Hi, i’m in the process of doing my due diligence for a park. It has a septic tank, and accompanying drain field, for each mobile home, which is around 20 or so total.
My question is whether I need to do a percolation test for each drain field? Also, does the city/county typically offer these services since these have environmental impacts?
Thank you.
You can do a percolation test pretty quickly. Call a local septic engineer, and they will be able to direct you in the right direction. You don’t need to do one since the system has already been installed. Instead, you should check the health of the current system.
Thank you. So it appears the way to check the health of the current systems is through a load test rather than a perc test?
Does the city/county offer these services or is that usually something from a private septic provider? I asked the seller but he paid a plumber to empty the tanks…not sure if that was the correct way of doing it.
Correct, the way to check the system’s current health is with a load test. A septic contractor, a pump contractor, or you can do the test.
Ask for the pumping records. Usually, the pumper will inspect the tanks when they pump. They look for things like Sludge and Scum level, baffles in place, excess grease, etc.
Example:
county_septic_tank_inspection_report_and_septic_verification_form.pdf (66.2 KB)
Thank you! Really appreciate the advice and guidance!
Gravity fed systems are different so not sure if yours is.
I have had both Gravity and injection septic systems.
Injection systems are better. Here’s why:
A gravity-fed system within a MHP is constantly wet. The leach lines never get a chance to recover. We had an injection system in OR. The System had a clarifying tank at the end of the Septic Tanks. The clarifying tank was about 5,000 gallons. The pumps would inject the leach lines once the tank was filled. It would take about 3-4 hours for the tank to refill before the pumps turn back on and empty the tank again. We could also turn off and on each leach line with a valve very quickly. In essence,e we could rotate the leach lines by simply turning a valve on the injection line.
It was simple and worked well. If you have a gravity-fed system that is failing, you may be able to recover the system by switching to an injection system.
THank you. Do you know if it generally expensive to convert to an injection system?
I appreciate the advice!
Converting a gravity-fed septic system to an injection system can vary in cost depending on factors like the size of the park, the condition of your current system, and local labor rates. Generally, it involves adding a clarifying tank, pumps, and associated piping, which can range from $10,000 to $25,000 or more for a typical mobile home park.
To get an accurate estimate, it’s best to consult with a local septic contractor. They can assess your specific situation and provide a quote based on the required upgrades. Keep in mind that while the upfront cost might seem significant, injection systems often lead to longer system life and reduced maintenance costs, which can save money over time.
Hope this helps, and good luck with your project!
The cost will vary greatly depending on your system. I suggest finding a local septic contractor or engineer and having them come out and look.
I suggest you stay away from the “automatic” switchers. Having your maintenance staff go out to the leach field and swap the lines around as needed is very easy. The automatic valves are great, but you add one more opportunity for an electronic failure.