Garbage Disposal And Septic Systems

rberq wrote:

Yanche wrote:The local building officials administer what gets built.

I had a system designed a few years ago, and I asked the designer who would inspect and certify it after it was built. The designer said he was also the local inspector, but that would be a conflict of interest so the guy from the next town over would do the inspection. I asked him, when the OTHER town's guy designs a system, who inspects it? "I do," he said. "We don't have many that fail inspection."

THE JUDGE, JURY, AND EXICUTIONER ALL IN ONE

In my County,our local code guy has nothing to do with septic or well install. The County does that. He'll come out,perk you, and let you know what you need. He will then come back & give you a yay or nay.

My brother raised 4 kids in an old 1800's farmhouse up by Freetown Fred. (Chenango Forks) They didn't pump their septic in 30 years. Even in the driest summers, the ditch down by the road was like a jungle.

I have been meaning to dig up the lid here and check the tank. Last time it was $400 to pump it. (NJ prices). You're supposed to pull a permit to pump a tank here! The system here was put in under state of NJ grant 20 years ago. The hillbilly contractors were supposed to return the field to lawn. They left with the place looking like 1944 Normandy. Gift horse though. Now I'm worried about the washing machine situation here, everything has been covered in this topic, including washing machine lint. Very interested in the septic filters. I went to high school with a guy named Zabel He was the first guy I knew to play The White Album backwards!( Paul is dead miss him miss him miss him...) He was a hard drinking crazy mofo! Then he met a Jehova's Witness girl, dropped all the sins, had a bunch of kids.
I have about a 100' run into the woods, better rent a ditch witch this spring; I walk by them almost daily at the Homme Depot That'll take care of my machine, landlady's is a HE.

It cost me $170 to have my system pumped last fall. 15-20 minute job for the contractor.

I have 4 tanks pumped every two years. Yes its over kill but they other side is wallet overkill if the need for landscape dectruction and drainfield repair arises.

I wonder if they recycle the corn for fuel?????

In 1938, my grandfather built his house out of blown down houses from the hurricane that hit MA hard that year. He dug a pit by hand, & lined it with cinderblocks. When he died in '94 & the state pretty much took the house, that system had NEVER been opened. 56 years. Raised 4 kids their too.

I remember walking back there when we were cleaning the house out, & the ground was getting a bit mushy. Hope the state had fun with that one!

Yanche wrote:It cost me $170 to have my system pumped last fall.

Dann757 wrote:Last time it was $400 to pump it. (NJ prices).

Dayumm, I'm in Corrupticut and it only cost me $125 to pump 2 tanks.

Dann757 wrote:including washing machine lint.

The lint is easy fix, the filter we have here is similar looking to water filter with a clear plastic housing and is mounted on discharge pipe. It has a fine nylon mesh bag in it that the water filters through. Just pop the lid off to empty it out occasionally.

How about some links to the washing machine lint filters please!

My first house was built in 1952. Had a cespool with out any leach fields. It has never been pumped to my knowledge - 59 years I think it works because it's located in sandy soil (glacial morain) and has three big tall Norway Spruce trees and a huge Black Walnut tree 'drinking out of that pit. Now that's what you call a family tree

The issue with a cesspool or seepage pit is not how well it gets rid of sewage. The issue is how well does it renovate the sewage before it goes back to the water table. The trees maybe drinking the untreated sewage but if you have a well on the property people maybe drinking it as well. Today's sewage enforcement officers and health officials are much better educated than they were even 5 years ago let alone 40. The effort today is tor treat or renovate the sewage before it goes back into the water table. Let's face it. It's the ultimate recycling Green Machine. Don't forget, you are what you eat or in this case drink!
Jeff Rachlin - OnSite Management, Inc.
http://www.OnSiteMGT.com

Septic systems and it's effects on the ground water are a big deal. Here in Maryland there is talk in the current session of the state legislature of outlawing all new private septic systems. Doing so would be a killer for the rural housing industry that depend on septic systems. I don't have information to know if it's a real problem or not. Sure failed septic systems are a serious issue but as an engineer I have a difficult time understanding why a harmless residential private septic system is not possible. I may not like the cost, but I would expect it could be designed. Does anyone have creditable studies that shows how effluent flows through septic systems and into the ground water? Surely someone has put tracer elements in liquids and watched it's flow into the water table.

Yanche wrote:Septic systems and it's effects on the ground water are a big deal. Here in Maryland there is talk in the current session of the state legislature of outlawing all new private septic systems. Doing so would be a killer for the rural housing industry that depend on septic systems. I don't have information to know if it's a real problem or not. Sure failed septic systems are a serious issue but as an engineer I have a difficult time understanding why a harmless residential private septic system is not possible. I may not like the cost, but I would expect it could be designed. Does anyone have creditable studies that shows how effluent flows through septic systems and into the ground water? Surely someone has put tracer elements in liquids and watched it's flow into the water table.

John
I have a very good friend who is a hydrologist with the USGS. I asked him last week about the effect private septic systems have on the bay. He said it was negligible. It's our beloved lieing gov OWE'malley trying to be green. I'm sure you are aware that several of the waste treatment facilities in our area routinely "overflow" millions of gallons of raw sewage into the bay when there is a storm, etc. One such incident is more than all the septic systems combined. And farm run off drawrfs all of that.

These are very current and relevant issues. PA is using a Mass Balance Equation to evaluate the effect of Nitrates on the ground water. Dr. Paul White of Brickhouse Environmental of West Chester, PA was involved in a ground water study. Nitrates are the principal nutrients that are the problem. I have installed nitrate reducing equipment in septic systems. Not cheap!
Jeff Rachlin - OnSite Management, Inc.
http://www.OnSiteMGT.com

I am far more concerned about all the estrogen passing the municipal treatment plant back to the water table.

Yanche wrote:Septic systems and it's effects on the ground water are a big deal. Here in Maryland there is talk in the current session of the state legislature of outlawing all new private septic systems. Doing so would be a killer for the rural housing industry that depend on septic systems. I don't have information to know if it's a real problem or not. Sure failed septic systems are a serious issue but as an engineer I have a difficult time understanding why a harmless residential private septic system is not possible. I may not like the cost, but I would expect it could be designed. Does anyone have creditable studies that shows how effluent flows through septic systems and into the ground water? Surely someone has put tracer elements in liquids and watched it's flow into the water table.

As I understand the proposal here in MD, it is to eliminate private septic for developments of 5 or more lots forcing them to have centralized processing for those houses. There are small scale shared septic systems, I don't know if they would meet the requirements they came up with for this proposal.

I can see the loophole already....the developer will have a development of 4 houses and sell off the remaining lot to an individual that is not part of the "development". Or they will have multiple 4 house developments. I have no doubt this proposal will not impact Bay water quality, but will increase fees and creative development to avoid it. I am already paying a flush tax from our previous Republican Gov to use my private septic system.

Remember the fiasco at Centerville on the Eastern Shore a few years ago? They had rampant housing development that was fed into the WWTP because they didn't want septic systems. But the WWTP wasn't sized for it. They would routinely be pumping raw sewage into the tributary to the Bay in addition to the rainfall events. Not too surprising the planning council had a couple developers on it approving everything!

Studies I have seen and heard discussed at various meetings indicate the worst pollutant to the Bay is farm runoff from the PA/NY Susquehanna River Watershed and Eastern Shore poultry farms. I think the EPA is still trying to figure out how to classify the Eastern Shore farms so they can classify and control any runoff as hazardous waste.