Contact a qualified and experienced engineering firm and qualified excavator. Acquire a septic permit from the local health department. An electrical permit may be necessary if a pump tank is installed. Schedule your engineer to stake out the septic field and provide you and your excavator with a cut sheet with the pin elevations. Excavate the septic field to the proposed dimensions and depth. When complete the Township inspector and your engineer will inspect the bed. Install the certified select fill. Select fill will be installed in lifts and compacted to meet specs. The select fill will be brought up to the proposed elevation and hand-raked level. When all Select fill is installed the engineer and township witness will return to run a perk test on the material. Install septic washed stone and perforated laterals. Stone will be installed and leveled for installation of the perforated laterals, distribution box or distribution manifold. Once all laterals are complete and covered with stone the engineer and inspector will return to perform the final inspection of the field. Install septic tanks and pipe connection from the dwelling. After tanks and pipe connections are complete the engineer will inspect and perform an AS BUILT on the system. Township final inspection will be pending on the AS-BUILT which will be prepared and sealed by your engineering firm.

Maintenance Of A Septic System

Failure to pump out the septic tank when it is needed is the most frequently documented cause of septic system failure.

The Standards for individual Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems require that any septic system, which was approved for construction, and any existing system which was altered or repaired after January 1, 1990, must be inspected annually if the septic tank has not been pumped out within the previous three years.

The failure to pump out a septic tank when it has reached its capacity to retain scum and sludge will result in the scum and solids being carried out of the septic tank and into the disposal field. If this condition is allowed to continue, the scum and solids will soon clog the disposal field. If this happens, sinks and showers may not drain, toilets may overflow and the homeowner's lifestyle will be seriously disrupted. Costly and time-consuming reconstruction of the disposal field is usually the only solution when this happens.

Septic Pumping: Dutchtown Nursery has an excellent working relationship with New Jersey Septic Management who are based in Central Jersey. New Jersey Septic Management is a family owned and operated business that has proven to be a dependable and knowledgeable company serving residential and commercial septic systems.

Inspections are the best form of Preventive Maintenance. Be aware of the following:

• Rrecords of prior inspections.
• Toilets backing and or slow to drain.
• Sewage or effluent is seeping into the building or its basement.
• Effluent is being discharged to the surface of the ground in the area of the disposal field.
• Water from the homeowner's well that has developed an unpleasant taste, the water has a foul odor or an analysis of the well water indicates contamination.
• Inspection of the septic system must include an internal inspection of the septic tank and the dosing tank or distribution box.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a septic system? A septic system is a subsurface wastewater treatment and disposal system. In most circumstances a septic system will serve only one individual house or building. The sewage from the house enters the system through a building sewer and is treated before being discharged into the ground. Modern systems include a septic tank to retain solids, greases and fats and a disposal field to allow the liquid (effluent) to flow into the ground.

What is a sand mound? A sand mound is a system in which the disposal field has been elevated above the original ground surface to account for a high water table, shallow bedrock, or other type of site constraint. A mounded system will normally include a pump tank and pump to lift the effluent up to the raised disposal field.

Is a sand mound more prone to failure than an in-ground system? No. Although a sand mound does include the pump and its associated electrical connections, a properly designed and installed sand mound is no more prone to failure than a conventional septic system.

What is a cesspool? This is the simplest type of subsurface wastewater treatment disposal system. A cesspool is common for homes built prior to 1930. The system consists of a pit that has been constructed out of field stone or concrete block. Sewage enters the pit through the building sewer. The liquid in the pit rises while water is added. The water level drops as water flows out of the cesspool and into the surrounding soil. Cesspool are normally quite deep, and the pressure from the water column within the pit forces water through the opening into the soil.

How often should I pump my septic tank? You should pump your septic tank every 2-3 years under normal circumstances. If you have a large family you should pump the septic tank more often to prevent solids from flowing out of the tank and fouling the disposal field.

What is a baffle? A baffle is an internal component of the septic tank. An inlet baffle directs all sewage towards the bottom of the tank. An outlet baffle prevents floating scum and grease from escaping the septic tank and accumulating in the disposal field.

Why are septic systems in New Jersey so expensive? A combination of factors including design requirements and standards (NJAC 7:9a), subsurface soil conditions, materials costs, and market influences causes the price for a new septic system in New Jersey to approach $ 30,000 - $ 40,000.