BBB Solutions: Septic System Design and Installation

Designing and Installing Your Septic System: An Introduction 

When we start to plan a septic design, our team begins the process by meeting with you to develop a full understanding of your septic system design needs. This includes asking questions like: “What do you intend to build on the property?” and “How many bedrooms will there be in the home?”. 

From there, our team will conduct a soil test, commonly referred to as a “perc test”. The soil test will determine if the area is able to support a septic system absorption field (otherwise known as a lateral field or as leach lines). 

With these results, the BBB Septic team can design a proper system built to suit your property’s unique needs. This design is then submitted to the health department, which then issues a permit that allows us to move forward with the installation and maintenance of your system.

Onsite Wastewater FAQ

For your convenience, we also gathered a couple of commonly asked questions regarding onsite wastewater. To read the full FAQ, check out this post from the Arkansas Department of Health!

Q: What is the minimum lot size for a septic system? 

A: There is no minimum lot size. The space required for a sewage system is determined by the suitability of the soils at the site, the number of bedrooms in the home, and the 100 foot set back from the water wells.

Q: Why soil pit tests? 

A: The soil pits determine the depths to any rock, any impervious soil layers, and the anticipated level of ground water in the wet periods of the year. This information results in sewage system design that overcomes the soil’s limitations.

Ready to start your septic system design and installation process? Have questions? Give us a call at 479-225-9800 or contact us here.

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What’s So Important About Soil?

We just had a gentleman call us to ask if we could replace his lateral lines because they haven’t been working properly for the last two years.

The basic answer is yes.

However, we don’t take the old lines out and put new ones in the same place. Our caller explained that that’s precisely what he wanted because he doesn’t have anywhere else on his property for new lateral lines to go.

Let me take a minute to share with you what happens in these situations:

  • We have to order the original design from the Health Department so that we know what was installed.
  • Once we have the permit, we look it over to see what components make up the system. We also send one of our technicians to evaluate in-person and hopefully find a solution to bring the system back to a good working order.
  • If the system is too far gone, the client has to hire a licensed designer to come up with a design and submit it to the Health Department for permission.
  • Once permitted, we give the client a price quote and get the job done.

In all my years, I’ve only seen new lines go exactly where old lines were twice, and both times it was crazy expensive because of all the work that had to be done to make that happen.

You typically get one shot at using your soil for a septic system. If it fails, the new system has to go in a new, undisturbed area.

In its natural state, soil has passageways through it made by roots that have grown and then died. This leaves channels for the water to flow through as it makes its way down to the water table. Some of your water is wicked up through live roots and evaporates as the sun pulls it upward.

When you drive heavy vehicles over an absorption area, you compact the soil and close off these channels. The water finds it hard or impossible to make its way through and thus surfaces in ugly black pools in your yard. When you add soil or just move it around, there are no channels until many years of plant life have allowed new ones to form. When you clear or remove soil, you remove these channels and often leave the lower clay layers, which don’t work well for absorption.

The condition of your soil is the deciding factor when it comes to the size and type of septic system you will need. When the soil is good and untouched, things usually work well. When the soil has been moved, leveled, cleared, or fill dirt has been brought in, it makes it difficult or impossible to use. Often, that area has to have very specific equipment added to the system so it can be used, which almost always has a big price tag.

Finally, if you’re looking at land you want to buy, have a licensed professional check the soil to make sure it’s suitable for a septic system. If you already have a system in the ground, make sure you are keeping up with its care and maintenance so it doesn’t become full of solids, which will clog the soil.

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