"Be careful what you ask for, for you just might get it".... Truer words have never been spoken! The land I desired and fought so hard for, and have finally managed to get may have a few 'minor drawbacks'... It's always been give and take! The main reason I wanted this piece of land was the availability of the water. That's also become a set back of sorts.... With the water table at such a high level, there's a real problem when it comes to the use of ANY sort of sewage or septic disposal system. The major aquifer not only runs hundreds of miles to the south, it also directly feeds several communities water supplies.. The land is so close to the water table, that ANY attempt to put in a septic tank or system, could and more than likely would prove to be a disaster for anyone downstream! I have done a lot of research PRIOR on this, and I'd forgotten all of it, when I discovered back on May 11th of this year, the land was not mine.... Now, it's back and it's a real concern. The ONLY answer is the composting of any and all wastes. he area up there being in the location it is and the isolation factor has led to somewhat of a serious ( and will get worse) sewer disposal problem... Many ( if NOT all) people that live up there, have never been issued a permit, never paid to get a "perc" test, and have no idea of what they are doing sewage wise. I have seen a myriad of "systems", from metal barrels, to poly barrels, to covered pits, and small leeching set-ups. The idea is quite simple and not hard to do, but of all the people living in the area, maybe 1 has had a permit issued, had a perc test, and actually installed a "legal" septic system. It's not cheap, and it all takes time. You don't have to be a tree hugger, or a member of MENSA, to know this is courting a disaster in the making! I'd be very worried IF I had another person suddenly put in a septic system just north of me. As it now stands, most are over 2 miles or more distant, and to the northeast. Knowing the specifics of septic systems, natural drainage, and such makes me leary of further development or sales of the land in the immediate area. Being north of the equator, all rivers, streams and runoff waters travel from north to south, and from the east to west. All due and owing to the earth's rotation on it's axis, and the gravitational pull from the rotation. The reverse is true for anyone living on the south side of the equator.... ( That took me a few hours to research!) I'm not really that into sewage or septic systems! But, it's an important factor that can't be ignored. Can you imagine having your water supply suddenly tainted from any raw sewage? That's not right! It can kill you too! So, the answers are there, but it really seems that most people are not really all that concerned these days....at least NOT the one's living up there! That represents a problem....Those that have the illegasl septic and waste disposal up there know they are all living on borrowed time, as it's really only a matter of time, before a county health inspector comes out and starts to look around to see what's going on! The impact would be, that most of those that are there now would disappear! the fines are quite substantial! They would not pay, just move out, or away, to another location. There are some that are known to be "squatting" and they move from plot to plot. And, they leave the wastes they have added, to the lands they vacate ( of course!) 98% of the so called "septic systems" up there today, consist of 1 or 2 poly or even metal 55 gallon drums/barrels, with no real consideration to natural flow and such, have little leech fields and not properly set at the prescribed angles.... When these fail, ( some in 6 months or less) they bury them entirely and move over and put in a second "system". It's cheap, fast, and easy, as they don't know or refuse to do anything by the "book" as far as installation. They have yet to discover that there are 2 types of systems, an open (aerobic) and a closed (anaerobic) type of system. In fact some of the people actually have found that in the rainy and winter seasons they get some drainage (leeching) problems, and some have a terribly offensive odors in their yards, from not having put the systems deep enough, or they leak. It's like "visiting" a 3rd world country up there, with sheer ignorance, and/or, stupidity ruling the day! Now, what these people seem to be ignoring ( besides the health issues) is that as land up there continues to be sold, and moved onto, there will come a time when the county will be coming in for an OFFICIAL visit....and they will have maps, names, and a way to make them wish they had been better prepared! I read some posts on "Mother Earth News" from years back, leading up until just recently, where the cabin builders/hunters have been "hammered" by inspections and severe fines! The fines are bad, but, the "hazmat" removal of the soil/systems is a real bear! Is not a good thing for them! Having pondered this for some time and going over my OLD notes, there is a simple and safe solution to it all...composting! No permit required, no digging, no perc testing, no fines, and no hassles! But, as always it's a "trade-off"! You have to be diligent, pay attention, and maintain your system/s. It's not as easy as digging a hole in the ground! I have a $1,500.00 Sunmar brand composting toilet, courtesy of previous land squatters ( ? ), up on the 2 lots I already have! It was abandoned, complete, and still setting in the original crate. I also have 2 large poly drums which have been specially prepped just for composting uses. It's not as cheap as the "other" ways....But, it's safer and it's better for anyone living downstream! If I get "caught" by any inspector, there will be no problems, no fines, no hassles, and no worries mate! Bill
Not entirely true. The Yellowstone River flows north through the park into Montana and on up toward Canada. It flows south to north and west to east. It eventually flows into the Missouri, at the MT/ND border, which is also a west to east flowing river. Direction of flow has more to do with the continental divide than being in the northern hemisphere. Byte Oh yeah the composting toilets are an excellent option for high water table locations. They are also a great alternative to complete dug in septic systems at out of the way locations where getting digging equipment in is just too expensive or dangerous.
It's a little more expensive but have you looked into mound systems for your leech fields? http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/WW/publications/pipline/PL_SU99.pdf might be worth looking into...
The Nile, The Rhine, The Vistula, The Ob' and the St. Johns River in FL also flow from South to North.
Looks like an interesting system. I'm curious how they keep the septic tank & dosing chamber from floating in higher water table areas. Looks like a great system for raising the leach field though. Definitely worth looking into. Byte
Sand mounds are quite common in areas with high water tables and rocky ground or areas where perking can't happen. (There is one across the street from me.) Since the whole thing is above the water table, it can't float. To make it work right, you need a capable designer to size it correctly. They work, and work well, essentially the same thing as a normal septic tank system, except it is usually necessary to pump the waste out of your basement (unless you are on the side of a hill and can get gravity to do its thing for you.) If you can't get your lot to perk, the mounds are a nice quiet alternative.
IF I want to use a "septic" system, I could use a holding tank only, and have it pumped out whenever it's needed. That would be an alternative, but NOT if the SHTF! In that case, no one is going to be available to do that! It's like renting a "port a john" unit. They are not too expensive, and they will come out 2 times a month ( or less) depending on needs....But, then again, things could get "messy", if the wheels come off the cart!
