Failing septic systems and cesspools can contaminate drinking water, shellfish beds, and beaches. Title 5 of the State Environmental Code protects us by requiring inspection of private sewage disposal systems. Local boards of health receive these inspection reports. Most systems will pass inspection. Title 5 requires the replacement or upgrade of systems that fail.

If you own a home with a septic system or cesspool and plan to put it up for sale, add a bedroom, or change its use, you will need to get a system inspection. This information will help you make the right decisions about who to hire and how to finance repairs.

You'd Better Shop Around

When you need to hire a system inspector, there are two important things to remember:

1. MassDEP does not regulate inspection fees, nor does any other state agency. Inspectors can charge whatever their customers are willing to pay. The fee also may vary depending on the complexity of the inspection.
2. Only certain professionals may perform Title 5 system inspections:
   • Professionals who meet experience requirements and have passed a MassDEP-administered exam;
   • Registered Sanitarians;
   • Certified Health Officers; and
   • Registered Professional Engineers who specialize in civil, environmental or sanitary engineering.

Before hiring anyone, do some comparison shopping:

• Get written estimates from several inspectors. Ask them whether the price of the inspection includes pumping the system; often it does not.
• Ask for and check each inspector's identification and references.
• Before signing a contract, be certain that it spells out the work plan, the cost and payment terms, and any guarantees the inspector is willing to provide.
• Once the inspection is complete, make sure the person who signs the form is the same person who conducted the inspection.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: mass.gov

To plan your ideal home and watch it come into being is a pretty amazing process. And there’s probably nothing like the topic of sewage to burst that happy bubble where you daydream about your new home.

Buzzkill or not, building a house in rural New England often means a private septic system might form a crucial part of your new home reality. You won’t just be making decisions about laminate vs. hardwood flooring or what color the exterior of your house should be. You’re going to have to deal with something that sounds nasty even to just say it aloud: effluence.

Let’s make sure we even know what a septic system is. The main objective of a septic system is to remove waste from the house, disperse effluence into the ground, and then let nature take over the job of “treating” the water. That is, filtering the liquid waste through soil, sand, and gravel and returning it into the aquifer from which it originated.

Very early on in the construction of your home, a general contractor will talk to you about what kind of septic system your property will need. The best system will depend on a combination of factors, such as how many people live in the house and the soil composition and soil depth of your land.

In most cases, though, your septic choice will be among a set of four standard options.

Gravity Fed: In this passive system, waste leaves the house through a pipe, which is connected to a fiberglass or concrete tank. Inside the tank, naturally occurring bacteria break down the solids contained in the incoming waste. Eventually, as more sewage comes into the tank, gravity forces the old sewage out. It is dispersed through a series of perforated pipes that are buried in gravel-filled trenches several feet under the ground.

Pressure Distribution: This system is similar to the gravity fed system, except that it includes a pump. Instead of waste gradually ending up in the drain field (or leach field), the pump periodically floods the drain field with effluence.

Sand Filter: This system also uses pumps, but instead of the waste being pumped directly into the soil, it is first dispersed through a series of pressurized lines placed atop a bed of gravel. From there, the effluence trickles down through what is, essentially, a box of sand. The sand treats the wastewater, which collects in a drain under gravel and is then moved into a second pump chamber before being pumped into a drain field.

Mound: In this system, pumps disperse effluence into a sand- and gravel-filled bed that is constructed above the natural surface of the ground.

It’s details like this that can make the difference between a house that’s easy to maintain and one that requires far more attention far more frequently. For more information on other important aspects of building a house, check out our blog on construction terms you need to know!

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

insight.mascomabank.com

Even if your site fails a perc or deep-hole test, all is not lost. For sites with high water tables, you may be able to “de-water” the leaching area by strategically placing gravel-filled trenches and subsurface drain pipe to conduct water away from the drain field. You’ll need a highly experienced earthwork contractor, and possibly the help of a civil engineer or geotechnical engineer, to make this work.

Also, a wide range of alternative septic systems have been developed in recent years for use on almost any type of site. Find out which systems are approved for use in your area and which might be suitable for your site. In general, these systems cost more and many require pumps, alarms, and other components that require more monitoring and maintenance than a standard septic system. As these become more common and more widely accepted, formerly unbuildable lots may all of a sudden become approved building lots. As with all new building technology, however, look at products and systems with a proven track record in the field.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: buildingadvisor.com

On rural sites without municipal sewage systems, a failed perc test means that no house can be built – which is why you should make any offer to purchase land contingent on the site passing the soil and perc tests. As prime building sites become increasingly scarce (or prohibitively expensive) in many parts of the country, rural sites that will not pass a percolation or perc test are increasingly common.

In general, soils with high sand and gravel content drain the best and soils with a high clay content or solid rock are the worst. Most soils fall somewhere in the middle with a mix of course sand and gravel particles, small silt particles, and miniscule clay particles – the smallest.

To get a rough idea before investing time and money in testing, dig below the top few inches of topsoil (loam) to the lighter soil beneath and grab a handful. If the soil has a sticky, damp texture, and you can form a small lump of damp subsoil into a long, thin ribbon or worm shape that holds together, then the soil has significant clay content.

If you can form a ribbon of soil 2 in. or longer in the ribbon test, it indicates that the soil has high clay content and may fail a standard perc test.

The two main tests used to determine a site’s suitability for a septic system are a perc test and visual observation of the soil in a test pit, sometimes referred to as a deep hole test. Testing requirements vary greatly from state to state and often from town to town, as most states allow individual towns to establish separate rules within state guidelines.

Make sure you talk to your town health officer about what tests are needed, when they can be done, and who should perform them. Whether or not a licensed professional is required, it’s a good idea to hire a seasoned expert with local experience as many of these tests have a bit of wiggle room.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: buildingadvisor.com

Q: I’m looking to buy a property that has an existing structure that hasn’t been used in 12-plus years. It has well and septic but the status and placement of the septic system is unknown.

Should I ask for a percentage test or deep-hole test prior to closing? Is there anything thing else I should consider as a contingency? The building was used as a business and residence previously.

A: A well-designed and maintained conventional septic system should provide 20 to 30 years of service before the drain field needs to be replaced. A lightly used system could last a lot longer.

There is no foolproof way to determine how many years of life you can expect from a functioning system, but a thorough inspection can determine whether the system is currently working properly. If not, you can identify what type of immediate repairs and improvements are needed to fix the system and bring it up to current standards. Since a complete new system can cost several thousand dollars, and an “alternative” system can cost over $20,000, hiring a professional to inspect the would be money well spent.

The first step is to find out as much as you can from the previous owner and the local health department. Ask:

• When was the system installed?
• Was the system properly designed, permitted, and inspected by the town or county?
• How often was the septic tank pumped?
• Does the health department have an “as-built” plan on file that would show the design and location of the components?

Also ask the local health department what type of inspection and/or upgrade might be required by the town upon transfer of title. Some jurisdictions require that all septic systems be brought up the current building codes when the property is sold. In some cases, this can mean building a new system from scratch. In that case, a perc test’ or “perk test and deep-hole test are in order to determine the soil conditions and seasonal high water table.

Assuming that the current system can be reused, your preliminary research will give you a better idea of the age and condition of the system, as well as its location on the site. A visual inspection of the site can sometimes identify obvious problems such as trees or traffic over the leach field or wet, smelly soil over a failed leach field. However, a system no used for 12 years would not provide such obvious clues.

A professional inspector can examine the septic tank for leakage of groundwater into the tank or leakage out of the tank, both of which can cause problems. If a 12-year-old tank is filled to the top, it may signal leakage from the exterior. If it is bone dry, it may indicate leakage out from the bottom.

Steel tanks, in particular, are vulnerable due to damage from rust. Lids can rust out creating a dangerous hazard. WARNING: Be especially careful when inspecting an old septic tank or cesspool as the cover can be rusted out or deteriorated and can collapse under your weight. Falling in can be fatal.

Other steel components, such as baffles, can be inspected for rust. The inspector may also recommend excavating and examining the distribution box. The septic tank, distribution box, and piping between components may have shifted over the years and pipes may have broken loose leading to leakage of untreated effluent into the soil. A thorough inspection can identify these problems.

Finally, a loading and dye test might be useful, but these tests are less reliable for an system that has been unused for a year or more. Since the soil around and under the leach pits has had time to dry out, it many readily absorb the dyed water during the test, but the system may fail once the leach field is active again. However, the test can provide critical information about blockages from roots or broken or disconnected pipes.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: buildingadvisor.com

Traditional septic systems only work if the soil in the leach area is sufficiently permeable that it can readily absorb the liquid effluent flowing into it. Also, there must be at least a few feet of good soil from the bottom of the leach pipes to the rock or impervious hardpan below, or to the water table.

Less commonly, a site can fail because the soil is too permeable, allowing the effluent to reach the groundwater before it is fully treated. Very steep slopes are also unsuitable for a conventional leach field.

The specific standards vary from town to town, but any of these characteristics can prohibit the use of a standard gravity-fed septic system. In some cases, a more expensive alternative septic system may be allowed. To determine is a building site is suitable for a septic system, a percolation test (typically called a “perc test’ or “perk test”) is required. NO PERC, NO HOUSE h3

On rural sites without municipal sewage systems, a failed perc test means that no house can be built – which is why you should make any offer to purchase land contingent on the site passing the soil and perc tests. As prime building sites become increasingly scarce (or prohibitively expensive) in many parts of the country, rural sites that will not pass a percolation or perc test are increasingly common.

In general, soils with high sand and gravel content drain the best and soils with a high clay content or solid rock are the worst. Most soils fall somewhere in the middle with a mix of course sand and gravel particles, small silt particles, and miniscule clay particles – the smallest.

Squeezing the wet soil into a thin ribbon can provide a quick indication of clay content.

If you can form a long, thin ribbon of wet soil, it has a high clay content and my fail the perc test.

To get a rough idea before investing time and money in testing, dig below the top few inches of topsoil (loam) to the lighter soil beneath and grab a handful. If the soil has a sticky, damp texture, and you can form a small lump of damp subsoil into a long, thin ribbon or worm shape that holds together, then the soil has significant clay content.

The two main tests used to determine a site’s suitability for a septic system are a perc test and visual observation of the soil in a test pit, sometimes referred to as a deep hole test. Testing requirements vary greatly from state to state and often from town to town, as most states allow individual towns to establish separate rules within state guidelines.

So make sure you talk to your town health officer about what tests are needed, when they can be done, and who should perform them. Whether or not a licensed professional is required, it’s a good idea to hire a seasoned expert with local experience as many of these tests have a bit of wiggle room.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

buildingadvisor.com

A septic system receives, treats and disposes of unwanted wastewater and solids from a building’s plumbing system. Solids are partially broken down into sludge within a septic tank and are separated from effluent (water) and scum (fat, oil and grease). Effluent regularly exits the tank into a drainfield where it is naturally filtered by bacteria and reentered into the groundwater. Scum and sludge must be pumped periodically and should never enter the drainfield.

When should a septic system be inspected?

The septic system should be inspected once a year, including as soon as the house is put on the market for sale. This will enhance the home’s value and avoid any liability issues that might result from a malfunctioning system. It is in the interest of a prospective buyer to insist that the septic system be inspected before they purchase the home if it has not been done recently.

For more information on septic system inspections, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: nachi.org

If a property failed Title V, what does that mean to the buyer?

It means that the septic system will need to have some sort of repair, or full replacement. Who pays for the repair/replacement and how that payment is structured depends on buyer, seller, nature of the problem, and the lender. If a property was sold with no disclosure about a bad septic system, and without clear knowledge that any and all issues are the buyers responsibility, then legally, the responsibility will fall on the sellers to replace and pay for a clean Title V.

It has become customary for sellers to be responsible for Title V for a simple reason; most banks won't lend on a property with a failed system. So when we see "buyer responsibility" what it really means is "hard to borrow money against". As you can imagine, that significantly reduces the number of people who can purchase the property, so these properties often sell below market.

For information on replacing a failed Title V septic system, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

trulia.com

A sewer connection may be key to making your land purchase a good place on which to build a house

Found the perfect piece of land on which to build your dream home? Great! But unless you’re content to use an outhouse, you’ll want to find out whether a sewer system is available for the property, or whether you’ll need to install one.

The answer can affect not only your overall plans for the property, but your construction timeframe and budget.

Is the Property Served by a Sewer?

Question one is whether the property is already served by a sewer. (If not, you’ll need a septic system.) The easiest way to find out is to ask the seller of the land or a real estate agent, if one is involved. If there’s no one immediately available to ask, you can look for clues on your own.

If you know that municipal water is available on the property, chances are the property is also served by a sewer system. Sewer systems typically exist in areas of high population densities (due to the need to treat and dispose of large amounts of community wastewater). So, if the property is in a city, town, or a highly populated area, a public sewer system probably exists.

On the other hand, if the land must rely on a well for water, or if it’s outside of city limits, in a rural, or less populated area, you’ll probably need to install a septic system (which handles the waste water from your property only).

Also, if it’s a large, multi-acre property, (for example, land suitable for a ranch or a farm), it will probably require its own septic system.

Costs of Connecting to and Using an Existing Sewer System

If the property is served by a sewer system, things are pretty simple. Your main requirement as the land owner is to construct the connection from the new home to the main system. (In fact, you probably won’t be allowed to “go rogue” and construct your own septic, or alternative wastewater treatment system, even if you wanted to.)

If a sewer system is available, local regulations may require that you pay the sewer connection fees before a building permit is issued. Typical regulations also require that a professional contractor or plumber install the connection.

If the Property Isn’t Served by a Sewer: Regulations on Septic Systems

If you must install a septic system (because no sewer system serves the land), this will require more time and expense than simply connecting to a sewer. Because failing septics are a major source of water pollution (due to bacteria infiltrating nearby water supplies), almost all land is subject to state and local laws governing the installation and maintenance of septic systems.

Before installing a septic system, you will need to ensure that you comply with the applicable laws, first by obtaining a septic permit, probably from the county in which the land is located. A site evaluation is usually required before a septic permit can be issued. Most site evaluations must include a topography assessment, as well as a soils test (including a percolation or “perc” test). These can be completed by the local health department or a licensed site evaluator or engineering firm.

What the Site Evaluation Will Tell You

The results of the site evaluation will determine whether you can build a conventional (gravity-fed) septic system or whether an alternative system will be required. Alternative septic systems are essentially modifications of conventional septic systems, specifically engineered to work with the soils and topography found on a particular property.

If the results of the site evaluation show that your land is unsuitable for a conventional septic system, an engineer or septic design professional must design an alternative system. For example, if the property has a high water table, a sand or mound system might be recommended and designed, or if soil permeability is an issue, a pump system might be an alternative.

Unlike conventional septic systems (which typically cost $3,000-$5,000 to install), alternative systems can sometimes cost up to $40,000. This is on top of the cost of hiring the professional to perform or review a site evaluation and draft the septic design.

Make Sure You Have Enough Room Left for the Home

Septic regulations also govern where on the property the septic system can be installed. Septic systems must be set back a certain distance from wells and other water sources, as well as from roads, driveways, buildings, other improvements, and property lines.

These restrictions might severely impact where you can build your home. You must ensure that there will be enough room to install the septic system in a suitable location, in addition to a well (if necessary), and still have room to build the size of home you desire in an acceptable location.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: nolo.com

 

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.