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You have finally decided that it is time to replace your old septic system. You have been told by the local Board of Health that you need to hire a Civil Engineer and a bunch of other stuff that you forgot as soon as you left the office.

Your friends aren’t much help either.

What are the qualities that you are going to look for as part of your decision to hire a civil engineer?

Price?  Reputation? Knowledge? Recommendation? Local Firm?

Are you going to just hire a contractor and let him hire the engineer? oops! you may not want to do that, especially if you are concerned about the Price!

There is a regional furniture store that has a marketing jingle, “Quality, comfort and price, that’s nice”?

So tell me, what qualities do you look for?

Should you have to pre-register before you are allowed to comment on a blog?

This question has caused a small debate in our office.

If you don’t force the registration, then Spammers can take over the Blog and add trackback & pingback links.

If you do allow instant access, then our readers will be able to post comments right away and see the comment post.

So tell us your opinion!

Please use the “no comments” or “comments” link on the posted in line below.

You will be asked to fill in a name and e-mail (this notifies PMP that a comment has been posted) when you post your comment).

I have  adjusted the settings to allow your comments to be posted instantly.

Results:

The Russians are coming, the Russians are spamming! At least once a day I am deleting the spam!

I will still keep the restrictions off and hope that I catch & delete all the spam crap.

I also want to thank all the ED product Spammers for visiting my Blogs and adding their links!  That gives me an opportunity to work on my blogs every day to delete your postings.

Wow! We are now getting about 15 ED related posting every night!  I have turned off the ability to comment on two blogs that seem to have attracted the attention of the spammers.

I am spending too much time deleting spam. I still want people to be able to post comments without pre-registering but I also want to control the publishing of the spam. You can still comment without pre-registering, but all posts will have to be approved before they are published, so I can delete the spam.

Having trouble with your Septic System? Can’t take a shower and run the washing machine at the same time without having to clean-up a system back-up? You have a nice wet green area in your yard when the rest of the lawn is brown? Do you think it is time to replace the old Septic System?

Why not “do it yourself”?

While some of the following information could apply to other States, the focus of this Blog is to address residential septic systems in Massachusetts.

The first step is to understand what is a Septic System, which is also known as an on-site sanitary wastewater disposal system. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) maintains a website with lots of information. The trick is navigating through the site (link to the main DEP Septic System page)  to find the answers you need. In Massachusetts, the design of septic systems is controlled by the State Sanitary Code (310 CMR 15.00) which is also known as Title 5 which can be obtained at this MA DEP Septic Systems/Title 5 link . Each community can also establish local regulations that have to be followed. You should check with the local Board of Health office.

Before you get started using the Code to do the design, let’s become familiar with the basic septic system components.

Septic Tank & Pump Chamber

Sanitary wastewater leaves the house through the building sewer and flows by gravity into the Septic Tank. In some instances, the design requires a pump to move the septic tank effluent to the leaching system (also know as the soil absorption system or SAS)

The effluent leaving the septic tank and/or pump chamber has to be piped to a Distribution Box (”D” Box) before entering the SAS. The Distribution Box  is designed to allow the effluent to be distributed evenly into the leaching system by gravity (there are pressure dosed systems that do not use a “D” box).

Distribution Box with force main inlet pipe

Distribution boxes are typically made of concrete and are available with multiple pipe openings and sizes.

The SAS or “leaching area” allows the distributed effluent to pass into the ground.

There are multiple types of systems and components that have been approved for general use in the design of this system component. The decision to use a pipe and stone leaching field, pipe and stone leaching trench, chamber system or other type of system should be based on the specific site conditions and property constraints.

No Aggregate Chamber Field

The MA DEP web site also published a series of technical design documents that are available at this Guidance and Policy link.

Now that you are more familiar with the systems components and have copies of the regulations, there are a few more steps that need to be accomplished before you can work on the design. You will need to prepare a plan of your property to show the existing house as well as the site features, such as the driveway, trees, swimming pool, etc. This plan needs to show your property line (your deed will describe your property and may even reference a plan that shows your lot lines). This plan also needs to show topography (your town may require the topography to be based on a national datum and not an assumed elevation) and spot elevations at certain locations.  It is also helpful to know the location and invert elevation of the building sewer pipe at foundation as well as the location of your water service and other utilities (gas, electric, CATV). If you or your neighbors have a well (drinking water and or irrigation well), then they (all the wells) also need to be located and shown on the plan.

Topographic / Existing Conditions Plan

Do you have wetlands within 100 feet of your property or where the new septic system would be installed? Then you will need to have the edge of the wetlands determined, located and shown on the plan. Some towns have local Wetlands By-laws & Regulations which are more stringent that the State Regulations, so it may be best to contact your local Conservation Commission office.

Now that you have your worksheet plan, you can determine what area is available to locate the new septic system. The Code has a list of set-back distances that need to be followed, such as 10 ft. off the property line, etc.

The next step will require the services of a MA licensed Soil Evaluator to perform the official soil evaluation and percolation testing. This testing is witnessed by the local Board of Health and typically involves submitting an application along with a fee payment. The testing will involve the excavation of several deep (10 ft. plus) holes in the proposed system location, so you will need a larger backhoe.  You (or your excavating contractor) will need to obtain a “dig-safe” number and a Trench Permit (issued by the town).

Soil Evaluation

The soil evaluation will determine the depth and suitability of the soil, the elevation of the estimated seasonal high groundwater and the percolation rate. These items are all used in determining the elevation of the system components as well as the size of the SAS.

If you have a property that has high groundwater and the good soils are saturated (can’t perform the percolation test), then a soil sample can be taken to a State Certified Soils Lab to perform an analysis to determine the classification for establishing a percolation rate. This is only allowed for system replacement when no increase in flow is proposed.

Speaking of flow, the Code requires you to use a design flow based on the total number of bedrooms. If you have a house with more than 10 rooms, you are required to do a mathematical calculation to arrive at the bedroom count. The Code uses 110 gallons per day per bedroom with a three bedroom minimum design. Some towns require a higher design flow amount.

Now you can take all of this information and do the design for your septic system! The Code has a listing of all the items that must be presented on the design plan and some towns have additional content requirements.

In Massachusetts, the final design plans that are submitted to the Board of Health for approval must be prepared by a Registered Sanitarian or a Registered Professional Engineer.

Maybe the “do-it-yourself” method is not a good idea.

However, by knowing what is involved with this process and the multiple options for replacing a failed septic system, you can use this knowledge in hiring the Sanitarian or Professional Engineer who will work closely with you in preparing a final plan that is best suited for your property.

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By Michael E. Perrault, P.E.

How long has your house been on the market? That is a very common question, especially during this “economic slow down”.  Are you using a Real Estate firm to help you market and sell your property? What are you doing about your old Septic System?

If you have a septic system and live in Massachusetts, you are obligated by law to have your septic system inspected when you are selling your property. Before 1995 this requirement did not exist and typically only a token observation was performed. Opening the cover of the Septic Tank and proclaiming, “looks good to me” does not constitute a thorough inspection.

With the changes in the Massachusetts Sanitary Code since 1995, a licensed septic system inspector must follow the Title 5 Code requirements and document the inspection using the standard State forms. A copy of this completed form must be submitted to the local Board of Health office, the seller and a copy must also be provided to the buyer.

When you lsited your property, did your Real Estate Agent tell you about the need for the septic inspection? Did you have it done right away or are you waiting for a buyer?

Over the last 18 months I have been travelling to various real estate offices in Southeastern Massachusetts and presenting a brief seminar on septic systems. This seminar was pre-arranged to be made during the monthy meeting of the brokers, agents and sales staff and would take about 1/2 hour.

The focus of the presentation was on the need for the inspection of the septic system early in the sales process and what to do when the inspection results in a failure.

Septic System Inspection

An important part of my presentation is the question and answer session.  One common question that is typically asked is, “My client’s septic system failed the Title 5 inspection, when do they need to replace the system?”

My advice is to have the work done sooner than latter.

What makes one property more attractive than a very similar property in the same neighborhood?  If both houses needed to have their septic systems replaced and one had all the engineering design completed and plans available for the buyer to review, would that make one house more attractive to a potential buyer?  Showing of the property would include telling the potential buyer exactly where the new septic system would be going and if it would involve building a large “hump: in the yard. What if the house had the system installed and the lawn restored. Would the completion of the work make that house even more attractive? The showing would simply indicate the location of the installed system and that there would be no delays due to the need to install a new septic system.

New Replacement Septic Tank

Some property owners simply do not have the money to pay for the design and installation of a new septic system. My advice is to suggest, as a minimum, getting the soil testing and desgin engineering completed as soom as possible. Once the design plans are completed, the owner can obtain actual construction cost estimates. The cost for replacing the septic system will play an important roll in establishing the acceptable price for the property.

As for the installation of the system, Banks and Mortgage Companies typically do not want to hold back funds at the “closing” to pay for the installation of the septic system. When they do agree to holding back the money to build the system, the amount is typically 1.5 times the bid estimate.

There are contractors that will work with sellers to install the replacement septic system when the sale documents are complete and the “closing”  has been scheduled, pending the installation of the septic system. These contractors are typically listed on the “closing documents” and are paid from the funds generated by the sale of the property.

Not all real estate professionals know about these options, have the contacts to get the engineering completed in a timely manner, obtain legitimate construction quotes or arrange for the “pre-closing” construction.

I hope that my “septic system seminar” for real estate professionals provided a little more knowledge. One other “tool” that was provided to these professionals was a copy of the brochure “Valuable Information on Title 5 Septic System, Perc. Testing, Soil Evaluation and Design Engineering”. This brochure clearly outlines the steps that need to be followed in replacing a faied septic system. This brochure can be downloaded for free from the www.pmpassoc.com web site landing page.

The process of converting land into residential house lots along new roads involves months of planning, engineering, permitting and construction. When design plans are first submitted to a Planning Board, they typically are presented in a “preliminary plan” format to allow for initial comments that will guide the project toward the next step. Municipal consulting peer review services at this phase are just not confirming technical compliance with the Planning Board’s Regulations and local Zoning By-law requirements, but should also include suggestions for the Developer and his design professionals to follow in preparing the Definitive Subdivision Plan.

The Definitive Plan phase is where the more detailed engineering plans are presented to the Planning Board. The peer review at this step is to confirm that the plans meet the standards and regulations before they are approved.

Even with the approval of the Definitive Plan, the Developer still needs to obtain other permits associated with the project.  For example, the proposed roadway and lot development plan has to be submitted to the local electric & telephone companies for the design of their utilities. If a site will disturb more than 1 acre, then a Notice needs to be filed with the EPA under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) prepared. Some properties, due to nearby wetlands, are within the jurisdiction of the local Conservation Commission and require permitting approval.

When the Developer decides to actually begin the construction of the roadway, notice is given to the local Planning Board and other local agencies. The Board’s consultant typically works closely with the Developer and the other local agencies to provide construction observation services during critical phases of this process. For the most part, these observation services are performed on an on-call / part-time basis to document the proper construction of the various project components.

Not every project moves quickly from start to finish. As an example, a small two-lot project in Abington Massachusetts required the construction of a short road with a Cul-de-Sac along with a stormwater management system as well as various utilities.

Final Paving in Cul-de-Sac

The original Developer started the project, constructed the new roadway improvements through the base course of pavement and then abandoned the project.

A new Developer purchases the subdivision after the project is left untouched for several years. Before this Developer begins working, a review is performed by the Planning Board’s engineering consultant to determine the condition of the project and prepares a list of the repairs, etc. that needs to be performed.

Compacting Process for new pavement

These repairs and long overdue maintenance items are performed by the new Developer and confirmed by the Board’s engineering consultant. Close coordination and communication at this phase of work is very important.

Double curb inlet catch basin

For this particular project, the Developer wanted to complete the majority of the required roadway construction before asking the Planning Board for the release of the two lots from the development “covenant”. Pavement activities are observed by the Board’s engineering consultant on a full-time basis since the proper placement and compaction are critical.

Final Roadway Pavement

When a Definitive Subdivision in Massachusetts is approved and the plans are recorded at the Registry of Deeds, a signed “covenant” is also recorded. The covenant is a binding legal document (same term as in the Bible) that clearly states that the Developer can not sell the lots or get a building permit until he completes all of the construction improvements as shown on the subdivision plans. There is a provision to get a “release” from the covenant if the Developer is willing to post some form of surety to cover the costs for completing the project. One of the other duties of the Planning Board’s engineering consultant is to establish the list of outstanding construction items to create the “Bond Estimate” for the Board to use in determining the amount of the surety that the Developer must provide before he can get the formal release documents (which are also recorded at the Registry of Deeds).

The more work that is performed and completed by the Developer prior to the creation of the Bond Estimate results in a much lower surety amount.

The Developer of this project decided to install the final paving surface before the two houses are started. The Bond Estimate will include provisions for the repair of the pavement should damages occur.

At the end of the project, the final conditions will have to be observed by the Board’s consultant, necessary corrections and repairs made and confirmed before the Board can decide to release the surety.

(Since 1997,  Michael E. Perrault, P.E. and P.M.P. Associates, LLC has been providing professional consulting services to the Town of Abington Planning Board)

Municipal consulting services for Planning Boards are not limited to peer reviews. Some projects that are approved do require oversight during construction. The extent of the involvement of the Town on a private project is typically established in the project’s approval conditions. For example, the proper installation of the drainage system would be critical to the protection of the public, including down gradient abutters. In this instance, the Board would impose a condition that would require the developer / applicant to contact the Planning Board Consultant to view the drainage system installation.

In-ground stormwater system in Abington, MA

By having the Board’s Consultant observe the installation, both the developer and the public will benefit. The developer has another professional viewing the construction to confirm that the developer is getting a properly installed system. The public has an independent paid professional confirming that the system is being properly installed.

Not every Town imposes these requirements.

Follow this link for more information regarding our Municipal Consulting Services.

Was it just a few years ago when small scale Townhouse Style condominium projects provided an alternative to single family houses?

What happened to this branch of the housing industry?

Let me first  tell you the story of the Cushing Mithcell Condominium, which is located on Central Street in East Bridgewater, MA.

The rambling, 6 bedroom dwelling at 90 Central Street was destroyed by fire and was too far gone to rebuild. Thankfully no one was hurt in the fire. The owner was not interested in replacing the building. A local developer, during his negotiations to purchase the property had P.M.P. Associates, LLC perform an initial due-diligence study to establish the various constraints to re-developing this property (Zoning set-back requirements, local groundwater protection requirements, need for new sanitary wastewater disposal “septic”  system, an existing driveway access  easement and the location within an historic area).

Since the property had a six bedroom dwelling, six bedrooms could be reconstructed on the property. However, only a single structure could be built and it needed to fit within the general footprint of the destroyed building.

After several concepts and alternatives that were developed by the project’s architect and civil engineer, three, two-bedroom townhouse units with a connecting two-car open front garage/carport were selected. To maintain the historical nature of the property, the front unit was rotated 90 degrees to face the street and the stone wall feature on the abutting property was extended along the front of this property.

Here is the final engineering site plan that was approved for the project.

Site Plan Drawing

This is a narrow lot that did not leave much room for the septic system. The right side of the property has a driveway easement for the abutting property, which had to be maintained. The site design took advantage of this requirement and combined it into the driveway access for the three units and guest parking.

Here is the engineering plan for the septic system.

Septic System Engineering Design Plan

The Town of East Bridgewater has a requirement to provide for groundwater recharge. To meet this requirement, the roof drainage was collected and directed to a recharge system that was designed specifically for the soil conditions at this property. The recharge system had to be located away from the septic system as well as the building foundation.

Here is what the completed complex looks like from the street.

Cushing Mitchell Condominium - Front Unit

The other two units face the driveway and each unit is separated with an open garage / carport.

Cushing Mitchell Condominium - Units 2 & 3

Before the first unit could be sold, P.M.P. Associates, LLC prepared, the condominium unit plans and condominium site plan for the Developer in conjunction with his attorney.

At the present time, one unit has been sold and is occupied.

These units are well built and located in a desirable location. The asking price appears to have been adjusted to the current real estate market conditions. So why are there two units still available?

Has the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and today’s banking institutions totally destroyed condominium sales?

Maybe I am an optimist, you know, the glass is have full kind of guy.  I firmly believe that the smaller condominium projects are going to play a  vital part in the recovery of the housing industry. These projects provide an affordable alternative to a single family home. As local agencies continue to increase the cost of land development through increased regulations and fees, developers need to have a more cost effective housing alternative.

The Cushing Mitchell Condominium is being marketed by:

Heritage Home Real Estate

36 North Bedford Street, East Bridgewater, MA02333

Telephone 508-378-8100