SEPTIC SYSTEM PLANNING

From initial soil testing to submitting the stamped plans to the health authority, our ASTTBC qualified septic designers will plan a system that works for your property.

GET A FREE ESTIMATE ON INSTALL

CALL US

SEPTIC SYSTEM PLANNING

1) SURVEY

We begin the process by addressing your needs in a septic system. We conduct a simple survey to determine the size of the system your home requires, based on floor square footage, occupants and bedrooms.

2) SOIL TEST

A soil test determines what type of treatment and dispersal method your system requires. Using our excavator, we dig a minimum of 2 test holes to determine the structure, texture, sand and gravel content of the soil, as well as limiting factors such as the seasonal high-water table or impermeable layers, that may inhibit a system’s functionality.

3) Design Draft

Once we have all the information we need, we design a system that meets or exceeds all health standards and requirements located in an area that works for you and your property.

4) Filing

After we have designed a system that you approve, we start the filing process. We put a filing package together containing the design drawings, soil sample results and initial site evaluation report. We put our stamp on the filing and submit it to the health authority. Once the filing has been accepted, the documents now pass to the local municipality.

Reach out for a FREE estimate ON INSTALLATION

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL A NEW SEPTIC TANK?

It takes 3-5 days to install a new septic system.

HOW LONG DOES A NEW SEPTIC TANK LAST?

Our systems are designed to last over 40 years with proper care and maintenance.

WHAT IS AN ROWP AND DO I NEED ONE?

An ROWP (registered onsite wastewater practitioner) is an AP (authorized person) certified by ASTTBC to practice within their defined discipline. There are 4 categories of ROWP.
1. Planner – The planner is an AP that designs, files, and certifies the septic system. From the initial investigation of native conditions to the commissioning of the completed system. This function can only be completed by an ROWP planner or professional engineer.
2. Installer – The installer has the job of taking the filed design and turning it into a functional septic system. From initial marking out of the system component locations to the final checks with the planner to ensure the systems functionality, A certified ROWP installer can ensure the system is installed according to the Sewerage System Regulation and the planners design.
3. Maintenance provider – the maintenance provider is responsible for ensuring the system operates and functions to the capacity it was designed for. Any cleaning or repair would fall under this category.
4. Private Inspector – the inspector is responsible for assessing the functionality of the system according to its design. Reports and assessments of systems fall under this discipline.
The BC Sewerage System Regulation specifies that only an Authorized Person (or owner under supervision of an AP) can construct or maintain onsite sewerage and dispersal systems.

WHAT IS A SEPTIC SYSTEM AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Industrial treatment plants treat wastewater for solids and contaminants that could be harmful to the environment. Septic systems essentially serve the same purpose on a much smaller scale.
Where there is no option to connect to a city sewer main, a septic system is required to treat wastewater so that it can be returned to the environment to be reused and recycled. From the sewer main the wastewater is first brought to a septic tank where the first area of treatment begins. The solids drop to the bottom, water stays in the middle layer and grease, oils and fats sit at the top. The water (now referred to as effluent) is then brought from the tank to the dispersal field either through a pump housed in a pump chamber or just through gravity. The dispersal field allows effluent to be filtered further through the native soils as it makes its way back through to the aquifers, lakes, rivers and other local waterways. A well designed and maintained septic system will essentially treat wastewater to a point that it returns to the environment as clean water free of harmful pathogens and bacteria. To learn more about whether a septic system is the right fit for you read our blog post: Does my home need a septic tank.