Tanks and Piping

It is very important to understand that you must meet these standards and allow the utility to inspect before coverage. If not, connecting to our system is a crime called theft of services and we would be forced to prosecute.

*It is prudent to look over the electrical section also.*

Tanks

When a pump is required at home to move the sewage water to the sewer plant for treatment, two septic tanks are required. The first has a divider wall and the second is open inside. These tanks must be a one peice design (concrete only; plastic is allowed only in special circumstances, see tank specifications). Tank lids and risers are to be sealed with tar rope or other sealants.

One peice tanks do not have a seam around the side half way up.

Two peice tanks have a seam around the sidewall of the tank. 2 piece tanks have a problem with leaking ground water into the tank. Ground water can cause problems with overloading the system for the neighborhood.

Location

Tank location should be carefully considered. There are a few important items don't set you tanks on fill dirt as it will settle over time and cause damage. The utility will need to service your system by pumping the solids buildup out of the tank. The tank needs to located so that a truck can back down your drive and extend its' hose (usually a few hundred feet avaliable) to service the tank. The vacuum truck used to remove the solids can generally only lift 25' vertically, so don't set the tank too low . The outfall pipe coming from the house needs a cleanout with a sewer popper lower than your floor level. This sewer popper will open in case the line to the tank ever stops up. this will allow the sewage to flow on top of the ground, messy yes, but not in the house!

The pump tank can be located beside or after the septic tank, again only on virgin soil, not fill.

Tank componants

The septic tank will have two 24" polylok risers from the top of the tank to the surface of the ground level. The pump tank only needs one 24" polylok riser to the surface above the pumps.The utility requires certian brand name products, like polylok risers for inventory. If we allowed everyone to use what they wanted there is no way we could have that much inventory.

The polylok risers will have safety screens installed. We want to be very careful about a child falling into the tanks. So we require the safety screens and the lids be screwed down with #2 square head stainless steel screws

This system has 2 pumps and 3 floats located in the pump tank riser. Install a pipe from the tap at the street to the pump riser on the pump tank. This pipe can be 1 1/2" or 1 1/4" Sch 40 PVC only. This pipe needs to be at least 18 inches deep so it won't freeze in the winter. This pipe also needs a tracer wire showing in the street tap box so it can be located if needed in the future (a tracer wire is just an insulated copper wire). Where the pipe from the tap comes to the tank, it should be the at the same level of the top of the tank. Run this pipe from a virgin soil ditch across the top of the tank for support so setttling dirt won't break it. Then, the pipe is to tee into two pipes with a check valve in each. The pipes still laying on the top of the tank should enter the riser with a union to remove the pumps and then turn down. Cut the length of the down pipe so the end of the pumps set on the bottom of the tank. If the riser to the surface is deep, turn the pipe up the riser and elbow over with the unions, then elbow the pipe down to the pumps. It is important to be able to reach in and disconnect the pumps for service.

In the pump tank, there is also what is referred to as a float tree. Take an old coffee can and 4 to 5 foot peice of pipe and fill with concrete, with the pipe in it. Once set, you can take stainless steel clamps and connect the 3 floats to the pipe. The lowest float, #1, is to be set so when it hangs, the bottom of the float will be above the pump intake. This is very important so the pump does not run dry and burn out. Next float up is #2, place on the other side of the pipe just above float 1 by a few inches. The last float, #3, goes back to the other side of the pipe a few inches above float 2. This is the high level alarm float.

If you need to ask questions or have concerns please call us at 865-908-0432

Home