local standards. It is hard for me to understand how odors would not be a problem with a lagoon full of untreated waste.

MarkV

 

[450EXC]

You could put a tank between the house and lagoon. Then there would just be effluent going to the lagoon, a little bit cleaner. Having the tank pumped might be costly if there are not a lot of pumper companys around.

If its clay you could put a raised bed leach field in.

If local codes allow just a cheap lagoon then probably nobody spends the money on tanks and raised beds. More fun to buy new tractor attachments.

 

[GaryM]

I'm in Warren County Missouri, and lagoons are allowed, but I don't have one.

The Health Department person in your county should be able to provide information on what's alloed and depending on when your system was installed, may be able to tell you exactly what's installed. The folks in my county have always been very helpful.

 

[lampfarm]

Hi mechanic
We have a lagoon here in Kansas as do most of my neighbors and its the best choice for us. The lagoon is the entire septic system, all water/etc goes in there. As an aside, we almost never use the garbage disposal, there are better ways to get rid of that than sending it to the lagoon. If no one is living in the house, I would expect the lagoon level to drop. Perhaps some questions to the owners would give you more information on the lagoon.

The lagoon should be sized for the number of persons. The lagoon process has an aerobic layer over an anaerobic layer, the bad smelling layer is the anaerobic layer and it is not exposed to the air. Our lagoon is 150ft from our house and we never have any problem with odors. Good luck

 

[KaiB]

The 2007 Clean Water Reconstruction Act will consider these to be "Constructed Wetlands" and thus the EPA and Corps of Engineers will be all over your property.

 

[Highbeam]

Come on now. A lagoon is just an outhouse with a seperated pit and head. It will certainly work, it will certainly smell if you are right on top of it, and it will certainly be a hazard if you jumped in. Many of these were built during the transition to sewage collection systems in city's. Many had floors above them and many folks died when said floors collapsed.

Be sure that the neighbor's lagoon, aka cesspool, is not uphill from your house. Or close enough to smell. Think about overflow and surface runoff.

Where does your drinking water come from?

 

[3RRL]

I am going to puke after reading this thread.