The other main category of alternative treatment systems-which also can be used in conjunction with or instead of standard equipment, depending on your situation-focuses on the drainfield end of the process. Water then trickles through the sand before going out into the drainfield.Ī bottomless sand filter takes things a step farther: It doubles as a drainfield alternative by allowing the fluids to pass into the ground underneath. A pump tank releases the partially clarified water to the top of the sand in measured doses.
The filter consists of a large buried or above-ground box filled with sand. An aerobic unit can serve as a substitute for a septic tank-or work in concert with one.Ī sand filter ($5,000 to $13,000) works in conjunction with your tank or aerobic treatment unit. Some units also disinfect the fluid with chlorine or ultraviolet light, an advantage if you live near water, where you may face tighter environmental standards on what your system releases. They break down solids much more quickly than the anaerobic bacteria in standard septic tanks, so cleaner water goes into the drainfield. That way, you can get by with a smaller drainfield-one in soil that doesn’t drain well-or a site that’s close to a lake or stream and therefore must meet stricter environmental standards.Īn aerobic unit (about $6,000) mixes air into the wastewater, which allows oxygen-loving bacteria to flourish. The following alternative systems help to purify the water more before it gets to the drainfield.
#Spray septic system cost install#
These cost more to install than basic systems, but the prices vary widely, depending on your site, your local environmental codes, and what technology you need. Where the soil type, the property size, or proximity to a wetland prohibits a standard system, you’ll need an alternative system, which is one with an enhanced septic tank, drainfield, or both. And that’s only if there’s plenty of well-draining soil above the water table.
But it’s not an option for every lot.Ī three-bedroom house requires 1,000 to 1,800 square feet or more of open land that’s level with-or downhill from-the house to qualify for a standard-system permit from the local public health department (or possibly state environmental agency, depending on how your locale handles such matters).
Installing a standard system costs $5,000 to $10,000, depending on where you live. As water trickles out of the pipes, the soil and its microbes act as natural filters to clean the water.
#Spray septic system cost free#
This area, which must be kept free of trees and shrubs so their roots don’t damage it, consists of perforated pipes or drain tiles buried in trenches or set on a gravel bed one to three feet below the surface. The relatively clear water in the middle flows out to the drainfield. The greases and oils that rise to the top as scum and the solids that sink to the bottom as sludge both get removed by a septic pumping company every few years and carted to an approved disposal site. Water pools there long enough for ingredients to separate. The septic tank is an underground box usually made of concrete, polyethylene, or fiberglass. In a conventional septic system, gravity carries wastewater from the house into the septic tank and then to the drainfield. If that fails, a plumber can help figure out what you have. Your local health department or state environmental agency might also have backup records. If time has blurred the details, dig out those papers and read up. Specifics about the type of system you have should be included in papers you received when you bought your house. How septic systems workĪll septic systems consist of two main parts: a tank where solids settle to the bottom and a drainfield (also known as a leachfield) where the water disperses. The typical life expectancy of a septic system is 25 to 30 years. Septic systems are just better options for sparsely populated rural and spread-out suburban areas, where running sewer lines would be cost-prohibitive. households and nearly half of all houses in the South-clean up wastewater just as well as city municipal systems. These one-house-at-a-time sewage treatment systems-used by one in five U.S. This will help you take simple steps to prolong its life, understand what you should do if something goes wrong, and evaluate your options if you ever need to expand your system because of a home improvement project. If you’re installing a septic system-or living with one-it pays to learn the basics of how it works.