Who knows about septic systems??

[Bird]

Yep, Alan, two of my neighbors had dry wells for their laundry and a brother-in-law ran his out on the ground. Of course he was on a slope so it would run quite a ways, and it was ground that perked well anyway, so it soaked in fast.

 

[SnowRidge]

From what I remember of the site advising it, the reason was fine fibers from the laundry would eventually clog the lines in the field. Personally, I've never had a lanundry dry well, but I would probably do it on new construction, if it were legal.

Sounds like I won't be doing here in TN.

 

[shaley]

Here's what I don't get.
In VA, if the soil perc rate is 30 min per inch of water the system drainfield size required will be 782 sq ft of trench bottom area for 450 GPD (3 bdrm home). If you were to really use 450 GPD that would be 60 cubic ft of water. Spread that water over the entire trench area and it would be 0.9 inches deep. But it only takes 30 minutes for an inch of water to seep in, based on the perc rate, so I could do that 30 times a day. Doesn't this mean my drainfield is 30 times bigger than required. I could see 10 times oversize for safety but 30 times.

 

[john_bud]

Shaley,

You were looking for logic and reality in a government regulation?

I don't know, but would guess that they anticipate some clogging of the leach field over time and the greater the overbuild, the longer it will last.

jb

 

[Rowdius]

I was an Installer I until June (I am out of construction now, and I let the license expire.)

The rules can vary greatly from county to county. There are still counties where the 10 acre rule applies, and most counties will let you you install your own system without being licensed, though you have to ALL the work yourself except any design, soil evaul, etc.

$4500 sounds in the ball park, depending on your soil. I never did a system cheaper than $3000, but quite a few that were higher than your quoted price. If it is a standard system, then an Installer I can build it to spec, you do not have to have an engineer design it. (Though your county may have amended this rule, as is their wont)

Google TCEQ (Texas commission Environmental Quality.) On their site they have all of the rules and such on septic systems. Even if you do not build it yourself, there is good info to know when dealing with your contractor.