Guidelines for Installing Septic Tanks

 

Before embarking on any form of septic tank installation, specific guidelines must be followed. These guidelines are set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The last thing a person wants to hear after installing a septic tank is that it should be removed because proper guidelines were not followed while installing it. The EPA established guidelines for the proper installation and management of septic tanks. The main reason for these guidelines is to insure that the quality of water in our local community is protected from contamination. So the long term goal of the EPA is to insure that the integrity of the septic system is maintained for a long time, at least 20 years. Our health depends on it.Check out https://www.hemleyseptic.com/ for more info.


The regulation states that license personal should be the only people whoservice or install septic tank systems. In order to ensure that local codes or guidelines are being followed, homeowners who want to begin new on-site installations must get permission from their local county health department sanitarian or building regulations department.Concretehave been the norm for building septic systems for quite a while. However, plastic tanks are now the preferred choice because it is more durable, easier to handle, lighter, and usually have longer shelf life. It does not break down over time like concrete usually does. There was a recent story in the local news stated that a Landscaper fell into a septic pit while mowing a person's lawn because it was very old and weak. It couldn't withstand the weight of the lawn mower and the Landscaper, so it gave way.The rules state that septic tanks should be some distance from the house, away from sources of drinking water, and be some required distance away from a neighbor's property. The guidelines also state that a nearby absorption field is required where waste can be filtered away through the soil. Size of absorption fields should be proportional to the size of the septic tank-large tank, large field-small tank, and small field. The absorption field itself is required to be of a certain type of soil or sand--one that is un-compacted and unsaturated.Regulation states that tank systems should be built at a certain depth underground and should be built at a certain depth from topsoil.


Drinking sewage-contaminated water poses serious health risks, some of which includes hepatitis, dysentery, cramps, nausea, and diarrhea to name a few. Additionally, exposure to sewer gases is notorious for causing nostril discomfort; many of us can attest to that fact.In conclusion, the EPA has established guidelines to follow when installing on-site septic tank systems. These guidelines are set forth to protect the health of the public by ensuring that water supplies don't become contaminated with sewage as a result of defective septic tank systems. This is why trained professionals are the only people allowed to service or install septic tanks. The goal is therefore to maintainthelong term integrity of septic systems, so they won't affect our health and safety by becoming defective. So abiding by established guidelines for septic tank installation is paramount.