Purdue Experts Talk About Septic Systems
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Most people don't think about their septic systems until they fail or give indications they intend to fail.
Purdue University specialists Dr. Brad Lee and Dr. Don Jones talked about septic systems with about 40 people Monday.
Lee, an assistant agronomy professor at Purdue, took a ground-level approach to septic system installation.
"Land use planning all comes down to soil suitability," Lee said. "Few people plan for their septic system first when building - they plan for the house, the well, the pool, the lake."
At least 24 inches of an "aerobic" soil layer is required for a septic field. Brown in color, not chalky-looking, indicates the dirt is seasonally wet with iron distributed throughout. Bacteria in this soil attaches to and "eats" pathogens.
"If there are red root channels, the soil is to wet. If it's chalky, calcium carbonate is present, indicating water is not moving through," Lee said.
He said a U.S. Geological soil survey is good for acres and acres of land use. To determine placement of a new septic system, a localized soil survey is needed.
In Kosciusko County, septic systems must be approved by the County Health Department before a building permit is issued. The system must be 55 feet away from a water well.
"We don't know how many system failures there are," Lee said. "If its a 55-gallon drum and a straight pipe to a ditch, is it even a system?" There are about 800,000 septic systems in the state that produce 1.2 billion gallons of effluent per year.
"Failure rates may be as high as 70 percent, that's an average estimated by county sanitarians. We don't have exact figures," he said.
Lee said most, 75 to 80 percent, of Kosciusko County soil types are unsuitable for conventional septic systems.
In Elkhart County, the health department has developed a map and tracking system using a global information system. Septic system permit locations are indicated along with a failure rates and soil types. Sixty systems failed in the first year, but fewer than 20 failed between years two through 10.
"Most failures occurred in sandy soil or glacial outwash. A homeowner first notices a backup in the plumbing or sewage on the soil surface and then they call the health department," Lee said.
He said one indication of a failing system is green strips of grass over the septic field in August when all the other grass is "dead" from the summertime heat.
Don Jones, a Purdue professor of agriculture and biological awareness, presented alternative types of septic systems designed to overcome soil site limitations.
Septic systems should be able to process 150 gallons of water per day per household bedroom. Side-loading washers use less water than top-loaders. Some toilets now flush using 1.5 gallons of water instead of 6 to 8 gallons.
He suggested an effluent filter installation on the downside of the tank. These can be pulled up, hosed off and replaced.
Another alternative is a constructed subsurface wetland. These strips are usually 18 inches deep, installed with a pea gravel bed between the tank and septic field.
Jones said wetland filters, which are lined with heavy plastic, are very popular in LaGrange County.
The downside to the wetland systems is that they require 150 square feet per bedroom and regular maintenance and monitoring.
Recirculation media filters take sewage water through sand, gravel, plastics or peat-filled chambers several times. Installation size is as much as 30 square feet per bedroom or as little as 10 square feet, depending on the filtering material used.
Aeration treatment units work well when they're maintained, Jones said. The mini-wastewater treatment systems, installed in the 1980s, have a bad reputation now because they require regular maintenance by a trained operator.
A drip irrigation-type system is a grid of pipes installed about 12 inches deep. Effluent is moved through the most biologically active layer of the soil.
Jones said a state septic system installation certification requirement may be in the works for Indiana. In 35 states certification is mandatory. In Indiana, "anyone with a backhoe" can register for installations at the health department and isn't taken off the list until several of their septic systems have failed.
"Composting toilets take some getting used to," Jones said of the system where pits for solids are situated below the toilet and liquid is run another way for treatment.
An audience member said compost toilets can be smelled from a block away.
Jones said cluster systems, where several households band together to pump away sewage, cost $15,000 to $20,000 per household. "Usually you can get a cost share from the state, so the total is less. But you must set up a sewer district to pay for maintenance and develop a means for collection," he said.
Several people with lake property expressed concerns about failing systems and overflow into the lakes.
Lee said he might do e coli tests regularly. He also suggested several homes could use dye to test for runoff into the water and recommended working with the county health department.
The program was sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Arrowhead Country RC&D. [[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
Most people don't think about their septic systems until they fail or give indications they intend to fail.
Purdue University specialists Dr. Brad Lee and Dr. Don Jones talked about septic systems with about 40 people Monday.
Lee, an assistant agronomy professor at Purdue, took a ground-level approach to septic system installation.
"Land use planning all comes down to soil suitability," Lee said. "Few people plan for their septic system first when building - they plan for the house, the well, the pool, the lake."
At least 24 inches of an "aerobic" soil layer is required for a septic field. Brown in color, not chalky-looking, indicates the dirt is seasonally wet with iron distributed throughout. Bacteria in this soil attaches to and "eats" pathogens.
"If there are red root channels, the soil is to wet. If it's chalky, calcium carbonate is present, indicating water is not moving through," Lee said.
He said a U.S. Geological soil survey is good for acres and acres of land use. To determine placement of a new septic system, a localized soil survey is needed.
In Kosciusko County, septic systems must be approved by the County Health Department before a building permit is issued. The system must be 55 feet away from a water well.
"We don't know how many system failures there are," Lee said. "If its a 55-gallon drum and a straight pipe to a ditch, is it even a system?" There are about 800,000 septic systems in the state that produce 1.2 billion gallons of effluent per year.
"Failure rates may be as high as 70 percent, that's an average estimated by county sanitarians. We don't have exact figures," he said.
Lee said most, 75 to 80 percent, of Kosciusko County soil types are unsuitable for conventional septic systems.
In Elkhart County, the health department has developed a map and tracking system using a global information system. Septic system permit locations are indicated along with a failure rates and soil types. Sixty systems failed in the first year, but fewer than 20 failed between years two through 10.
"Most failures occurred in sandy soil or glacial outwash. A homeowner first notices a backup in the plumbing or sewage on the soil surface and then they call the health department," Lee said.
He said one indication of a failing system is green strips of grass over the septic field in August when all the other grass is "dead" from the summertime heat.
Don Jones, a Purdue professor of agriculture and biological awareness, presented alternative types of septic systems designed to overcome soil site limitations.
Septic systems should be able to process 150 gallons of water per day per household bedroom. Side-loading washers use less water than top-loaders. Some toilets now flush using 1.5 gallons of water instead of 6 to 8 gallons.
He suggested an effluent filter installation on the downside of the tank. These can be pulled up, hosed off and replaced.
Another alternative is a constructed subsurface wetland. These strips are usually 18 inches deep, installed with a pea gravel bed between the tank and septic field.
Jones said wetland filters, which are lined with heavy plastic, are very popular in LaGrange County.
The downside to the wetland systems is that they require 150 square feet per bedroom and regular maintenance and monitoring.
Recirculation media filters take sewage water through sand, gravel, plastics or peat-filled chambers several times. Installation size is as much as 30 square feet per bedroom or as little as 10 square feet, depending on the filtering material used.
Aeration treatment units work well when they're maintained, Jones said. The mini-wastewater treatment systems, installed in the 1980s, have a bad reputation now because they require regular maintenance by a trained operator.
A drip irrigation-type system is a grid of pipes installed about 12 inches deep. Effluent is moved through the most biologically active layer of the soil.
Jones said a state septic system installation certification requirement may be in the works for Indiana. In 35 states certification is mandatory. In Indiana, "anyone with a backhoe" can register for installations at the health department and isn't taken off the list until several of their septic systems have failed.
"Composting toilets take some getting used to," Jones said of the system where pits for solids are situated below the toilet and liquid is run another way for treatment.
An audience member said compost toilets can be smelled from a block away.
Jones said cluster systems, where several households band together to pump away sewage, cost $15,000 to $20,000 per household. "Usually you can get a cost share from the state, so the total is less. But you must set up a sewer district to pay for maintenance and develop a means for collection," he said.
Several people with lake property expressed concerns about failing systems and overflow into the lakes.
Lee said he might do e coli tests regularly. He also suggested several homes could use dye to test for runoff into the water and recommended working with the county health department.
The program was sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Arrowhead Country RC&D. [[In-content Ad]]