Table of Contents
How much does it cost to make land perk?
Perc testing typically costs $750 to $1,850 or $1,300 on average. On the high end, you might pay as much as $3,000 depending on local regulation and the size of the leach field or infiltration basin needed.
How do you do your own perk test?
How to do a home soil percolation test: Dig a 6″-12″ deep hole in your future greywater infiltration zone. Place a ruler (or stick marked in inches) in the bottom of the hole. Fill the hole with water several times to saturate the soil. Note the time.
What does it take to perk land?
In most jurisdictions, a perc test is performed when an official from the county health department meets with the owner of the property and/or a licensed excavator to dig a hole and test the drainage rate of the soil on-site (they literally pour water in a hole and time how long it takes to drain through).
What can you do if your land doesn’t perk?
Even if your site fails a perc or deep-hole test, all is not lost. For sites with high water tables, you may be able to “de-water” the leaching area by strategically placing gravel-filled trenches and subsurface drain pipe to conduct water away from the drain field.
What is the alternative to a septic tank?
The major alternatives to septic tanks include mound, aerobic septic, and cesspool systems, as well as sander filter, constructed wetlands, and drip irrigation. The mound system is most popular for soil that is too shallow over bedrock or for a water table which is too high.
How do you do a perk test on land?
A perc test is conducted by drilling or digging a hole in the ground, pouring water into the hole, and then observing the rate at which the water is absorbed into the soil.
How deep is a perk test?
A typical perc test consists of three or more holes dug about 30 to 40 feet apart in the proposed drain field area (see illustration). The holes are typically 6 to 12 inches in diameter and two feet deep, the typical depth of the trenches in a leach field.
Should you get a soil test before buying land?
With this very thought it is important you seek a soil test prior to purchasing the land and make it a condition of the purchase contract. Soil tests reveal what the eye sometimes cannot. It helps to determine varying physical and chemical characteristics of the soil which can change considerably within a small area.
What does it mean when land perks?
A perk test is done on vacant land that does not have access to a public sewer system. The test determines the ability of the land to absorb and process the material from an onsite septic sewer system.
What does PERC mean for land?
Does the land perc? Short for soil percolation rate, what this means is: can the land absorb water from a septic system? You will need to have a perc test done in order to find out. Usually performed by a soil scientist, the perc test analyzes the topography, the types of soil, and their ability to absorb water.
Do perc tests expire?
How Long is a Perc Test Valid? Percolation testing is considered valid for 2-years and must be renewed every 2- years. In order to renew perc tests a Request for Renewal form will need to be submitted to the Environmental Health Office.
Does shower water go into septic tank?
From your house to the tank: Most, but not all, septic systems operate via gravity to the septic tank. Each time a toilet is flushed, water is turned on or you take a shower, the water and waste flows via gravity through the plumbing system in your house and ends up in the septic tank.
What is a perk test on property?
A perc test is simply a test of the drainage — or percolation — ability of the patch of ground being assessed. But a perc test is not a perk of ownership for people developing land for residential and commercial use: It’s usually a requirement.
Is a perc test the same as a soil test?
In general, soils with high sand and gravel content drain the best and soils with a high clay content or solid rock are the worst. The two main tests used to determine a site’s suitability for a septic system are a perc test and visual observation of the soil in a test pit, sometimes referred to as a deep hole test.
What causes land not to perk?
If your land cannot be perked, this means the soil does not have the ability to absorb water. When it comes to a septic system, it is essentially a series of pipes under your property that wastewater drains into. If the soil isn’t moist enough to allow for drainage, the system simply will not work.
What are the new rules on septic tanks?
Under the new rules, if you have a specific septic tank that discharges to surface water (river, stream, ditch, etc.) you are required to upgrade or replace your septic tank treatment system to a full sewage treatment plant by 2020, or when you sell a property, if it’s prior to this date.
What is the smallest septic tank available?
One of the smallest tank sizes you can purchase is 750 to 900 gallons. These sizes are recommended for homes with two rooms or less, giving you plenty of space to properly flush and dispose of waste.
