Low-pressure system installed on limited-absorption property

Problem: A Lake Wylie, S.C., vacation home with a 1,000-gallon septic tank sat atop a former gravel pit where the ground had limited absorption for lateral discharge, with solids buildup that required frequent clean-outs. Adding a conventional grinder pump reduced the volume of solids but also concentrated hydrogen sulfide gas in the wastewater. The acidic gas ruined the original pump in four years. Although replaced under warranty, a replacement pump ran until out of warranty and cost the homeowner a substantial amount for a replacement, which soon began emitting bearing noise.

Solution: A Flygt Low Pressure Sewage System (LPSS) was recommended. The pre-engineered system can serve individual homes or small residential developments. It consists of a fiberglass-reinforced polyester (FRP) wet well with either a durable progressive cavity or centrifugal grinder pump. The impeller’s hardened cutting rings reduce solids to less than 1/3- by 5/8-inch in the slurry. The package comes with a level indicator, panel display, alarm and waterproof control box isolated from possible sump flooding.

Result: The LPSS installed easily and offered a lasting solution to the homeowner’s problem. 704/409-9700; www.xyleminc.com.

Drainfield replaces old dry well on sloping lakefront site

Problem: A Madeline Island, Wis., homeowner needed to replace an old lakeside dry well and was challenged to find a drainfield system that could be delivered by ferry, would meet surface water regulations, and could be installed on the steep, sloping, heavily landscaped site.

Solution: After delivery challenges and costs eliminated a traditional stone and pipe drainfield, engineers recommended an EZflow drainfield from Infiltrator Systems. Its geosynthetic aggregate bundles eliminate fines associated with crushed stone, and the modular and lightweight bundles were delivered to the island by local ferry. System installer Adrien Cady says this resulted in substantial savings when compared to the costs of getting gravel to the site. The 450 gpd system serves a two-bedroom house plus an addition with another bedroom and bath. Cady kept the existing 1,000-gallon concrete septic tank and added an outlet filter to further treat the effluent before drainfield discharge. A 500-gallon pump tank moves wastewater from the addition to the septic tank, and a distribution box evenly splits the flow from the septic tank to two 65-foot runs of EZflow bundles. Drainfield trenches are located 3 feet apart, one 6 inches lower than the other to accommodate the sloping site. A pipe transports effluent from the uphill septic tank and filter down to the drainfield located 4 feet above the lake.

Result: “The lightweight units were easy and quick to install,” says Cady. “The whole installation was complete in a day using a single backhoe.” 800/221-4436; www.infiltratorsystems.com.

Low-profile drainfield product accommodates depth restrictions

Problem: A commercial system in Kathleen, Ga., required a 500-linear-foot gravity-fed drainfield. It’s an area where suitable soils needed to fulfill permit conditions generally involve depth restriction issues. These restrictions usually result in additional fill or alternative disposal methods.

Solution: Mike Clarke of Story, Clarke & Associates in Warner Robins, Ga., selected MPS-1336 from Plastic Tubing Industries for the low-profile design. With a profile height of 8.5 inches, an invert of 4 inches and a footprint reduction, the system provided an economical solution. In June 2014 Bob Adkins of Bob’s Backhoe Services in Macon, Ga., was contracted to install the system.

Result: The system overcame all of the site’s depth restrictions. Utilizing the level field application required by Georgia state code, the entire system is interconnected within suitable soil parameters. In addition, no extra backfill was required, as the system’s profile height allowed for ample coverage for the drainfield per state requirements. 800/780-5121; www.pti-pipe.com.

Aesthetic solution needed for septic pipe cover in garden area

Problem: A Massachusetts homeowner spent thousands of dollars on a new porch and landscaping, only to have a 3-foot-tall vent pipe next to his porch in the middle of his garden. Traditional vent filters only addressed the odor problem, not the aesthetics.

Solution: Kevin Orlando from All Season Septic in Stoughton, Mass., was scheduled to pump the system, and the homeowner informed him of the problem. Orlando suggested The Dirty Bird septic pipe cover. The product addresses odor problems with an included charcoal filter, comes in three colors, and fit into the landscape as a common yard ornament, a pedestal/birdbath.

Result: The homeowner was grateful for the simple solution. Now he has a focal point instead of an eyesore. Guests don’t even know he has a vent in his yard, and Orlando can service the charcoal filter when he pumps the system. 866/968-9668; www.thedirtybird.com.