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Posted by Jonny on July 11, 2006, 8:50 am
> My mother has a lakeshore home on Lake Mille Lacs near the town of
> Isle, Minnesota. We are attempting to replace the twenty year old
> septic system (a septic tank and holding tank requiring periodic
> pumping) with some type of mound system. I have noticed several mound
> systems in our neighborhood (they all look alike to me).
>
> Our lot is small and Mille Lacs county is telling us the typical sand
> mound system is a little too large to fit on the lot. They suggested
> looking into an alternative mound system that requires less room than
> the standard sand mound we were considering.
>
> On the Internet I have encountered the terms "textile filter
> technology" describing a
> smaller mound system and also "aerobic treatment" describing
> another smaller system. I also heard about a "peat" mound system that I
> believe is also smaller than a sand mound system. If anyone has any
> experience with any of
> these septic systems, I would appreciate your analysis of them.
>
> Also, if anyone has encountered a similar situation as ours, I am
> interested in the solution you found and the type of septic system you
> used.
>
> Approximate costs (price range) of these alternative septic systems are
> also
> appreciated, if possible.
>
> TIA, Terry
>
Conventional septic system used a two stage septic tank, one tank if for
solids and the 2nd is liquids, followed by a gravity fed leech field. The
way I understand it, if you don't have adequate native soil drainage, you
either need a holding tank, an aerobic system, or an above ground leech
field. The above ground leech field is comprised of sandy soil and 1 inch
gravel, or peat, or some other material that absorbs and evaporates the
effluent. The effluent is pumped from an onboard pump in the septic tank
with a float sensor that turns the pump on. The pump is in a 3rd stage tank
of the septic tank.
An aerobic system uses popup sprayers that spray at intervals the effluent
in a designated area. Does not require as an extreme soil depth as a
conventional system for leeching.
Least expensive is the conventional system. Followed by the aerobic system.
Followed by the mound system. Prices vary in the area you live in, the
septic tank capacity, difficulty excavating, material price for the mound
soil, permits, bringing electrical power to the septic tank, and so forth.
The availability of any type of septic system is dependent on the
county/parish you live in, the soil and size of lot, and contractors who can
do those septic system versions.
Call the local county agent for checking your native soil drainage, and
septic system approved for your county. Call some septic contractors and be
sure they come out and look at your lot and designated location of the
septic tank and the leech field. When hired, they have to draw up a plan
for your septic system and submit it to the county. The county may or may
not approve it.
Some septic contractors do not do electrical work. They temporarily connect
electrical power to the 3rd stage pump to adjust the flow by way of a valve
to the leech field, or aerobic sprayers. When set correctly, the county
inspector will check this as a final inspection.
--
Jonny
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