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I’m having a septic system installed and the quotes for septic sand here in CT are between 15-20 a sq yd. Whats the pricing like elsewhere. I have an engineered plan that states I will proably use 225 yds. I have not read books on septic systems. But are there ways to use other methods.
greg
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Greg,
There are alternatives. You need to discuss your situation with your regulating officials. It is possible they will approve an aerobic system. These systems operate like small sewage treatment plants and produce a clear discharge that is easier to dispose of. Hoot Systems is a manufacturer that I know about. They do not market, to my knowledge, in your area but their web site is informative and it has links to industry and academic sites and these can lead to other manufactures. Click on http://www.hootsystems.com. An aerobic system costs more than a problem free conventional (tank and field) septic system. However, in problem cases, and situations where surface discharge is allowed they usually cost less. We lived in a house in Southern Illinois with an aerobic system for seven years and it was virtually problem free. The newer systems are even better. It is very possible areation systems are approved for your location but your local sanitarians may not be knowledgable. If you encounter resistance you need to push the point.
*If your system requires sand, it is already an alternative system. Conventional septic systems have a tank and a leach field, either with perforated pipe and gravel or the new gravel-less systems. Alternative systems are specified when percolation is marginal. My guess is that you will have a sand filter. The type and quality of the sand is critical, the wrong sand can cause premature failure of the sand filter. A friend of mine just had to replace his which was about 6 years old, at considerable expense. I doubt that your local health department, or whoever has jurisdiction in your locality, would approve any other alternative simply to save you money. Your system was probably designed to meet the minimum requirements, not to sell you sand at a high price. Your septic system is not a place to cut corners. If it fails it will have to be replaced at a cost that is sure to be greater than the original. If it cannot be replaced or repaired then your house is worth nothing. You should be able to get a firm price on the proper sand. The supplier knows the price. $20 is 1/3 more than $15 and that is too vague. Would you buy plywood from some one who quoted $15 to $20 per sheet? The cost of sand will vary greatly in different areas due to the source of supply and transportation costs.The best source of information on on-site waste disposal is the National Small Flows Clearing House in (West?) Virginia. I think they have a website.
*The National Small Flows Clearinghouse web site is at:http://www.estd.wvu.edu/nsfc/NSFC_Services.htmlA couple of other sites on septic systems are at:http://csbh.mhv.net/~dfriedman/septbook.htmhttp://www.septicprotector.com/There were several other Internet sites I visited before my bookmarks file got trashed, but I haven't bothered to relocate them.Another alternative is composting toilets, although a full system is not necessarily cheap either and they do require some additional attention from the homeowner - not to mention that they are a little different from what most users are used to. There are a number of sites on composting systems, a couple are:http://www.compostingtoilet.org/http://www.cityfarmer.org/comptoilet64.html