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By Rudy Nielsen |
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The two most important things you
need when you are doing a
subdivision or building a house is
water and sewer.
Regulations over the years have
become very restricted, as they
should be. I remember back in the
1960s making a septic tank out of 2
x 12 wooden boards, with a pipe
leading out of it. Later on, we
built septic tanks out of cement.
Today, there are many different
types of septic tanks, all with
strict guidelines for installation.
Without proper drainage, a septic
tank could be a real problem. What
you are looking for when you install
a septic tank is a gravel or sand
type of soil. If you have clay, you
dont have a good septic system.
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A septic tank works by having the sewer come
from your house into your septic tank, which
separates the solids from the liquids. Your
septic tank will allow the fluid to pass into
drainage fields through a perforated pipe, where
it will be absorbed into the earth.
Experts recommend that the average septic tank
requires a space about 10 ft x 10 ft to install.
The drain field where the wastewater will flow
into should be about 30 ft by 50 ft, or even
larger, with a secondary area the same size
available in case the first drain field fails.
It is recommended that have at least 4 ft of
good soil from the surface to the water table,
and at least 2 ft of separation from the bottom
of the trench holding the septic tank to the
water table. |
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Septic tanks need to be inspected every year,
and serviced every two to three years. The
sludge and the surface oils need to be pumped
out every three to five years by a septic system
pump out contractor.
How do you install a septic tank?
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In British Columbia, the ordinary
property owner can no longer do any work
on their septic system.
As of May 31, 2005, only an
authorized person under the BC Health
Act can design, plan, construct or do
any maintenance work on a sewerage
system. An authorized person is a
professional or a Registered Onsite
Wastewater Practitioner who has
education or experience in sewerage
system construction and maintenance. I
can give you some basic guidelines for
informational purposes only, but the
authorized person
must
complete all work.
First, they will choose where the tank
will be installed. In British Columbia
there must be at least 30 meters (100
ft.) between a septic tank installation
and any water supply. |
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Secondly, they will have a percolation test done
on the site. In the past, I have conducted
several tests on my properties. You will dig
several holes in your property to determine how
fast the wastewater will be absorbed.
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A standard percolation test is conducted as
follows: |
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Step 1: In the proposed drain field, the
tester will dig 2
percolation test holes 30 cm. (12) to a
depth of 56-81 cm (22-32). Remove any
smeared soil surfaces on the sides and
bottoms of these holes. If you find that the
water level or any type of hardpan, such as
rock or clay is already above the suggested
depth, then carry out the percolation test
above the water level. Presoak the test
hole. If there is clay or silt in the hole,
the tester will soak it for about 4 hours. |
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Testing the Septic Field |
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Step 2: Immediately after completing the
soaking, the tester will fill the percolation test hole with
water, and allow the water to drain to 13 cm
(5) from the bottom of the hole. Repeat this
step.
Step 3: They will
add enough water to raise the water level in the
hole to just above 15.5 cm (6) from its bottom.
Step 4:
When it reaches these levels, they will time the
water drainage until
the water level reaches the 13 cm mark. They
will record
the time, and repeat timing until the last two
rates of the water draining do not vary by more
than two minutes. They will record all the time to show to
the Environmental Health Officer. |
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The percolation rate is calculated by averaging
the slowest rates which were recorded for each
percolation hole, and is reported in minutes per
inch. |
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The authorized person may want to have the soil
tested. What they will do is dig observation
test holes to about 4 ft (or more in cold
climates), or until they encounter bedrock or
hardpan. They will note the conditions found,
and take this dirt to be tested. |
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They may also want to determine the
height of the water tables during the
wettest time of the year using these
test holes. If a nearby water source,
such as a lake or river, affects the
table, then the elevation of the water
table will be the same as the elevation
of the water source at its highest
level. If this does not apply, then they
will check with the Ministry of
Environment, Lands, and Parks for the
ground water tables for the area. They
will be looking for the average of the
highest ground water tables for the past
two years. |
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Installation of a septic tank |
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Once all the necessary information has
been completed, the authorized
person will submit all the information
to the local health authority. Once
accepted the septic tank system will
need to be completed within 12 months. |
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A properly installed septic tank is one of the
two most important services to your property.
Make sure that you find a good septic
consultant, and you'll have a system good for
many years. |
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