After putting in an unpermitted septic tank and leach field, I took the steps needed to correct violations to permit my septic system.
There is a video at the end of this post, so be sure to scroll down to see it.
Starting the Process to Permit
A septic system that is unpermitted requires a trip to the Shasta County Resource Management to start the permitting process. The person at the main desk told me to go to the department upstairs that dealt with the septic systems. They wanted me to find out how big my tank and sump pump were. I would need to dig up the sump pump so it could be seen. That was not a project that I was looking forward to doing.
Digging up the Sump Pump
Having heard that it is best to work smart and not hard, I used my tractor to start the digging. For those who don’t know, a sump pump is used to pump the fluid portion in the septic tank, or effluent, out and get it going on its way to the leach field. You can see the switch for turning it on attached to part of a railroad tie. The ground was wet because there was a leak and I needed to dig it up and fix it anyway.
In the picture below, you can see that I started to dig with a shovel. Just so you know, the water that you see filling the hole did not smell pretty.
Finding the Leak
In the above and below pictures, you can see the top of the sump pump and the pipe exiting it. I found the leak and had already cut out the bad pipe in these pictures before fixing it so that I could use the pump. Unfortunately, the pump only worked with electricity and only when the generator was on. I had a minimal understanding of this pump as my ex-husband had put it in. This is why the county told me that my system needed to be gravity-flow.
Digging up the Distribution Box
I also was told to dig up the distribution box. This box receives the septic tank effluent and re-distributes it into the network of attached drain pipes and three rows of infiltrators. After it was covered and weeds grew over it, it was hard to find. I looked at videos I took of it to get an idea of where it was. You can see it in the pictures below. To see what the infiltrators look like, check out my previous post, We Put in an Unpermitted Leach Field. https://healthyhomesteadingadventures.com/we-put-in-an-unpermitted-leach-field/
County Demands to Permit the Septic System
Back at Resource Management, I went to show my pictures of the sump pump and the distribution box. I was told that my sump pump was too big for the size of the septic tank that I had. When I mentioned that I only ran it when my generator was on, they said that I would need to make it gravity-flow. How was I supposed to do that? I would need to hire a contractor that does that kind of work. They were ready to send me on my way, when I asked if they could recommend anyone. They gave me a list to choose from.
Moving the Garden and Fence
If you compare the above and below pictures with the first one, you will notice that the fence and little garden are gone. I didn’t have too much planted, but I had to move some Jerusalem artichokes and they didn’t do well with the transplantation. Once the garden was moved, I could contact the contractor to come out to dig up the septic tank.
Digging up the End Caps
The contractor arrived with his son and set to work with his excavator to dig up the endcaps of the leach field. The endcaps would help the inspector determine if the three rows of infiltrators were sloping properly for proper drainage. In the next few picutres, you will see them working on digging them up.
Endcaps Found
In the next three pictures, you can see that the end caps were found. Only a little at the top needed to show for the inspection. Normally, a leach field is inspected before it is buried. Clearly, it is more trouble to put in a septic system without permitting it and to then have to permit it after everything is already buried.
Moving the Dirt
My contractor had a huge tractor that couldn’t fit between the motor home and the excavator, so I offered to use my tractor to move the dirt out of the way. Admittedly I had lots of fun helping.
Digging up the Tank by Hand
There comes a point where the excavator cannot be used because it could damage the septic tank. Consequently, shovels must be used and the work is done by hand.
Draining the Septic Tank
A Septic Tank full of solids and liquid is going to be quite heavy. It is best to have it drained. My contractor made sure to contact this man that drains the tanks. He did the job and stayed to make sure that the tank was safely out of the hole.
Raising the Septic Tank
When it was about time to raise the septic tank, I was asked if I had any chains. Me? No. Then, I was sent to ask my nearest neighbors. That proved to be a failure. No one seemed to have any. When I returned from my errand, I found out that a chain had materialized from somewhere and the the guys were busy attaching it to the tank. They managed to lift the tank safely from the hole.
Preparing the Hole for Gravity Flow
Remember that my septic tank needed a sump pump to get the septic effluent to flow to the leach field. Therefore, to make it gravity flow, it would need to be raised higher. That meant adding dirt to the hole, but how would they know how much to add? They had a special laser that helped them to determine the exact amount. Once the dirt was added, the excavator bucket was used to tamp down the dirt to make it solid. You can see this best in the video. Scroll to the end of the post to see the video.
Returning the Tank to the Hole
Above, you can see that the tank was returned to the hole. Next, it was connected to the pipe coming fro the house, below.
Burying the Tank
It was time to bury the septic tank and thankfully, the contractor brought his huge tractor. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be used to bury the hole tank because it would have had to go over the tank and it was too heavy. I had to bury the rest myself using my tractor and a shovel.
Making the Pipe Gravity Flow
In the next five pictures, you can see the progress of digging a trench next to the old pipe from the septic tank to the leach field. The old pipe was just left in the ground. Again, to be gravity flow, the laser was used all the way for accuracy. I see the wisdom of having this job done by someone who knows what he is doing.
The Distribution Box
The last two images are of the distribution box. It receives the pipe from the septic tank and then directs the effluent into the three lines of infiltrators in the leach field.
Permitting the Septic System
When the contractor was finished with his work, he left and it was his responsibility to sign and turn in paperwork to Resource Management that he did the job by the county standards. An inspector came out to check out the end caps of the infiltrators to see that everything was done correctly. He then reported back to the county and my septic system was permitted– for a fee of course. Whenever you get anything permitted, there is going to be a fee. At least this project was finally finished.
Watch the Video
The photos are for those who can’t watch the videos. It is much nicer to see the action. If you click on the tab that says Watch on YouTube, you will be able to like the video and comment. You can also comment below on this blog. Comments are appreciated. Please join me in this journey of homesteading and subscribe to this blog and my YouTube channel. It’s time to watch the video.