Gotta dig a new septic tank

susan77

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Jan 19, 2008
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Can anyone give me a ballpark price for a septic tank large enough to handle a one bathroom, 2 bedroom house? Our present tank is too easily flooded and doesn't appear to have a proper leech field- My maestro often seems to pull prices out of thin air, so I like to have something to compare them to! - Thanks for your help!
:)Susan
 
May 29, 2006
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Fire the Maestro.
In my exp the majority of people who do septic systems either don't know how they work or pad the amount of work needed. Why do a job for $500 when it's just as easy to charge $7000 for a whole new system?

I would have someone reliable check out your current system before digging a new one. A proper septic system shouldn't ever flood into the house, even when the system fails. It is very unlikely the tank itself is failing and it's far more likely there is a design problem that can be fixed with hand-digging. When a septic system fails it should be from water perking up through the leech field into your yard. Tanks can always be pumped out and modern ones should last well over 50 years(or much more). They are made from concrete, not cardboard.

Some questions to find out:


Has the tank ever been pumped out? This is usually a good first step.

Does the line going into the tank go in a direct line from the house? There should be no angles or mysterious boxes. It should be level or on a downward grade. I've seen septic system that have pipes that go uphill a few inches into the tank. This can cause problems...

Is there a leech field, or is the tank simply a "dry well"

Have you ever had a "perk test" on your soil? If you have a leech field in clay, a new septic system will simply be a waste of time and a lot of money.

What kind of soil is there in the leech field? Doe the tank back up more when it rains?

A properly installed leech field will have perforated pipes with the holes going down only. Some pipes are installed improperly. There should be 12"-18" of gravel under the pipes.

Are there any trees that could have roots infiltrating the septic lines? In the US Willow trees are notorious for doing this, but I don't know about the tropics.

Are there proper baffles on the tank? A septic tank should have an outgoing baffle so that any waste going to the leech field comes from a foot or two below the surface of the waste water. This is typically made from 4" PVC pipe made into a sideways "T." Without this baffle, your outgoing pipe is subject to plugging from TP and solids.

Is there access to the outgoing baffle?

===
The most important thing is to a perk test. Have someone dig a hole about 5 ft deep in your leech field and see how long it takes for five gallons of water to drain into the soil. It should take no more than 8 minutes to drain. If it is clay or other non-porous soil, you will need to put in a sand filter, which can be quite costly, or if you lucky, you may be able to extend the leech field to more porous soil. If there is no gravel in the leech field, you will need 5-10 cubic yards of gravel under the pipes to help the field filtrate into the ground. Make sure the leech field pipes are level. There is no reason to replace the tank if the problem is the leech field. None. When I was a teenager in the US I handdug a new leechfield in a few days. Four feet down and sixty feet of leech field. You should be able to find a half dozen Haitians who can do the work in the DR for a $100 or so.

What my dad did with his systems was to build boxes around the access holes out of pressure treated 2x6s on one side and 2x8s on the ends. Then there was a lid made from 2x6s that was a few inches under the soil. It made finding the tank easier and saved a lot of digging when it had to be pumped or inspected.

diagram.jpg
 
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donluis99

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Jul 12, 2004
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New tank 1,500 gallons with new disposal well,

RD$20,000 - 25,000 peso labor

400 - 6" blocks RD$10,000.00 +/-
25 fundas de cemento RD$6,500
2 m3 of sand RD$1,700.00
1 m3 sand empanete
1 m3 of grava RD$900.00
3 4" PVC pipes - RD$1,800.00
1 Well Rig RD$6,000.00
1 permiso de auntamiento RD$800.00

more or less, depend on area etc.

leechfeilds in the DR???????????????could be, but never heard of them and never spoke to anybody that did or even understand the concept!!!

besides leech fields require land and here they ain't making no more.

g'luck
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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great post on what is a problem all over the world. Thanks. I have a much better understanding of my own system.
 

Casino127

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Jan 13, 2012
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great post on what is a problem all over the world. Thanks. I have a much better understanding of my own system.


I have spend less than $500 US for a 27 cubic meter tank, Blocks, concrete, rods and labour including digging with shovels.
 

susan77

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Jan 19, 2008
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Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you SO MUCH for this info, PeterinBrat, DonLuis and Casino--- This is what makes the DR! forums the MOST valuable website in the country! Loved your details, questions and diagram, Peter!

Maestro "quoted" me: $1350 for 8 sq feet or $1000 for 6 sq feet. Apparently, it should cost MUCH less!
I will be on site and will see every factura for materials and I also know who is working and for how long---

Granca: this is our property in Las Terrenas which is right next to the swamp and now.....because they keep raising the adjacent road...it is now almost LOWER than the swam-- So when we get the inevitable November flooding, the toilet backs up-- :(
We could never find where the original septic tank drained, in spite of poking dozens of holes--- This is why it was rec'ed (by a German plumber) to dig a new septic system...

Thank you again-- I'm printing out all of this advice and taking with me on Thursday-
Susan
 

Criss Colon

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First step is to "FIND", and then "CLEAN", all your "Grease Traps"!
They can get filled up with "$HIT", from your bathrooms, and kitchen sinks.
In 16 years, I've done it twice, with two different "Traps".
I have the "plans" for my house, and sewage system, which really helps in finding the traps.
Since I'm probbly one in 1,000,000 home owners here who actually have the "Plans", your plumber will have to searh for them. they are usually a few inches below the soil, and have a removable cement top. They are usually about 2 X 3 feet, sometimes smaller.
AND, get a new plumber, your's has $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, for a whole new system dancing in his "Pea Sized Brain"!
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May 29, 2006
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If you are getting flooding only in rainy season, the problem would be that your water table is rising with the rains. This is bad.

A new tank or leach field won't do anything. You may want to install an underground sump hole/inspection hole in your yard to pump ground water away from the area, which would be illegal in the States. A stop gap is to pump your tank before the wet season starts, but if conditions are esp bad, your tank could be flooding from ground water. Being close to a swamp is not a good sign.

Dig a hole 3-4ft deep and about 2ft square(I find wider holes are easier to dig). It should be at least 10ft from any part of your septic system. Dump 6"-12" of gravel/sand in the bottom and then make a "riser" box out of pressure treated 2x6s and 2x8s. Make two of the bottom sides from 2x6s and the others from 2x8s, then each layer either out of staggered 2x6s or 2x8s. This will lock each layer together. At the top you make a lid out of more 2" PT which will nest inside the higher edges. Plan ahead to avoid having to do any rip cuts. Cover with a few inches of dirt or put something ornamental but movable on top. This will give you an inspection hole to keep track of your water table. Dig it in dry season. You can use cinder blocks if you like. It's the cover that's important. Don't put it anywhere that a vehicle might drive.

In wet season, the hole will fill with *clean* ground water. Use a sump to pump the water away from your yard, which will then make its way back into the water table. If you really want to get fancy, you can install a floating device in the hole that will lift a marker pole out of the box which will warn you if the water table is rising. A toilet tank float inserted into a thin PVC pipe with some adhesive is all you need for materials.

In the US, they would make you build a sand filter system. This works by having the septic tank empty into a "black water tank." There is a sump pump in the second tank which then pumps the black water into what is essentially a small above grade(above water table) concrete swimming pool filled with sand. From the sand filter, it goes into into the leeching area. In theory, the sand filter removes any remaining contaminants in the black water. Everything is covered with dirt but it makes a big hump in your yard and they are expensive. I'd try to avoid this.

SandFilterIntermitEPA.jpg


I had a leech field fail(perk up) during a very wet year with over-use and dealt with it by siphoning black water directly from the center of the septic tank down a hill into a second tank that had a better leech field. I used a 100ft of garden hose that I first put into the tank and filled with water by turning it on. Then I put a kink in the hose on the clean end, dragged it over the edge of a hill and got the siphon going into the second tank. This was at a summer camp so the first tank was dealing with over a hundred campers flushing the toilets. The second tank was handling the kitchen water so essentially had been working as a grey water system.

The exit of a septic tank (if there is one,) will always be opposite of the entrance pipe. It sounds like you have what is called a *dry well.* From what you've said, the issue is more likely to do with your water table. This is why home inspections in the US typically require a perk test now. If you dig a hole and you hit water a foot down, the fix in the US is to build the sand filter.

I'd take the time to get the right diagnosis for what the problem is.
 
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May 29, 2006
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A grease trap should only be between the kitchen and the main septic line. They are not a normal part of waste lines in the US, but given the amount of greased dumped down lines in the DR, it may be more common there. One trick for cleaning them is to dump 10 or so pounds of ice down the drain which will make some of the grease solid and cut back dramatically on the smell.

Normally, everything ends up in a 3.5" -4" waste line which then goes in a straight line out to the septic tank. There should be no sharp bends in the waste lines which could act as points where TP can create a blockage.

A very useful tool for the home owner is the septic line balloon. If you get a blockage between the house and septic line, you run it down to the blockage and turn it on with a hose connection. It inflates then creates pressure on the blockage untill it is pushed the rest of the way down into the septic tank. When you turn the water off the balloon slowly deflates and it can be removed. In the plumbing trade, this is sometimes referred to as a "Wonder Weinie." It also works on toilets than have become blocked from too much paper when the clog has been move below the tank.

UAz1E.jpg
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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A grease trap should only be between the kitchen and the main septic line. They are not a normal part of waste lines in the US, but given the amount of greased dumped down lines in the DR, it may be more common there. One trick for cleaning them is to dump 10 or so pounds of ice down the drain which will make some of the grease solid and cut back dramatically on the smell.

Normally, everything ends up in a 3.5" -4" waste line which then goes in a straight line out to the septic tank. There should be no sharp bends in the waste lines which could act as points where TP can create a blockage.

A very useful tool for the home owner is the septic line balloon. If you get a blockage between the house and septic line, you run it down to the blockage and turn it on with a hose connection. It inflates then creates pressure on the blockage untill it is pushed the rest of the way down into the septic tank. When you turn the water off the balloon slowly deflates and it can be removed. In the plumbing trade, this is sometimes referred to as a "Wonder Weinie." It also works on toilets than have become blocked from too much paper when the clog has been move below the tank.

UAz1E.jpg


Peter, I'm convinced you know something about everything. And you cook too.
 

Criss Colon

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I have at least 3 of those "Traps" at various places where my 4 inch pipes exit my house.
They are cement "Boxes, about 3 feet deep, and 2 ft., by 3 feet.
The water enters at the bottom, and exits at the top, leaving the heavy stuff behind.
One fell apart.
When the plumbers opened it, and dug it out, I saw the most GIANT bugs living there I have ever seen in my LIFE!!!
The built a new cement box, and away we "GO"!
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susan77

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Jan 19, 2008
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Now i have even more great info to print and take-- Thank you!!
I'll tell my husband I need a Wonder Weinie and let him try and figure out what THAT means! ha ha!:)
 

granca

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susan77, if its the German plumber I think it is you've got a good lad. He should have contacts for a good maestro, if not I can put you in touch with the chappi who built ours.
 

susan77

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Thx, Granca-- Plumber's name escapes me right now, but he's rather short? I like my maestro; but I always want a 2nd opinion! so would appreciate if you could PM name+number of your guy :)
 
May 29, 2006
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Now i have even more great info to print and take-- Thank you!!
I'll tell my husband I need a Wonder Weinie and let him try and figure out what THAT means! ha ha!:)

Just explain that it's about 8" long, 2" in diameter and made from ribbed black rubber. He'll understand..
 

donluis99

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Jul 12, 2004
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I have spend less than $500 US for a 27 cubic meter tank, Blocks, concrete, rods and labour including digging with shovels.

I do not believe this at all unless it was back in 1865, 27 cubic meters is over 7,000 gallons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's a lot of $hit processing capacity!