A lot of people in Sonoma County have septic systems -including yours truly-. There are a lot of vacant parcels, or parcels that need a update on their septic system. Thought enclosed info about how the septic design process works might be interesting.Thank you Jim Glomb, Geotechnical & Environmental Consultant for sharing this:
When constructing a rural property, or improving an existing property, the septic system is an integral component that requires a septic design professional who is up-to-date with regulations and health and safety requirements.
The first step in the Septic Design process for an undeveloped parcel is a Preliminary Site Evaluation. The Preliminary Site Evaluation evaluates the site?s potential to meet the homeowner?s goals and identifies the best areas for on-site wastewater disposal. The Preliminary Site Evaluation begins with identifying site attributes such as topography, vegetation, drainage and geology. The Preliminary Site Evaluation also includes exploration of soil deposits to determine subsurface conditions relative to septic system use. This is followed by design level Soil Profiles using a backhoe in the presence of a County Health Inspector, if necessary, groundwater monitoring, percolation testing, and site mapping will also be performed.
The Percolation Test data, Groundwater Monitoring observations, and Soil Profiles are incorporated into a design report with recommendations and specifications for the optimal wastewater treatment for the parcel. This report is submitted to the county for review and concurrence.
There are many different septic systems and the requirements for septic systems have recently changed, the permit department of Sonoma County has great information.
When buying distressed property this is something to keep in mind: would you like to remodel that lovely fixer with the great views? Seems like a great buy, do your homework as to the septic system, might prevent you from unpleasant surprises.
Mirjam