Is there an alternative to a mound for your septic system?
Have you been advised you need to install a mound for your septic system? Ohio rules provide several options for treating sewage on your property. Keep reading – you may have other options!
Septic systems with mounds
Mounds traditionally have been used when a leach field is not possible due to poor soil conditions or a lack of space on the lot. In fact, many homeowners may think they don’t have any other choice when a county health department or system designer recommends a mound.
What does building a treatment mound involve?
You will need to have several feet of special sand and soil hauled in to sit on a large portion of your property to treat the home’s wastewater. Pipes are placed near the top of the mound to vent it.
Mounds can be unsightly and must be restricted from human or pet access, which renders part of your lot unusable. Also, in heavy rains sewage contamination can wash to the surface and flow down the sides of the mound. It’s no wonder that homeowners want to know if there is another option!
The good news is that there are updated dispersal technologies that are safe, discreet, and don’t take up a lot of space.
Two alternatives to a mound that you may consider:
- Drip irrigation: A drip tube is buried along an area of your property that allows treated wastewater to release underground. You don’t need deep soil to bury this tube if you combine it with a treatment system like the LandSaver® MBR that removes all contaminants. Another perk? It helps to water and fertilize your lawn!
- Spray dispersal: After wastewater is fully-treated to remove all bacteria, it can be safely dispersed onto the surface of an area of your land. This also waters your lawn and, because the water is fully treated, you don’t have to restrict access to the area where it’s dispersed.
Both of these options should be paired with an approved sewage treatment system that includes a high level of wastewater treatment, first and foremost, so it is safe to disperse. Make sure you research your system options and look for a performance warranty that the system will perform well in the variety of conditions it will encounter. This will also ensure that solids that could potentially clog the drip tubes or spray heads are removed with treatment. Spray dispersal is not an option if you have a septic tank without wastewater treatment.
Should you choose drip irrigation or spray dispersal as an alternative to a mound?
Your property layout, topography, and budget will influence your choice here.
- Property Layout: With either of these options in Ohio, the Department of Health requires “setbacks” to ensure the water is released away from your home and neighbor’s property. With spray, that setback is 50 feet from any building and property lines. With drip, the setback is only 10 feet. If you have a smaller lot, or intend to install a barn, shed, or pool, drip may be a great option for you.
- Topography: Another consideration is the topography. If you have restrictive topography with lots of variation in contour or hills, spray may be a better option than drip, as an underground drip irrigation installation might be difficult to fit on the property.
- Budget: A drip irrigation system combined with the LandSaver® MBR treatment system can typically be installed near the cost of a spray system, but with much smaller land requirements.
Here at Tangent Company, we work with many homeowners who are especially interested in the drip irrigation option. They find that they can use more of their land, which is especially helpful if the lot is small. And unlike a mound or even a spray system, drip irrigation is essentially invisible.
If a mound system has been recommended for you, we can help you find out if you have other options based on your layout, topography, and budget. You may be able to avoid an unsightly mound on your property and preserve more of your land! Contact our team at Tangent Company to discuss your options today.