In south-central North Carolina, space for drainfields on rural lots is often limited. That’s especially true of properties on Lake Norman, just north of fast-growing Charlotte.
Lentz Wastewater Management, an onsite treatment installation company in Statesville, often deals with space-constrained lots that need new or replacement systems. In such cases, owners Jarrid and Jeanie Lentz frequently call on technology from T & J Panel.
The company offers systems designed for sites that lack sufficient space for a conventional drainfield. Jarrid Lentz notes that thousands of such systems have been installed in North Carolina, where they enable a 50% reduction in total line length, with approval from the state Department of Health.
The systems provide a viable option where space and usable soil are limited, especially where indications are that the owner will need space for additional development in the future. Panel systems can be installed with gravity, pressure or low-pressure pipe effluent distribution.
Lentz Wastewater Management has installed a number of panel systems since the company began offering installation services a few years ago. The company sees opportunities for many more as the area continues to grow and as older conventional systems need replacement.
The systems consist of a series of rectangular concrete panels that can be installed either vertically or horizontally, the latter a low-profile design for areas where suitable soil is shallow.
The panels are laid end to end, about 6 inches apart, on a bed of sand; piping passes through the series of panels and is plumbed to the septic tank or pump tank outlet. The vertical configuration requires a minimum soil depth of 34 inches; the horizontal system requires 26 inches. Either configuration requires a minimum 6 inches of suitable soil cover.
Clean particle sand is used to coat the bottom of each panel’s dosing chamber with a bed 1 inch deep. This medium-grade sandblasting sand is provided by the panel supplier. Backfill sand must consist of a clean, screened, medium-grade sand like those suitable for production of ready-mix concrete. Sands dredged from rivers and creeks can be used if the gradation is adequate to be blended into ready-mix concrete.
T & J Panel supports installers with an installation manual, materials and installation checklists, and installer training. Illustrations and videos are available at www.tjpanel.com.
Read more about Lentz Wastewater Management in a full profile in the December issue.
