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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNCG551276_Septic Inspection Report - WNC Independent Labs_20231206179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 1 of 53 WN C INDEPENDEN T LABS 828.552.5174 lab@wncil.com http://www.wncil.com SE PTIC INSPECTION 179 Ol d Lakey Gap Rd B l ac k Mountai n, N C 28711 Kathryn Stell jes DECEMBER 6, 2023 In spector Chad C 828.552.5174 lab@ wncil.co m 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 2 of 53 TAB LE OF CONTENTS 1: Inspection Informatio n 2: System Informatio n 3: Main Tank House 4: P ump Sys tem Ho use 5: Main Tank V acant lot 6: P ump Sys tem Ho use and vacant lot 7: System Lines 8: P res s ur e Manifold 9: Distr ibution Bo x 10: Dr aineld 11: P ost tr eatment/ chlor ine System 12: Reference 4 6 8 18 22 28 31 32 34 35 38 39 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 3 of 53 3.1.1 M ain Tank Hou se - Location: There is vegetation over th e tan k area. 3.3.1 M ain Tank Hou se - In let Access Riser: Appears to b e root in trusion 3.4.1 M ain Tank Hou se - Ou tl et Lid: Outlet l id was more than 6 i nches deep . 3.7.1 M ain Tank Hou se - Tank Inl et: Ap p ears to be root intru sion through in let access hol e 3.9.1 M ain Tank Hou se - Cond ition & Compon en ts: Tank ap peared to h ave root intrusion. 4.2.1 Pump System House - Pump Tank: Tank ap peared to h ave root intrusion. 4.2.2 Pu mp System House - Pu mp Tank: Lid appears to have mi nor deterioration. Recommen d observation 5.8.1 M ain Tank Vacant l ot - Tank Inl et: Ap p ears to be n o i nlet 6.2.1 Pu mp System House and vacant l ot - Pump Tank: Pump Tan k Does n ot have a riser extended 6 i n ch es above g rou n d . 8.1.1 Pressu re M an ifold - General : Appears to be unusual water in mani fold b ox. 10.1.1 Drai n eld - Locati on: Appears to b e a b urn pi t over drai n eld SUMMAR Y 63 4 7 ITEMS INS PECTED MAI NTENANCE ITEM NEEDS ATTENTION 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 4 of 53 Inspection Sept ic sy stems are subt erranean; t herefore, it is impossible t o det ermine their ov erall co ndit ion. Also , when no water isbeing used (i.e., when the ho use is v acant ) a det erminat ion as t o t heir st at us is dicult. No predict ion can be made as t o if o r when a part of the sy st em may fail. This inspectio n report co mments on the workabilit y of t he sy st em o n t he day of t he inspectio n and is in no way intended to be a warrant y . Work ability can be alt ered by factors such as ex cessiv e use, fault y plumbing, neglect , env ironmental inuences, and phy sical damage t o t he sy st em. Current Code The N o rt h Carolina General St at ut es and t he N orth Carolina Administ rat iv e Code lay s out t he requirements fo r Sewage Treatment and Disposal Sy st ems (15A N CAC 18A Sect ion .1900). These N CAC co des were enact ed in 1977 and hav e been rev ised sev eral t imes since then. Our repo rt is based o n current v ersion; howev er, sy stems may be"grandfathered" under o lder co de rules. Current codes represent the best st andards and operating pro cedures at this t ime. Reference Section There is a "Reference" sect ion at t he end o f t his report that has explanat ions about what v arious co mponent s are and what they do.  We hope t his will be helpful t o co nsumers who may not kno w much about septic sy st ems. Ev ery sy st em is a lit tle dierent and depends on t he age of t he sy st em, but t he Reference sect ion, as with the rest o fthe repo rt , is based on current code. Each "needs act ion" item will also hav e som e ex planatio n as well. Maintenance Sept ic Sy stems require regular maint enance.  Please see t he reference sectio n at t he end of t he report fo r more informat ion. Please contact our oce if you have any questions about this report or the system. We can be reached at 828.552.5174 or l ab @wncil .com NC Licensed Septic I nspector & Contractor I n N o rt h Caro lina, any o ne inspecting a sept ic sy st em for a "point o f sale transact ion" is required t o be a NC LicensedSeptic I nspect o r, while any one doing repairs and inst alls is required to be a NC L icensed Sept ic Cont ract or. Any N C Licensed Sept ic Cont ract o r can do any recommended repairs. WNCI L has a Sept ic I nspect o r License as well as a Septic Co ntractor License.  We can prov ide an estimat e for any reco mmended repairs upon request. M ost o f the reco mmendat ions in t his report can be addressed by a N C Septic Cont ractor/Inst aller. I f the Co unty Depart ment of Env iro nment al H ealth (or any one else) sho uld be cont acted, t hat will be not ed on the item. 1: INSPECTION INFORMATION Informati on section-NzU4MjgyOGQtZGN iNy00YzVi LWJiZDUtN TIxODViODhkZmQw 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 5 of 53 Pre-Inspection Contract The client has already receiv ed a copy o f the Pre-I nspect ion Co ntract, signed by t he Client and WN CIL's N C Licensed Sept ic I nspect o r. Inspector Name si gned Certication # 6568i Inspector Signature si gned Date 12/06/2023 Client Name K athryn Stel lj es Client Relationship to Property Bu yer W eather Conditions During Inspection Cloudy, Snowing Ground Conditions During Inspection Dry In Attendance WNCIL, Buyer, Buyer's R eal Estate Agent Property Info Sources MLS Sh eet avail ab le at ti me of i nspection, Property Card avai labl e at ti me of in sp ecti on Current Owner of Record R EDBUD IN VESTMEN T PAR TN ERS LLC Status Of Property Vacant, Per Ob servation Number of Bedrooms per MLS 2 Number of Bedrooms per Owner Information Form Information Unavai labl e Number of Bedrooms per Property Card 2 Year Built per Property Card 1959 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 6 of 53 Permits En g ineered Site Pl an attach ed Date on Permit N ot stated Number of Bedrooms on Permit N ot stated The count y healt h department is t he only authorit y allo wed t o appro v e sy st ems and det ermine the number ofbedrooms a sy st em can support .  This is based on a v ariety o f t hings – soil ty pe; lot size, lay o ut, and slope; lengt h ofdrain lines; etc. Gallons Per Day per permit 600 gal Tank Size on Permit 1000 gall on 15A N CAC 18A.1952 (b) M inimum liquid capacit ies fo r sept ic tanks shall be in accordance wit h t he fo llowing: (1)Resident ial Septic Tanks (fo r each indiv idual residence o r dwelling unit ): 3 or less bedro o ms should hav e at least a 900 gallon tank 4 bedrooms sho uld hav e at least an 1,000 gallon tank 5 bedrooms sho uld hav e at least a 1,250 gallon tank (See 15A NCAC 18A.1952 for informat ion on larger houses or ot her st ruct ures) Ownership Ap p ears to be a shared/communi ty system WNCI L canno t det ermine sept ic ownership.  We can only go o what we see or what is prov ided by pro pert y owner (including deeds, maint enance agreement s, m ls sheet, etc).  P lease co nsult wit h a real est at e att orney for mo re informat ion. 2: SYSTEM INFOR MATION Informati on section-Y2QxZGFi NDctNzRkNi 00NGIyLTg4NTQtMz Jl MzJh ZmM4OWI5 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 7 of 53 W hat property are the components on? Ap p ears some comp on en ts are on su b ject property WNCI L is not a surv ey o r and t herefore cannot ident ify parcel lay out s and so canno t guarant ee which parcel a sept ic sy stem is o n.  Recommend consulting a real estat e at torney or a N C Surv ey or. How many properties served by this system? Ap p ears to be 2 General Info: Shared/Community System I f this is a shared or communit y sy stem , y ou may want t o nd o ut if t here is a maint enance agreement in place and t alk t o y our agent or a real est at e at torney aboutthe pros and cons of such an agreement. I f t here is an H OA, usually t hey handle themaintenance o f a shared or communit y sy stem . General Info: Components are on another property I f any of the components are on ano ther pro pert y , y ou may also want to nd out if t he inspect ed pro pert y has septic right s and/o r an easement v ia a deed. Yo ur agent or real est ate at t o rney should be able to help y ou research t his and explain t he det ails of t his. Last Pumped per Owner Information Information unavail abl e Pumping Client request ing t his inspect ion has been adv ised on t heir Pre-I nspect ion Cont ract t hat for a complet e inspectio n t obe perfo rmed t he t ank needs to be pumped.I f the tank is not pumped, t he sy st em will be inspect ed by use o f probes, cam eras, sludge judge, and o ther t ools. Client selected whether or not t o hav e it pumped on their P re-Inspect ion Co ntract. Septic Pumping at Inspection Cli en t ch ose to have sep ti c tank p u mped duri n g i n sp ecti on (see Pre-Inspection Contract) Pump System Pu mp System Shown on Permi t, Pu mp System Located and Inspected Type of System Ap p ears to be Typ e IV (b ): System with more than 1 pu mp or si phon (requi res a Certied Operator), Per Observati on, Per Permit En g ineered system Does system require a licensed operator? Yes 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 8 of 53 Located? Tan k was located Location methods used Permit, Prob ing Distance from nished grade (ground level) to top of tank 24 in i n let 24 in outlet Access to tank location Tan k Locati on was accessibl e 21 N CAC 39.1004 (b) Inspect ors shall no t be required to: (5) M ov e excessiv e v eget atio n, st ruct ures, personal it ems, panels, furniture, equipment , snow, ice, or debris t hatobstruct access t o or v isibility o f the sy stem and any relat ed component s; 21 N CAC 39.1000(13) "Readily accessible" means approachable or ent erable for inspect ion wit ho ut the risk o f damage to any pro pert y oralteration of t he accessible space, equipment , o r o pening. (14) "Readily openable access panel" means a panel prov ided for homeo wner o r cert ied operator maint enance and operatio n t hat has remo v able or operable fast eners or latch dev ices in order t o be lift ed o , swung open, o r o therwiseremoved for inspectio n.  This denitio n is limit ed t o t ho se wast ewat er sy st em com po nent s not blo cked by st oreditems, furniture, building co mponent s or landscaping. Inlet Lid Inl et Lid was removed for i nspection, In let Li d h ad an access ri ser Outlet Lid Un able to remove at in sp ecti on 3: MAIN TANK HOUSE Informati on section-MTVj NzkzYWYtYTJh Ny00M DBhLTg4ODAtY2U2M2E3ODE3NmM z 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 9 of 53 Cleanout Cleanout l ocated Pump Port Located, Has cap on o utlet lid Location: Tank Location Ap p ears to be the right si de of the h ouse. Across th e creek Location: Ground Description at main tank R elativel y Flat 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 10 of 53 Location: Distance from house foundation/basement and any other permanent structures Ap p ears to be 44 ft from the h ouse Location: Distance from well/spring/water source City water Location: Distance from water line N o water li n es were ob served or marked at i nspection Location: Distance from property line(s) Property Lin es not marked . Location: Evidence of Trac Over the Tank N one ob served Location: Evidence of Vegetation or Landscaping that could aect the tank Th ere appears to be tree(s) n ext to the tan k Location: Landscaping, Grading, Drainage, or other items that could aect the tank N one Observed Inlet Lid: Type of Inlet Lid R iser Li d , Sq uare, Appears to be Con crete 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 11 of 53 Inlet Lid: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches Inlet Lid: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Inlet Lid: A ccess Riser Installed Yes Inlet Lid: Distance from nished grade (ground level) to Inlet Lid 16i n ab ove grade Inlet Access Riser: Inlet Access Riser Standard, App ears to be concrete Inlet Access Riser: Height of Inlet Access Riser 42 in Inlet Access Riser: Inlet Riser Condition Ap p ears to be root intru sion 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 12 of 53 Outlet Lid: Type of Outlet Lid Tan k Lid, Sq u are, Ap p ears to be Con crete Has pump p ort Outlet Lid: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches Outlet Lid: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Outlet Lid: Access Riser Installed N ot In stal led b ut recommended d u e to dep th Outlet Lid: Distance from nished grade (ground level) to Outlet Lid Ap p ears to be 24 i n Contents: W ater Level at time of inspection Good (at bottom of ou tl et pi p e) Contents: Contents were measured Pri or to bei n g pu mped Contents: Percentage of Solids on inlet side Ap p ears to be 50 percent 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 13 of 53 Contents: Percentage of Solids on outlet side Ap p ears to be 55 percent Contents: Are there non- biodegradable items in the tank? N one Observed Pumping: Pumping Tan k was p ump ed du ri ng the i nspection Pumping: W ater Level after pumping (if applicable) Good (at bottom of ou tl et pi p e) Pumping: W as inlet side pumped as part of inspection? yes - see pi cture Pumping: W as outlet pumped as part of inspection? yes - see pi cture Pumping: W as lter cleaned during pump Un able to access Tank I nlet: Tank Inlet Ap p ears to be PVC, Appears to b e root i ntrusi on through inl et access h ole Tank I nlet: Evidence of non- permitted connections N one Observed Tank Outlet: Outlet/Sanitary Tee Present, Appears to b e Pl asti c Tank Outlet: Line from Sanitary Tee u n ab le to in sp ect Tank Outlet: Outlet/Sanitary Tee Filter u n ab le to in sp ect Tank Outlet: Euent leaves outlet? Ap p ears eu en t is leavi n g the tank Condition & Components: Type of Tank Ap p ears to be Concrete 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 14 of 53 Condition & Components: Is Tank Level Ap p ears to be Condition & Components: Tank Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Condition & Components: Bae W all Un able to determi n e - tank cou ld n ot b e l ocated/accessed Condition & Components: Evidence of Roots Present in the Tank Large roots and /or root bal ls observed Condition & Components: Evidence of Tank Leakage N one Observed Limitations Observations Tank Outlet O UTL E T LID WA S INACCE SSIBL E . 21 NCAC 39.1004 (b ) Inspectors sh all not b e requi red to: (5) Move excessi ve vegetati on , structu res, p ersonal i tems, panel s, furni ture, equi pmen t, snow, ice, or debri s th at obstruct access to or visi b il ity of the system and an y related componen ts; 21 NCAC 39.1000 (13) "R ead il y accessibl e" mean s approachabl e or en terabl e for in sp ecti on with out th e ri sk of damag e to any p rop erty or alterati on of the accessi b le sp ace, eq uip ment, or openi ng. (14) "R ead il y openabl e access p an el" means a panel provi d ed for homeowner or certi ed operator maintenance an d op eration th at has removab le or operabl e fasteners or latch devi ces i n order to b e l ifted o, swu n g open , or oth erwise removed for i nspecti on.  Th is d en ition i s li mited to those wastewater system components n ot b locked b y stored i tems, furni tu re, bu il d ing compon en ts or lan d scap ing. 3.1.1 Location THE RE IS VEGE TATIO N O VE R THE TANK ARE A. Maintenance Item 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 15 of 53 There appear to be plants growing on/near the tank. This can cause root intrusion and damage to the tank over time.   Vegetation (other than grass) should be removed from the tank and about 4 to 5 ft around it to provide access and prevent root intrusion. 3.3.1 I nlet Access Ris er A PPE ARS TO BE RO O T INTRUSIO N Needs Att ention 3.4.1 Outlet Lid O UTL E T LID WA S MO RE THA N 6 INCHE S D EE P. Needs Att ention 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 16 of 53 Both lids need to be accessed regularly for maintenance.  The current code says lids should be within 6 inches of ground level (older systems may be "grandfathered").   Recommend installing an access riser to bring the lid (closer) to ground level.  Even if the tank is "grandfathered", it still needs to be accessed for regular maintenance and a riser will make such service easier and less expensive. G.S. 130A-335.1 (b ) The access d evi ce requi red by G.S. 130A-335(f) shal l provide access to each compartmen t of a septic tan k for inspection and maintenance either by means of an op en ing in th e top of the septic tank or b y a ri ser assembl y and shal l incl u d e an appropriate cover. The access device sh all : (4) Come to wi th in six inches of the ni sh ed grade. 15A NCAC 18A .1952 (a)  Sep ti c tanks i nstal led wh ere th e top wil l b e deeper than six inches below the n ished grad e shal l h ave an access manhol e over each compartment with cover, exten din g to with in six i n ch es of the n ished grad e, ... 3.7.1 Tank Inlet A PPE ARS TO BE RO O T INTRUSIO N THRO UGH INLET A CCE SS HO L E Needs Att ention 3.9.1 Condition & Components TANK APP E A RE D TO HAVE RO O T INTRUSIO N. Roots should be removed, any damage repaired, and steps taken to prevent future intrusion.  I f roots can get in, then the tank is not water tight and roots can cause structural damage to a tank. 15A NCAC 18A .1952  (a) A septic tan k or dosi n g tank shal l be watertigh t, stru cturall y sound , an d not su b ject to excessive corrosi on or decay. Needs Attention 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 17 of 53 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 18 of 53 Pump System Overview: Pump System Pu mp System Shown on Permi t, Pu mp System Located and Inspected Pump System Overview: Pump Tank Located an d In sp ected Pump System Overview: Control Box Con trol Box located and i nspected Pump System Overview: Euent leaves outlet? Ap p ears eu en t is leavi n g the tank Pump System Overview: W ater Level at time of inspection Good Pump Tank: Pump Tank Location Ap p ears to be the right si de of the h ouse Pump Tank: Type of Tank Ap p ears to be Concrete Pump Tank: Distance from house foundation/basement and any other permanent structures Ap p ears th e be 57 ft from the h ou se Pump Tank: Distance from well/spring/water source City water Pump Tank: Distance from Main Tank Ap p ears to be 7 ft 4: PUMP SYSTEM HOUSE Informati on section-Yz h kOTl h Mj UtZTc4N S00YTRhLWEz YTQtN jFkN zE5Zj hi ZTQz 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 19 of 53 Pump Tank: Distance from property line(s) Property Lin es not marked Pump Tank: Tank Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Pump Tank: Evidence of Roots Present in the Tank R oots ob served Pump Tank: Evidence of Trac Over the Tank N one ob served Pump Tank: Evidence of Vegetation or Landscaping that could aect the tank N one ob served Pump Tank: Landscaping, Grading, Drainage, or other items that could aect the tank N one Observed Pump Tank: Evidence of Tank Leakage N one Observed Pump Tank: Type of Lid R iser Li d , Sq uare, Appears to be Con crete Pump Tank: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 20 of 53 Pump Tank: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in fai r condi ti on, Ap p ears to have mi n or d eterioration Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Location of Control Box and/or Visual Alarm Mounted on si d e of pu mp tan k Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Condition of Control Box Ap p eared to be in good con d ition Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Audible A larm Ap p eared to be fu n cti onin g p roperl y at time of inspection Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Visual Alarm Ap p eared to be fu n cti onin g p roperl y at time of inspection Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Pump turns on when manually activated Ap p eared to Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Pump appears to be pushing euent out of pump tank Ap p eared to Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Floats observed 2, "Pump On" Fl oat, "Al arm" Fl oat Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Float Tree Condition Good Observations 4.2.1 Pump Tank TANK APP E A RE D TO HAVE RO O T INTRUSI O N. Needs Att ention 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 21 of 53 Roots shoul d b e removed , an y damage repai red , an d steps taken to prevent futu re in trusion . 4.2.2 Pump Tank LID A PP E ARS TO HAVE MI N O R D E TE RI O RATIO N. RE CO MME ND O BSE RVA TI O N Maintenance Item 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 22 of 53 Located? Tan k was located Location methods used Permit, Prob ing Distance from nished grade (ground level) to top of tank 12 in i n let : 12 in outlet Access to tank location Tan k Locati on was accessibl e 21 N CAC 39.1004 (b) Inspect ors shall no t be required to: (5) M ov e excessiv e v eget atio n, st ruct ures, personal it ems, panels, furniture, equipment , snow, ice, or debris t hat obst ruct access t o or v isibility o f the sy stem and any relat ed component s; 21 N CAC 39.1000 (13) "Readily accessible" means approachable or ent erable for inspect ion wit ho ut the risk o f damage to any pro pert y oralteration of t he accessible space, equipment , o r o pening. (14) "Readily openable access panel" means a panel prov ided for homeo wner o r cert ied operator maint enance and operatio n t hat has remo v able or operable fast eners or latch dev ices in order t o be lift ed o , swung open, o r o therwise remov ed for inspectio n.  This denitio n is limit ed t o t ho se wast ewat er sy st em com po nent s not blo cked by st oreditems, furniture, building co mponent s or landscaping. Inlet Lid Inl et Lid was removed for i nspection, In let Li d h ad an access ri ser Outlet Lid Outlet Li d was removed for i nspection, Ou tl et Lid had an access ri ser Cleanout N o cl ean out l ocated Pump Port N one l ocated Location: Tank Location Ap p ears to be to th e l eft of the chi mn ey Location: Ground Description at main tank R elativel y Flat 5: MAIN TANK VACANT LOT Informati on section-MGQyM mQ2N DMtYmE5Yi 00ZTMxLTk4N2UtY2FmYWU4MmJl ZWYx 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 23 of 53 Location: Distance from house foundation/basement and any other permanent structures Ap p ears to be 16 ft from the ch imney Location: Distance from well/spring/water source City water Location: Distance from water line N o water li n es were ob served or marked at i nspection Location: Distance from property line(s) Property Lin es not marked . Location: Evidence of Trac Over the Tank N one ob served Location: Evidence of Vegetation or Landscaping that could aect the tank N one ob served Location: Landscaping, Grading, Drainage, or other items that could aect the tank N one Observed Inlet Lid: Type of Inlet Lid R iser Li d , Sq uare, Appears to be Con crete 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 24 of 53 Inlet Lid: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches Inlet Lid: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Inlet Lid: A ccess Riser Installed Yes Inlet Lid: Distance from nished grade (ground level) to Inlet Lid Ap p ears to be 12 i n above grad e Inlet Access Riser: Inlet Access Riser Standard, App ears to be concrete Inlet Access Riser: Height of Inlet Access Riser 24 in Inlet Access Riser: Inlet Riser Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Outlet Lid: Type of Outlet Lid R iser Li d , Sq uare, Appears to be Con crete 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 25 of 53 Outlet Lid: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches Outlet Lid: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Outlet Lid: Access Riser Installed Yes Outlet Lid: Distance from nished grade (ground level) to Outlet Lid Ap p ears to be 6 i n above grad e Outlet Access Riser: Outlet Access Riser Standard, App ears to be concrete Outlet Access Riser: Height of Outlet Access Riser 24 in Outlet Access Riser: Outlet Riser Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Contents: W ater Level at time of inspection Good (at bottom of ou tl et pi p e) 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 26 of 53 Contents: Contents were measured Pri or to bei n g pu mped Contents: Percentage of Solids on inlet side Ap p ears to be less than 10 p ercent Contents: Percentage of Solids on outlet side ap p ears to be less than 10 p ercent Contents: Are there non- biodegradable items in the tank? N one Observed Pumping: Pumping Tan k was p ump ed du ri ng the i nspection Pumping: W ater Level after pumping (if applicable) Good (at bottom of ou tl et pi p e) Pumping: W as inlet side pumped as part of inspection? yes - see pi cture Pumping: W as outlet pumped as part of inspection? yes - see pi cture Pumping: W as lter cleaned during pump n ot n eeded Tank I nlet: Tank Inlet Ap p ears not to be presen t Tank I nlet: Evidence of non- permitted connections N one Observed 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 27 of 53 Tank Outlet: Outlet/Sanitary Tee Present, Appears to b e Pl asti c Tank Outlet: Line from Sanitary Tee Good Tank Outlet: Outlet/Sanitary Tee Filter Present, Appears to b e i n good cond ition Tank Outlet: Euent leaves outlet? u n ab le to in sp ect Condition & Components: Type of Tank Ap p ears to be Concrete Condition & Components: Is Tank Level Ap p ears to be Condition & Components: Tank Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Condition & Components: Bae W all Present, Appears to b e i n good cond ition Condition & Components: Evidence of Roots Present in the Tank N one Observed Condition & Components: Evidence of Tank Leakage N one Observed Observations 5.8.1 Tank Inlet A PPE ARS TO BE N O I NL E T Needs Attention 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 28 of 53 Pump System Overview: Pump System Pu mp System Shown on Permi t, Pu mp System Located and Inspected Pump System Overview: Pump Tank Located an d In sp ected Pump System Overview: Control Box Con trol Box located and i nspected Pump System Overview: Euent leaves outlet? Ap p ears eu en t is leavi n g the tank Pump System Overview: W ater Level at time of inspection Good Pump Tank: Pump Tank Location Ap p ears to be to th e l eft of the chi mn ey Pump Tank: Type of Tank Ap p ears to be Concrete Pump Tank: Distance from house foundation/basement and any other permanent structures Ap p ears to be 20 ft from the chi mn ey Pump Tank: Distance from well/spring/water source City water Pump Tank: Distance from Main Tank Ap p ears to be 10 ft Pump Tank: Distance from property line(s) Property Lin es not marked Pump Tank: Tank Condition Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Pump Tank: Evidence of Roots Present in the Tank N one ob served Pump Tank: Evidence of Trac Over the Tank N one ob served Pump Tank: Evidence of Vegetation or Landscaping that could aect the tank N one ob served Pump Tank: Landscaping, Grading, Drainage, or other items that could aect the tank N one Observed Pump Tank: Evidence of Tank Leakage N one Observed 6: PUMP SYSTEM HOUSE AND VACANT LOT Informati on section-MzVi NmE4Nj MtZmM4N C00ZGI5LTkyM TAtMTc1Y2E0M DZhNTE1 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 29 of 53 Pump Tank: Type of Lid R iser Li d , Sq uare, Appears to be Con crete Pump Tank: Size of Lid 24 in ch es x 24 inches Pump Tank: Condition of Lid Ap p ears to be in good cond ition Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Location of Control Box and/or Visual Alarm N ext to pump tank Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Condition of Control Box Ap p eared to be in good con d ition Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Audible A larm Ap p eared to be fu n cti onin g p roperl y at time of inspection 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 30 of 53 Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Visual Alarm Ap p eared to be fu n cti onin g p roperl y at time of inspection Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Pump turns on when manually activated Ap p eared to Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Pump appears to be pushing euent out of pump tank Ap p eared to Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Floats observed 2, "Pump On" Fl oat, "Al arm" Fl oat Control Box, Float Tree, & Pump: Float Tree Condition Good Observations 6.2.1 Pump Tank P UMP TA N K D O E S NO T HAVE A RISE R EXTE ND E D 6 I NCHE S A BO VE GRO UND . Septic pump tanks are su p p osed to h ave at l east 6 i n ch es or more of riser ab ove grade. Needs Att ention 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 31 of 53 Lines Present in the system Hou se to Main Tank, M ain Tank ou t to Pump Tank, Hou se pump tank to p ump tank before mani fol d, Vacant tan k i n let, Vacant tank ou t to pump tank b efore mani fol d, Pump tank to mani fol d Line Inspected: House to Main Tank: Videoscoped Observed Vi su all y Line Inspected: House to Main Tank: Condition Ap p eared to be Good Line Inspected: Main Tank to Pump Tank: Videoscoped Un able to i n sp ect Un able to remove outlet l id Line Inspected: Main Tank to Pump Tank: Condition Un able to determi n e - see notes u n ab le to remove ou tl et l id Line Inspected: House pump tank to pump tank before manifold: Videoscoped Un able to i n sp ect d ue to type of conn ecti on Line Inspected: Pump tank to manifold: Videoscoped Un able to i n sp ect d ue to type of conn ecti on Line Inspected: House to Main Tank Vacant lot: Videoscoped Ap p ears not to be presen t Line Inspected: Main Tank to Pump Tank Vacant lot: Videoscoped Observed visual ly Line Inspected: Main Tank to Pump Tank Vacant lot: Condition Ap p eared to be Good 7: SYSTEM LINES Informati on section-YjBkN GNmZjQtODY5Zi 00N WRjLTl lM Tg tZTBkN TE1YTZh MTFj 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 32 of 53 lo cat ion pressure M anifold inspect ion port s Draineld line shut o/ ow v alv es M ain manifold shut o v alv e General: Notes Ap p ears to be a pressure manifol d i n stal led. Ap p ears to be at th e l eft of the vacan t land lot. Appears to h ave a 6 li nes i n mani fol d. M an ifold appears to h ave 6 inspection ports. App ears each l ine on p ressure Mani fol d h as shuto/ ow red u cing valve 8: PRESSURE MANIFOLD Informati on section-ZmR iM TIyM TAtODk4Ni 00NDU1LTk1N DAtMj Y4NTAyN mN h NDY5 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 33 of 53 General: Appears to be unusual water within manifold box Observations 8.1.1 General A PPE ARS TO BE UNUSUAL WATE R IN MA NIFO LD BO X. Recommen d drai n ag e for man ifold box Maintenance Item 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 34 of 53 D. Box D. Box Shown on permi t, N o D. Box located D. Box Access N /A 9: DISTR IB UTION BOX Informati on section-Zjhh YWVl M2UtN GEyZC00ZTU5LTlj OGMtZTJkMjczZGQz N jFl 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 35 of 53 Draineld Inspection Information based on permit, Inspected vi a probi n g , Appeared to h ave been located vi a probi ng Draineld Type Pressurized per permit, Ap p eared to be Pressu ri z ed , Mul ti li ne system per permit, Ap p eared to be mu ltil ine per p robi ng/ob servation Draineld Material 2 primary sand lter beds an d 1 secondary san d l ter b ed with Ch lorin e contact ch ambers Location: Draineld Location Ap p ears to be on the vacant lot Location: Distance from well/spring/water source City water Location: Distance from Main Tank (& Pump Tank) Ap p ears to be 15 ft Location: Distance from property line(s) Property Lin es not marked . Location: Evidence of trac or structures over the draineld N one Observed 10: DRAINFIELD Informati on section-ZWN jN GRi ZDItM DRlN y00Nj BjLTg1M jEtNDc4OGQyZGQz NDFm 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 36 of 53 Location: Evidence of vegetation, landscaping, drainage, etc that could aect draineld Yes - see notes Ap p ears to be a burn pit over d rai neld Details & Condition: Number of Lines/Sections 3 beds. 2 p ri mary. 1 secon d ary. Pri mary b ed s appears to h ave 3 l in es each. Secondary bed ap p ears to have 3 li nes Details & Condition: Length of Lines/Sections Pri mary sand l ter b ed s (2). 43.5 ft each li n e. 6 total li n es. Second ary b ed: 3 l in es 43.5 ft each. Per p ermi t Details & Condition: Total Line Length 391.5 ft per p ermi t in 3 bed s Details & Condition: I s euent reaching eld Ap p eared to be reach ing eld Details & Condition: Evidence of past or current surfacing at time of inspection N one Observed Repair Area: Repair Area Location N ot noted on permi t N ewer sy st ems should hav e a repair area not ed on the permit.  This area needs t o remain "undisturbed" for fut uredraineld use.  This includes no t building on it (no sheds, patio s, deck s, pools, etc), no grading o r placing "ll dirt " in the repair area,  no driv eway /park ing spaces, recommend restrict ing t rac/parking, etc. Repair area should o nly be utilized as a last reso rt . Repair Area: Bull valve N ot Located Repair Area: Bull Valve Location i nformation unavail abl e Repair Area: Valves placed below ground level shall be provided with a valve box and suitable valve stem so that they may be operated from the ground surface. N /A 15A N CAC 18A.1955 (p) The div ersion v alv e shall be co nstructed t o resist 500 po unds crushing st rengt h, structurally sound, and shall be resistant t o corrosion. Valv es placed belo w ground lev el shall be pro v ided with a v alv e box and suit able v alv e st em so t hat t hey may be o perat ed from the ground surface. Primary bed 1: Length 130.5 ft Primary bed 1: Condition Ap p ears Dry Primary bed 2: Length 130.5 ft Primary bed 2: Condition Ap p ears Dry Secondary bed: Length 130.5 ft Secondary bed: Condition Ap p ears Dry Limitations Repair Area NO RE PA IR A REA SHO WN O N P E RMIT. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 37 of 53 Observations Repair Area NO BULL VALVE L O CATE D. 10.1.1 Location A PPE ARS TO BE A BURN P I T O VE R D RA INFIE L D Maintenance Item 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 38 of 53 Chlorinat e chamber Riprap v alv e Rip rap V alv e Chlorine t ablet s Chlo rine t ablet feeder Notes Ap p ears to be a a 1 l ine post drainel d ch lorine contact ch amber with a decl ori nate chamber and a ri p rap val ve in stal led 11: POST TREATMENT/ CHLORINE SYSTEM Informati on section-ZGIyMj AyN TQtM WZj NC00MjYzLWFjYzctMj d jZj Ez ZjBmYmVj 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 39 of 53 About this report This info rmatio n, and the inform at ion prov ided t hroughout t he report , is pro v ided fo r general informat ion purposes. Specic sy st ems may v ary .  For informat ion about a specic sy stem or mo re inform at ion o r quest ions in general, please cont act o ur o ce, consult a N C Licensed Septic Cont ractor, o r the count y env ironm ent al health depart ment . Code Our report uses current code. Older sy stems may not meet these st andards and may be "grandfat hered in". These are pro v ided fo r y our informat ion.  Please check with the count y healt h department o r o ther reso urce fo r more informat ion. N C General St atut e (N CGS): Chapt er 130A Art icle 11 N C Administ rat iv e Co de (N CAC): 15A NCAC Chapt er 18A Sectio n .1900 21 N CAC Chapt er 39 Belo w are so me excerpts relat ing t o issues commonly found during inspect ions.  Please cont act our oce for more informat ion. Know where your system is! I t is import ant t o know where t he sy st em compo nents are. Co mponent s, especially the two main t ank lids, need t o be accessed on a regular basis. Com po nent s should no t be under the ho use, deck s, sheds, pat ios, sidewalk, fences, retaining walls, deck supports, gardens, etc. We recommend t hat all such it ems be at least 5 ft from sy st em compo nents t o allows safe access. Tank and co mponent s sho uld not be driv en o v er or under driv eway s or park ing spaces P lant s, shrubs, and t rees should no t  be on top o f o r too clo se to tank.  Root s can damage t he t ank , t he ext raweight can damage t he t ank , and such v eget atio n can hinder access t o t he t ank and lids. Wat er, including gut ter drains, French drains, et c sho uld be direct ed away fro m all sy stem component s, especiallythe drain eld. Tanks need to be pumped regularly. The main tank needs t o be checked and pumped regularly .  N C Administ rat iv e Co de say s: “Ground absorptio n sewage t reat m ent and dispo sal sy stem s shall be checked, and the cont ent s o f the sept ic t ank remov ed, periodically from all compart ment , to ensure pro per o perat ion of t he sy st em.  The cont ent s shall be pumped whenev er t he so lids lev el isfound t o be more t han 1/3 o f t he liquid depth in any compart ment .” Oft en t he permit will hav e “P ump ev ery 3-5 y ears” writ ten on it .    Ev ery 3-5 y ears is the accepted “rule o f t hum b” forchecking/pumping a sy st em that is working pro perly and being used as int ended. The out let lt er sho uld be cleaned annually unt il a new ho meowner is fam iliar wit h t heir sy st em. Yes, tanks need to be pumped even if you use "x" product, or are only there part time, or ..... 12: R EFERENCE Informati on section-Nj g wYj QxMDctOTh jN C00NDZkLTg5ZDUtYzl iNzk3N DBlMzM y 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 40 of 53 Protect the system! T h e re a re m an y t h in gs h om e own e r c a n do to h e lp prot e c t t h e system . Havin g it pu m pe d an d in spect e d on a re gu lar ba sis, as we ll as cle an in g t h e lter Makin g su re t h e system is n ot ove r u se d: Sy st ems are rated for number of bedro o ms, based o n t wo people per bedroom .  H av ing mo re peo ple t han t hat using it on a regular basis can harm t he sy st em Spread y our wat er use o ut throughout t he day (t ry t o av o id using the shower, washer, and dishwasher at t he same t im e) and try t o limit the water usage ov er time (t ry not t o do laundry back to back all day ) Avoid u sin g it e m s t h at can h arm th e syst e m : Sept ic sy st ems are designed t o handle bio degradable wast e.  Av oid putt ing no nbiodegradable waste down t hedrains (feminine pro duct s, baby wipes, excessiv e t o ilet paper, et c). Av o id/limit garbage dispo sal use Grease can clog up y o ur sept ic sy st em – limit t he amount y ou put do wn y our drains. Sept ic sy st ems use bacteria t o help break do wn wast e. Av oid (o v er) using cleaners made wit h bleach L o o k for cleaning product s, t oilet paper, etc labelled as “septic safe” Av o id put t ing milk, orange juice, and garbage dispo sal waste do wn t he drains Do not ignore alarms. I f there is a pump sy st em, t here should be an audible and v isual alarm (ie a noise and a light). The cont ro l panel sho uld be set t o "automatic" o r "on" so t hat when t he lev el in the tank reaches a cert ain point the alarm will go o.  Ty picallyafter t he alarm go es o , the t ank can cont inue excepting euent fo r about 24 ho urs befo re it starts backing up. I f the alarms go o, y ou need to call a sept ic cont ract o r immediat ely .  Yo u may turn o t he alarm after y ou call t heseptic cont ractor but don't just t urn it o and ignore it - if y ou do , y ou will probably wind up wit h sept age in y our house. Pump Tanks don't usually need pumped. I n mo st sy st ems, sept age leav es the ho use, enters t he main t ank, goes int o t he pump t ank , and the into the d.box or draineld. A pump tank is called a that because it has a pump t he pushes euent out .   The main tank is t he the tank t hat sho uld be pumped by a pump truck ev ery 3 to 5 y rs if t he sy st em is working properly . A pump tank t hat is wo rking properly should not need t o be pumped by a pump truck!  If t he pump sy st em is malfunct ioning (o at s, cont ro l panels, pump, et c) t he pump t ank may need to be pumped o ut by a pum p t ruck t o be able t o t ake a look and diagno se and/or x the problem. Tanks need to be pumped regularly. The main tank needs t o be checked and pumped regularly .  N C Administ rat iv e Co de say s: “Ground absorptio n sewage t reat m ent and dispo sal sy stem s shall be checked, and the cont ent s o f the sept ic t ank remov ed, periodically from all compart ment , to ensure pro per o perat ion of t he sy st em.  The cont ent s shall be pumped whenev er t he so lids lev el isfound t o be more t han 1/3 o f t he liquid depth in any compart ment .” Oft en t he permit will hav e “P ump ev ery 3-5 y ears” writ ten on it .    Ev ery 3-5 y ears is the accepted “rule o f t hum b” forchecking/pumping a sy st em that is working pro perly and being used as int ended. The out let lt er sho uld be cleaned annually unt il a new ho meowner is fam iliar wit h t heir sy st em. U sually, both lids should be removed from the main tank for pumping. N ewer tanks hav e a bae wall, which separat es t he inlet side (2/3 of t he t ank) from t he out let side (2/3 o f t he t ank ). I f the tank has a bae wall, t he inlet side is t he mo st import ant t o pump as it should hav e t he m o st solids.  H owev er, t he out let lid should also be remov ed to pump any solids on that side and to clean out t he o utlet lt er (which sho uldbe checked/cleaned at least once a y ear). I f it s an older t ank without a bae wall (or if bae wall has collapsed) it can be pumped fro m either side. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 41 of 53 Pumping through a pump port. At one po int , "pum p ports" were v ery po pular. These were pipes about 8 in across (usually ) with a slide o n cap) t hat wo uld be installed direct ly t hrough the lid o r tank roof so t hat the t ank could be pumped wit hout remov ing t he lids. H o wev er there are a co uple of issues with do ing t his and they are no longer installed: putt ing them t hrough t he t ank /lid could cause damage and could be a point o f water/root int rusio n ty pically only o ne was inst alled so t here is only access to o ne side of t he t ank it giv es t he pum per no v isibilit y of what is being suck ed up or missed it limits t he pumper's access t o all areas (esp co rners) of t he t anks, making a t ho rough pump pret ty much im po ssible We st rongly recommend remov ing bo th lids when pum ping a t ank, ev en if it has a pump port on it (t ho ugh we willpump t hro ugh a pum p port if request ed).  I f a tank is t o o deep t o unco v er ev ery time it needs pumped, access risers should be inst alled. Pumping through a cleanout (99% of the time this is not possible) A cleano ut is a pipe about 4 in across, usually with a screw o n cap and it is placed som ewhere bet ween t he house and t he t ank . This prov ides access to the line to clean out blockages and such.  We can usually use it t o help us locat e a t ank (wit h alocator and/o r camera). H o wev er, a t ank canno t be pumped fro m the cleanout !  Ev en if t he hose will go into the clean o ut pipe, the most y o uare going to get is what is in t he pipe (so it will tem po rarily st op it from co ming up in the ho use). The pipe ent ers t he t ank abo ut 5 t o 7 inches belo w t he t o p of t he t ank, leav ing abo ut 4 and a half feet o f tank (and solids) belo w t he pipe.  A v acuum is not go ing t o pull it up into the pipe. Pumping does not x all problems! If t h e re is sept age /wat e r c om in g u p in on ly on e drain or on e bath room : It could be a clog in t hat specic line (which would be a plumber issue) If it s t he lowest one o r the clo sest t o t he sept age out line, it co uld be that t he t ank is full and is beginning t o backup If t h e re is sept age /wat e r c om in g u p in m u lt iple location s in t h e h ou se : M ore lik ely t o be a full t ank , but could be a blo ckage bet ween t he house and t he t ank (which wo uld be a plumberissue) If t h e re is a wet spot in t h e yard wh e n it h asn 't rain e d an d/or t h e spot sm e lls awfu l: If it s ov er t he tank, it probably mean t he t ank is leaking and needs t o be pumped (and po ssibly furt her ev aluated). I t could also mean t here is a pro blem aft er the tank t hat is prev enting t he euent from leav ing the tank. If it s ov er t he draineld t here is pro bably a problem wit h t he draineld, the tank will pro bably need t o be pumped to st op it from co ming up in the ho use and t o furt her ev aluat e t he draineld, but pum ping alone will not solv e thedraineld issue. If you h ave th e t a n k pu m pe d from both lids, a n d are u sin g it n orm ally an d it backs u p again be fore 24 m on t h s, you probably h a ve a bigge r proble m t h at n e e ds t o be e va lu at e d. (R u le of th u m b: pu m p e ve ry 3-5 years) Signs that the tank might need pumped. Som e sign s th a t th e t a n k m igh t n e e d t o be pu m pe d: Gu rglin g an d/or sten ch in m u lt iple drain s (could also be a clo g between ho use and t ank; its its only happening in one drain or ro o m more likely t o be a clo g in that specic line) Slow dra in in g an d/or bac kin g u p in m u lt iple drain s/loc a tion  (co uld also be a clog between ho use and tank; it s it s only happening in o ne drain or ro o m more lik ely t o be a clo g in that specic line) Stan din g wa ter in th e ya rd 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 42 of 53 Permits Permits were no t required unt il t he 1970's. St ate law current ly requires 3 permits before a sy st em can be put in use. These are issued by t he co unty env ironmental health depart ment . The Im prov ement Permit and Constructio n Aut ho rizat ion P ermit hav e t o be issued prior t o installing t he sy stem (and building a hom e).  Once t he sy stem is const ruct ed, t he co unty inspect s it and issues an Operatio ns P ermit .  When a sy stem needs repairs, t hey will issue a repair perm it .  Generally , t hese are o nly fo r large repairs like replacing t he drain eld or t he t ank. Smaller repairs like replacing lids or lters, or replacing out let t ee t y pically do not need permit s. Depending on t he count y and t im e perio d, dierent st y les of permit s were issued: t hey may no t hav e been issuing I mprov ement permits at t he t im e, or t hey may hav e Im prov ement and Authorizatio n on the sam e page, et c System and Tank Maintenance: 15A NCAC 18A.1961 15A N CAC 18A.1961 (a) Any person o wning or cont rolling the property upo n which a gro und abso rpt ion sewage t reat m ent and dispo sal sy stem is installed shall be respo nsible fo r the following it ems regarding the maint enance o f the sy st em:  (1) Ground absorpt ion sewage t reat ment and dispo sal sy st ems shall be o perat ed and m aintained t o prev ent t he follo wing conditio ns:  (A) a discharge o f sewage or euent to the surface of t he ground, t he surface wat ers, o r direct ly into the groundwat er at any t ime; o r  (B) a back -up of sewage or euent into the facilit y , building drains, co llect ion sy stem, o r freeboard v olume of t he t anks; or  (C) a free liquid surface wit hin three inches of nished grade ov er the nit ricat ion trench for t wo o r more observ at ionsmade not less t han 24 hours apart . Observ atio ns shall be made greater t han 24 hours aft er a rainfall ev ent . The sy st em shall be considered malfunct ioningwhen it fails to meet o ne or m o re of t hese requirements, eit her cont inuously o r int erm it tent ly , o r if it is necessary to remov e the cont ents of t he t ank (s) at a frequency great er t han once per mo nth in order t o satisfy t he co ndit ions of Part s (A), (B), or (C) o f t his P aragraph…. Finding the Permits Some hom eowners hav e copies of t heir permits.  Ot herwise, we hav e t o request t hem fro m t he count y healt h department, which we do as part of our preparat ions. Unfortunat ely , so me count ies t ake more t han 1 or 2 weeks t orespond.  Additio nally , permit s can not alway s be located.  Depending on t he t ime frame and t he co unty , permit s were led by owner names, builder or septic installer name, PIN num ber or address (eit her of which may hav e changed), etc – informat ion that is no t alway s av ailable t o us. Sy st ems inst alled during or prior t o t he 1970’s o ft en do not hav e permitsavailable. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 43 of 53 Capacity of System Sy st em capacit y is measured by t he number o f bedroom s and/or somet hing called gallo ns per day o r o w rat e. One o r bot h of t hese sho uld be writt en on the perm it . The capacit y of t he sy st em can o nly be det ermined by the count y env ironm ent al health depart ment . They det ermine this for a sy stem prior t o inst allat ion based o n a number o f factors: the soil t y pe and its absorptio n rate the slo pe of the land size o f draineld ty pe of draineld mat erial t o be used the number of bedrooms t he o wners ho pe t o put in the ho use and ot her factors They assume 2 peo ple per bedro o m.  Gallons per day is 120 gallons per bedro o m. The co unty env ironmental healt hdepartment is t he only o ne aut ho rized to approv e a number o f bedrooms. System Capacity: 15A NCAC 18A.1949 T h e c ou n t y h e alth de partm e n t is t h e on ly au t h orit y allowe d t o approve system s an d de term in e th e n u m be r of bedroom s a system can su pport.  This is based on a v ariet y of t hings – soil t y pe; lo t size, lay out , and slope; lengt h of drain lines; etc. 15A N CAC 18A.1949 (a ) In de term in in g t h e volu m e of se wage from dwe llin g u n its, t h e owra te sh a ll be 120 gallon s pe r da y pe r be droom .  The minim um v olume of sewage from each dwelling unit shall be 240 gallons per dayand each additio nal bedroom abo v e two bedro o ms shall increase t he v olume of sewage by 120 gallo ns per day .  In det ermining t he number of bedro o ms in a dwelling unit , each bedro o m and any ot her room or addit ion that can reaso nably be expected to functio n as a bedroom shall be co nsidered a bedroom fo r design purposes. (See 15A NCAC 18A.1949 for more det ails.) System Operator For mo st o f t he sy stems in this area, the ho meowner is respo nsible for t he maintenance of t heir sy st em.  For cert ain,more adv anced, ty pes of sy stem s, t he homeowner is required to cont ract wit h a cert ied o perat o r to maint ain their sy stem. House to Main Tank All the drains in t he house sho uld feed into the sept ic line out .  This line should include a “clean o ut” point – so met im es in t he lowest lev el or crawl space of the ho use, so met imes just o utside the ho use.  This allows the line to be cleaned if t here is a back up.  It can so met imes be used t o help locate a sept ic t ank as well. The line fro m the house t o t he t ank sho uld slo pe slight ly do wnwards fro m the ho use.   If t hat is not possible, sometimes a pump or pump t ank is inst alled under o r near the house t o push the sewage t o t he t ank .  The line sho uldbe undergro und t he whole way t o prev ent freezing.  These lines need t o be check ed regularly to ensure t hey stay clearof obst acles, such as grease, toilet paper, or ot her buildup, ro o t int rusion, crushing, et c. Line from Main Tank to Next Component Depending on t he sy stem , t he euent leav ing t he main t ank may go direct ly to the drain eld or may go t ho ugh a pump t ank and/o r distribut ion bo x .  Just like the line leading into the tank, this line sho uld hav e a slight slope alo ng thelength and sho uld be checked periodically for blo ckages, root intrusion, crushing, etc. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 44 of 53 Every system should have a main tank. The features of t he main t ank will depend o n so me dierent fact ors, such as when the t ank was installed, what kind of sy stem it is, how m any rooms, et c.  The purpose of t he main t ank is t o giv e the sept age time to set tle during which t he fat s, oils, greases, and ot her buoy ant wast e rise t o t he top (becoming “scum”), heav ier wast e sinks t o t he bot tom (becoming “sludge”), and t heclearer wat er (called euent) mo v es to the next com po nent . Tank styles Tanks used t o be made of cinderblock , t hen concret e.   1,000 gallon Co ncrete Tanks are pro bably t he mo st common in t his area, t hough plast ic t anks are gaining popularity . Concrete tanks are usually about 4 ft wide, 8 ft long, and 5 ft deep.  Current t anks hav e a lid ov er the inlet pipe and oneover t he out let pipe that are roughly 2 ft square. The most co mm o n plast ic 1,000 gallo n t ank in this area has similar dim ensio ns and a ro und lid ov er t he inlet pipe and one o v er t he out let pipe. Locating the tank Locat ing t he t ank is t raditio nally do ne with a probe rod and t he permit (if av ailable).  Pro bing will not work in all situat ions: land with lot s of root s and rock s; t ank s under decks, pat ios, sheds, et c; t anks that are deeper t han 3 ft ;excessiv e v eget atio n; et c E-Locating We can use an elect ro nic locat o r to att empt t o lo cat e t he t ank, but t his doesn't alway s locate t he t ank .  We probeand/or dig in t he area where the the locator st o ps to conrm t hat t he t ank is there. Some circumstances will prev ent us from being able t o conrm t he t ank locat ion: tank is deeper than 3 ft locator appears to hav e st opped under a st ruct ure (pat io, shed, driv eway , etc) locator appears to hav e st opped under a t ree/bush, in a garden, o r in an o v ergrown area The locator also do esn't alway s make it to the tank: If t here is wat er in t he pipe between the ho use and the tank, the locator will stop at this po int . This can be due t o tank backing up or improper slope in t he pipe - eit her o f which should be xed. If t he pipe is crushed, has separated, has impro per slo pe, has unusual turn, o r if the sect ions are not joined smoot hly , the lo cat or can get stuck.  Again, these are all it ems that if fo und, should be xed. Cleanout A cleano ut is a pipe t hat allows access to the line, usually the line bet ween t he house and t he t ank , clo ser t o t he house. These are not alway s inst alled or accessible. Pump ports Pump port s used to be inst alled to allow access for pumping wit ho ut hav ing t o uncov er the lids.  H owev er, industry practice has mov ed away fro m these as t hey do not pro v ide full access t o t he t ank for pumping, inspect ions, and maint enance.  Pump port co v ers are o ft en unable to be secured and represent a pot ential safet y hazard. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 45 of 53 Lids Tanks should hav e two lids – one ov er t he inlet side and one ov er t he out let side.  The out let t ee sho uld be under t he lid, so t hat the out let lter can be cleaned o n a regular basis t o prev ent it fro m block ing t he out let .  Bo th lids should beremoved for pum ping or inspect ions t o access bot h sides of t he t ank.   Current ly lids fo r pre-cast co ncret e t anks areusually about 20 in x 20 in, made of co ncrete, with a met al o r plastic handle inst alled.  Older t anks may hav e ot her sizes or st y les of lid.  Since t he lids do need t o be rem o v ed o n a regular basis, sometimes access risers are inst alled.  Access risers can also v ary but they are usually a ro und plast ic t ube and each one is about 6 inches high.  The tank lids areremoved, t he access riser put o v er t he hole and stacked t o t he necessary height t o bring t he lid closer or t o groundlevel.  The lids on t he t o p of t he risers are usually round plastic and if t hey are abo v e ground they should be secured t o prev ent accident al ent ry .  Tank lids o r access riser lids need t o be in good conditio n t o keep t hings from gett ing in (or out ) of the tank as well as for safet y reasons. Septic Component setbacks Current code say s t hat sept ic compo nents should be at least: 100 ft from any priv at e wat er supply so urce (though some older sy stems may be "grandfathered" at 50 ft );  5 ft fro m any building foundat ion;  15 ft from any basement ; 10 ft from any property line;  10 ft from any water line; 15 ft from any swimm ing pool;  20 ft from any ot her nit ricatio n eld (except repair area). Tank Depth St andard pre-cast co ncret e t anks should not be mo re than 3 ft deep. They are designed to support a maximum of 3 ft of dirt . Addit ionally , bot h lids need t o be accessed o n a regular basis for pumping, inspectio ns, maint enance, and repairs. Trac St andard tanks should no t be driv en ov er, or under driv eway s, park ing spot s, et c. The additio nal weight can damage t he t ank . Vegetation Plants, shrubs, and t rees sho uld no t be o n t o p of or t o o close t o t ank . Root s can damage t he t ank , t he ext ra weight can damage the tank, and such v eget at ion can hinder access to the tank and lids. Landscaping & Grading Landscaping on top o f or near t ank sho uld be do ne carefully . Av o id putt ing ext ra weight ov er the tank or any t hing on or near t he t ank that wo uld prev ent the remov al of bo th lids (including, but no t limit ed t o , o wer beds, retaining walls,pat ios/sidewalks/decks, sheds, et c). Av oid driv ing v ehicles or heav y equipment ov er the sy st em. Addit ionally , wat er should be directed away from t ank, draineld, and ot her sy st em compo nents. Bae Wall Tanks should hav e two lids – one ov er t he inlet side and one ov er t he out let side.  The out let t ee sho uld be under t he lid, so t hat the out let lter can be cleaned o n a regular basis t o prev ent it fro m block ing t he out let .  Bo th lids should be remov ed for pum ping or inspect ions t o access bot h sides of t he t ank.   Current ly lids fo r pre-cast co ncret e t anks areusually about 20 in x 20 in, made of co ncrete, with a met al o r plastic handle inst alled.  Older t anks may hav e ot her sizesor st y les of lid.  Since t he lids do need t o be rem o v ed o n a regular basis, sometimes access risers are inst alled.  Access risers can also v ary but they are usually a ro und plast ic t ube and each one is about 6 inches high.  The tank lids are remov ed, t he access riser put o v er t he hole and stacked t o t he necessary height t o bring t he lid closer or t o groundlevel.  The lids on t he t o p of t he risers are usually round plastic and if t hey are abo v e ground they should be secured t oprevent accident al ent ry .  Tank lids o r access riser lids need t o be in good conditio n t o keep t hings from gett ing in (or out ) of the tank as well as for safet y reasons. Roots Root s can cause damage t o t he t ank if left unchecked.  I f t here are root s observ ed in t he t ank, it is recommended t hat t hey be remov ed, any damage repaired, and st eps t aken to prev ent fut ure ro o t int rusion (fo r example, remo v e bushes/shrubs/t rees from on/near tank). Tank Leakage Tanks should be wat er tight - solids and euent should not be able to get out and water should no t be able to get in. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 46 of 53 Tank I nlet The tank inlet is t he pipe t hat ent ers the t ank.  It should be lev el entering the t ank. Outlet Tee The Outlet Tee cont ro ls t he ow o f euent o ut o f the tank and helps keep t he so lids in t he t ank. Since 1998, t anks should hav e a plast ic out let t ee with a lt er.  The lt er should be cleaned at least y early .  Older plast ictees may no t hav e a lt er.  Older t anks may hav e a concret e t ee which do not hav e lt ers. Tank Contents There are two dierent t hings t hat should be measured in y o u t ank: wat er/euent and solids. W ater Level H av ing wat er in y our t ank is good for y our t ank .  The recom mended wat er lev el is t he bot tom of t he o utlet pipe.  W at er lev el ov er t he o utlet pipe might be a sign t hat t here is a problem prev enting the water from leav ing t he tank. Solids The solids are in two categories: scum (fats, o ils, and greases t hat rise to the top o f y our t ank ) and sludge (heav ier solids t hat sink t o t he bo tt om of y o ur tank) with the euent (clear-ish liquid) in bet ween t hem. Non-biodegradable Items N o n-bio degradable should no t be in the tank.  This includes (but no t limit ed t o ) feminine hy giene product s, wipes, condoms, paper t o wels, cigaret te but t s, gum , grease, etc. W hen to Pump N C Adm in Code (15A NCAC 18A.1961) say s t hat property owners are responsible fo r maint aining their sy st em on aregular basis, including hav ing it pumped when the either chamber of t he m ain t ank is 33% or more full of so lids. F o rmost sy st ems, if they are functio ning and being used pro perly , t his should be ev ery 3-5 y ears. Often t imes t he permit fro m t he count y will say o n it t o pump it ev ery 3-5 y ears. Pump System: Pump System A P ump Tank, Lift Tank, Pump St at ion, and Lift St atio n are all names fo r the sam e co mponent .  These are used when part of the sy st em has t o be at higher elev atio n t han the st ruct ure so t he euent has t o be pumped (o r lift ed) up to t he next co mponent .  M ost often they com e aft er the main tank and pump up t o a higher draineld.   Pump System: Pump Tank There is a tank that has a sy stem of oats that t riggers t he pump o r the alarm (v isual and/or audio).  Tank lid should be abov e gro und lev el per co d.  Pump t ank s hav e most of t he same concerns as a main tank - t rac, root s, leakage, et c.  M ost pump t anks are made of concret e but only hav e one lid (as o ppo sed to the two lids o f a main t ank). Pump System: Control Panel The cont ro l panel is where t he elect ricity enters and where t he signals are receiv ed fro m the o at s and sent t o t he pump. M ost commonly , it is inst alled on a po st at t he pum p t ank but it can be inst alled nex t to the ho use o r ev en in t hegarage o r ho use. The cont ro l panel usually has an audible alarm as well as a v isible alarm (a light), though again, if t he alarm s are not v ery not iceable from t he house, t hey can be installed next to the ho use o r in t he garage o r ho use.  179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 47 of 53 Pump System: Pump Floats (Float Tree) The pump and alarms are co ntro lled by t he co ntrol panel which gets signals from the o at tree.  There are t wo or t hree oat s - t hese hang do wn unt il t he wat er lev el in t he tank reaches them and oat s t hem up; when they oat up to acertain height t he co ntrol panel activ ates t he co rrect dev ice. The lowest o at is t he "P ump o oat " (on a two oat sy st em this is combined with the next oat ). The second oat is the "Pump on oat " - this oat tells t he co ntrol panel "hey t he wat er has risen, t urn o n t he pump to empty the tank" and t he pum p sho uld kick o n unt il the water lev el & o at lo wer down to the o posit ion. The highest oat is the "Alarm oat ".  I f this o at rises, the cont ro l panel sho uld set o the audible & v isual alarmsbecause it means the pump is not lowering the lev el (whet her because t he o at, co ntrol panel, o r pump hasmalfunctioned, or whet her the draineld isn't accepting euent , o r whatev er). Usually , o nce the alarm goes o t here is about 24 hrs before t he pump t ank will back up int o t he prev io uscomponents, so it is im po rt ant to call a sept ic cont ract o r when t he alarm go es o . Distribution Box A multi-line drain eld sho uld hav e o ne o r more D. boxes. Some older sy stem s may not hav e one.  Serial Sy st ems do not need a D. bo x , t hought they will occasio nally hav e o ne.  A D. bo x is a small box, usually concret e or t he same material as the main tank and sho uld be deeper t han t he t ankmaking t hem more dicult t o locat ed.   I t is alway s aft er the main tank.  I t has a line co ming in fro m the main tank.  Then it will hav e lines going o ut. The lines out are set at the same height aro und t he bo x so t hat the euent leav es them equally . I t is important t hat the euent leav es equally . Draineld The drain eld (also called t he nit ricat ion eld or dispersal eld) is where t he euent leav es t he sy st em. There are two t y pes o r lay o uts of sy stems in this area: serial sy st ems and multi-line sy st ems. I n a serial sy st em, t he line o ut o f the tank ent ers a drain line which runs a cert ain dist ance, ent ers anot her, sho rt regular line, which connects it to ano ther drain line. There can be two o r more sectio ns o f drain line, and it usuallysnakes back and fo rt h so t hat the drain lines are parallel t o each ot her but connect ed to each o ther v ia a regular line ateach end. Serial Distribution Some Drainelds are Serial Distribut ion.  In a serial sy st em, t he line out of the tank ent ers a drain line which runs acertain dist ance, enters anot her, sho rt  regular line, which connect s it t o anot her drain line. There can be t wo or mo re sect ions of drain line, and it usually snakes back and fo rt h so t hat the drain lines are parallel t o each ot her but connect ed to each o ther v ia a regular line at each end. Equal Distribution Some drainelds are m ult iline or equal distribut ion.  This ty pe of draineld sho uld hav e a d.box.  The t ank empt ies in t he d.bo x .  Each draineld line is connect ed to the d.box.  Each of these connectio ns sho uld be lev el wit h t he o thers, sothat when t he euent in t he d.bo x gets t o a certain lev el, euent ent ers all the lines equally at the same t im e. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 48 of 53 Gravity vs Pressure M ost sy st ems in t his area are "grav ity fed" - euent ows t hro ugh t he drain lines.v ia grav it y .  There are so me "pressure fed" sy st ems where a pressure manifo ld creates pressure t o push t he euent t hro ugh the drainlines.              Grav ity v s Pressure                   check_bo x_out line_blankDefault t o checked?      Default L o cat ionedit   Default Text Inline St y leX LargeLargeN o rmalSmallL ight Small/Light BoldI t alicUnderlineColo rsOrdered ListUnordered L istI nsert LinkI nsert I mageI nsert V ideoI nsert TableCo de ViewClear F o rmatt ingM o st sy stems in this area are "grav it y fed" - euent o wsthrough t he drain lines.v ia grav it y .  There are so me "pressure fed" sy stems where a pressure manifold creat es pressureto push the euent through t he drainlines.Enter t ext here                     Add Default P ho to Gravel Drain Lines The "t raditio nal" drainline is a pipe set in a grav el lled trench.  The pipe is sim ilar t o t he pipe for a french drain - usually black corrugat ed pipe with small ho les t o allo w water t o drip out . There is a related st y le where t he pipe is packed in "packing peanut " t y pe mat erial held toget her wit h a mesh wrap and a cy linder of "packing peanut " wrap in mesh is put o n eit her side of t he pipe and t hen co v ered with dirt o r grav el. Chamber Drainlines These are beco ming more co mmo n and require a lit tle less lengt h t han a grav el sy stem. "Chambers" are basically large plast ic half circles. They are set with the open side down in a trench and t hen co v eredover with dirt. Other Types Those are t he most common t y pes o f drainlines in t his area, but t here are ot her ty pes, including: large diamet er pipe (sim ilar t o grav el but with a larger pipe) L P P Sy sems (Low-pressure pipe) P refabricat ed Panel Block Sy st em (PPBS) I f the sy st em is one of t hese, feel free t o call our oce for more informat ion. Inspecting Draineld There are o ther kinds o f drain lines but they are as not co mmo nly seen in t his area. I t can be dicult or impossible to locate t he draineld, t o denit iv ely tell which kind o f draineld it is, or ot her details, especially without a permit. The dept h of t he t he draineld, age of draineld, ground conditio ns (rock s, ro o ts, ex cessiv e v egetat ion, etc) can m akelocating and inspecting draineld more dicult o r impo ssible. Repair Area N ewer sy st ems will hav e a repair area designat ed on the permit. This area needs t o remain "undisturbed" for future draineld use.  This includes not building o n it (no sheds, pat ios, decks, pools, et c), no grading or placing "ll dirt" in t he repair area,  no driv eway /parking spaces, reco mmend rest ricting t rac/parking, etc. Repair area should o nly be utilized as a last reso rt . 15A N CAC 18A.1935 (43) Repair area m eans an area, eit her in its nat ural stat e or which is capable o f being modied,consist ent wit h t he rules in this Sect ion, which is reserv ed fo r the installat ion of addit ional nit ricatio n elds and is not cov ered wit h st ruct ures or imperv ious materials. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 49 of 53 Bull Valve Sometimes when the repair area is used a "bull v alv e" is inst alled t o allow the ho meowner t o swit ch bet ween t he original draineld and t he new draineld.  The frequency at which it should be switched should be writ t en on t he repairpermit. 15A N CAC 18A.1955 (p) Alternating dual eld nitricat ion sy stems may be utilized where soils are limit ed by high clogging po tent ials (Soil Groups I II and I V ) and where t he pot ent ial fo r malfunctio n and need fo r immediat e repair is required. Alt ernat ing dual nitricat ion elds shall be designed with two co mplet e nitricatio n elds, each sized a minimum o f 75 percent of the t ot al area required for a single eld and separat ed by an euent o w div ersion v alv e. The div ersion v alv e shall beconstructed to resist 500 pounds crushing strength, st ruct urally so und, and shall be resist ant to corro sio n. V alv es placed below ground lev el shall be pro v ided wit h a v alv e box and suit able v alv e st em so that t hey may be o perat ed fro m t he gro und surface. System and Tank Maintenance: 15A NCAC 18A.1961 15A N CAC 18A.1961 (a) Any person o wning or cont rolling the property upo n which a gro und abso rpt ion sewage t reat m ent and dispo salsystem is installed shall be respo nsible fo r the following it ems regarding the maint enance o f the sy st em:  (1) Ground absorpt ion sewage t reat ment and dispo sal sy st ems shall be o perat ed and m aintained t o prev ent t he follo wing conditio ns:  (A) a discharge o f sewage or euent to the surface of t he ground, t he surface wat ers, o r direct ly into the groundwat erat any t ime; o r  (B) a back -up of sewage or euent into the facilit y , building drains, co llect ion sy stem, o r freeboard v olume of t he t anks; or  (C) a free liquid surface wit hin three inches of nished grade ov er the nit ricat ion trench for t wo o r more observ at ions made not less t han 24 hours apart . Observ atio ns shall be made greater t han 24 hours aft er a rainfall ev ent . The sy st em shall be considered malfunct ioning when it fails to meet o ne or m o re of t hese requirements, eit her cont inuously o r int erm it tent ly , o r if it is necessary to remov e the cont ents of t he t ank (s) at a frequency great er t han once per mo nth in order t o satisfy t he co ndit ions ofParts (A), (B), or (C) o f t his P aragraph…. Setbacks: 15A NCAC 18A.1950 See 15A N CAC 18A.1950 fo r more informat ion. Some of t he more common ones:  (a) Ev ery sanit ary sewage t reat m ent and dispo sal sy stem shall be locat ed at least the minimum horizo ntal dist ance fro m t he fo llo wing:  (1) Any priv at e wat er supply so urce, including any well or spring – 100 ft  (10) Any building foundatio n – 5 ft   (11) Any basement -15 ft (12) Any pro pert y line – 10 ft   Also see 15A NCA 18A.1950 and 1951. 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 50 of 53 Tank Access: NC GS 130A-335 (f2), NC GS 130A-335.1, 15A NCAC 18A.1952(a), 15A NCAC 18A.1954 (10) N C GS 130A-335 (f2) For each septic tank sy st em t hat is designed t o t reat 3,000 gallons per day or less of sewage, rules adopt ed pursuant t o subsectio n (f) o f this sect ion shall require….t he use of an access dev ice for each co mpartment o fthe sept ic t ank to prov ide access t o t he co mpartment in order t o facilit ate maint enance o f the sept ic t ank . N C GS 130A-335.1 (b) th e ac c e ss devic e re qu ire d by 130A-335(f) sh a ll provide acce ss t o e ac h com part m e n t of a se pt ic tan k for in spe c t ion a n d m ain te n an ce e it h e r by m e an s of an ope n in g in t h e t op of t h e se pt ic tan k or by a rise r asse m bly an d sh all in clu de an appropriat e c ove r.  The access dev ice shall: (1) Be o f sucient size t o facilitat e inspectio n and serv ice. (3) P rev ent wat er ent ry . (4) Com e to with in six in ch e s of th e n ish e d gra de . (5) B e visibly m arke d so th a t th e ac c e ss de vic e c an be re a dily locat e d. 15A N CAC 18A.1952(a) Se ptic t an ks in stalled wh e re t h e top will be deeper th an six in c h e s be low th e n ish ed grade sh all h ave an a ccess m an h ole ove r e ac h com partm e n t wit h cove r, e x ten din g to with in six in ch e s of th e n ish ed grade, h avin g a m in im u m ope n in g ade qu at e t o acc om m odat e th e in st allat ion or rem oval of th e septic t a n k lid, se pt a ge re m oval, an d m a in t e n an c e of th e e u e n t lte r.  When t he top o f the sept ic t ank or access manhole is below t he nished grade, t he locat ion of each manho le shall be v isibly marked at nished grade. 15A N CAC 18A.1954 (10) Adequat e access openings must be prov ided in the tank t op.  Access shall be prov ided for cleaning or ro dding out of t he inlet pipe, for cleaning o r clearing the air o r gas passage space abo v e the part it ion, for pumping o f each com part ment , and for t he m aintenance of t he euent lter. This shall be accomplished by properlylocating two manholes o r access o penings with each hav ing a minimum o pening of 15 inches by 15 inches or 17 inchesin diameter…M anho le cov ers, tank lids, access opening cov er, or slabs shall hav e a handle of steel o r o ther ro t-resist ant material equiv alent in strength to a No.3 reinforcing ro d (rebar). System Capacity: 15A NCAC 18A.1949 T h e c ou n t y h e alth de partm e n t is t h e on ly au t h orit y allowe d t o approve system s an d de term in e th e n u m be r of bedroom s a system can su pport.  This is based on a v ariet y of t hings – soil t y pe; lo t size, lay out , and slope; lengt h of drain lines; etc. 15A N CAC 18A.1949 (a ) In de term in in g t h e volu m e of se wage from dwe llin g u n its, t h e owra te sh a ll be 120 gallon s pe r da y pe r be droom .  The minim um v olume of sewage from each dwelling unit shall be 240 gallons per dayand each additio nal bedroom abo v e two bedro o ms shall increase t he v olume of sewage by 120 gallo ns per day .  In det ermining t he number of bedro o ms in a dwelling unit , each bedro o m and any ot her room or addit ion that can reaso nably be expected to functio n as a bedroom shall be co nsidered a bedroom fo r design purposes. (See 15A NCAC 18A.1949 for more det ails.) 15A NCAC 18A .1952: Tank Size 15A N CAC 18A.1952 (b) M inimum liquid capacit ies fo r sept ic tanks shall be in accordance wit h t he fo llowing: (1)Resident ial Septic Tanks (fo r each indiv idual residence o r dwelling unit ): N umber of Bedrooms / M inimum L iquid Capacity / Equiv alent Capacity per Bedro o m 3 or less   / 900 Gallo ns / 300 Gallons; 4  / 1,000 Gallons  / 250 Gallo ns; 5  / 1,250 Gallons /  250 Gallo ns; (See 15A NCAC 18A.1952 for informat ion on larger houses or ot her st ruct ures) 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 51 of 53 Precast Concrete Tank Standards: 15A NCAC 18A.1952, 15A NCAC 18A.1954 15A N CAC 18A.1952 (a ) A se pt ic t an k or dosin g t an k sh all be wa tert igh t , stru ct u rally sou n d, an d n ot su bje c t t o ex cessive corrosion or de c a y.  Septic tanks shall be of t wo-compart ment design.  The inlet co mpartment o f a two -compart ment t ank shall ho ld bet ween t wo-thirds and three-fo urt hs of t he tot al tank capacit y .  Sept ic tanks shall hav ean approv ed euent lt er and access dev ices. 15A N CAC 18A.1954  (a) The following are minimum st andards of design and const ruct ion of precast reinfo rced concret e septic tanks:  (1) The minim um requirement fo r the liquid dept h is 36 inches.  (2) a m in im u m of n in e in ch es fre e board is requ ire d, th e fre e board bein g t h e air spac e be t we e n th e t op of th e liqu id a n d t h e bott om side of th e lid or cap of th e t a n k. (5) The inlet pipe in the tank shall be a st raight pipe.  (6) T h e ou t le t sh a ll be t h rou gh an approve d e u e n t lter secu re d in plac e in an e u e n t lte r su pport c ase .  T h e eu e n t lt e r su pport c a se sh a ll se rve a s a fu n c t ion in g san itary t e e wit h t he bot tom inlet ext ending do wn bet ween 25 and 40 percent of the liquid dept h.  The approv ed euent lt er and suppo rt case shall be furnished by the sept ic t ank manufact urer. The inv ert o f the o utlet shall be at least t wo inches lower in elev atio n t han t he inv ert o f t heinlet.  (9) All tanks shall be manufactured wit h a cast-in-place part it ion so that t he t ank co ntains two co mpartments.  (10) Adequat e access openings must be pro v ided in t he tank top…. Bae Wall: 15A NCAC 18A.1954 15A N CAC 18A.1954 (a)  (9) All tanks shall be manufactured wit h a cast-in-place part it ion so that t he t ank co ntains two co mpartments. The part it ion shall be lo cat ed at a point no t less than two -t hirds no r more t han t hree-fourths t he lengt h of t he t ank fromthe inlet end.  The t o p of t he part it ion shall t erminat e t wo inches belo w t he bot t o m side o f the tank t op in order to lav espace fo r air o r gas passage bet ween co mpartments. The t o p and bot tom halv es of t he partitio n shall be cast in such manner as to leav e a wat er passage slot fo ur inches high for t he full widt h of t he t ank. The partitio n (bo th halv es) shall be reinforced by t he placing of six-inch by six -inch N o .10 gage welded reinforcing wire. Pump System: 15A NCAC 18A .1952 15A N CAC 18A.1952  (a) A se pt ic tan k or dosin g tan k sh a ll be wat e r tigh t , st ru c t u rally sou n d, a n d n ot su bje c t to e x c e ssive corrosion or de c a y. (c) The following are minimum st andards of design and const ruct ion of pump t anks and pump do sing sy st ems:  (1) The liquid capacit y o f a pump tank shall be considered as t he ent ire int ernal v o lume with no addit ional requirement for freebo ard. Pum p t anks shall hav e a minimum liquid capacit y in accordance wit h t he fo llowing:…  (3) P ump discharge piping shall be of Schedule 40 PVC o r st ro nger material and adequately secured…V alv es shall alsobe readily accessible from the ground surface.  (5) Sealed mercury cont ro l oat s or sim ilar dev ices designed fo r detecting liquid lev els in sept ic tank euent shall be prov ided to cont ro l pump cy cles.  A separat e lev el sensing dev ice shall be prov ided t o activ at e t he high-wat er alarm.Pump-o lev el shall be set t o keep t he pump submerged at all times or in accordance with the manufact urer’sspecicatio ns.  A m inimum o f 12 inches o f euent shall be maintained in the bot t o m o f t he pump t ank .  The high- water alarm o at shall be set t o activ ate wit hin six inches of the pump-o n lev el.  The lag pump oat swit ch, where prov ided, shall be locat ed at o r abo v e the high-wat er alarm act iv at ion lev el.  (6) P ump and co ntro l circuit s shall be pro v ided wit h manual circuit disco nnect s within a wat ertight , co rro sion-resistant , out side enclosure (N EM A 4X o r equiv alent ) adjacent t o t he pump t ank, securely mount ed at least 12 inches abov e t he nished grade. The pump(s) shall be manually o perable wit hout requiring t he use of special t ools or ent rance into the t ank fo r test ing purpo ses.  (9) T h e pu m p t an k sh all h ave a properly fu n c tion in g h igh -wat e r ala rm . The alarm circuit shall be supplied ahead of any pump ov erload and short circuit prot ectiv e dev ices.  T h e alarm sh all be au dible an d visible by syst e m u se rs an d wat e rproof if in stalle d ou tdoors in an e n c losu re (N EM 4X o r equiv alent ). 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 52 of 53 Trac/Weight: 15A NCAC 18A.1950 15A N CAC 18A.1950 (c) N it ricat ion elds and repair areas shall not be lo cat ed under pav ed areas or areas subject to v ehicular trac.  I f euent is t o be conv ey ed under areas subject t o v ehicular t rac, duct ile iro n or it s equiv alent pipeshall be used.  H owev er, pipe specied in Rule .1955(e) may be used if a minimum o f 30 inches of co mpacted cov er isprovided o v er t he pipe. 15A N CAC 18A.1954 (11) Additio nal reinfo rcement shall be required when the lo ads o n a concret e t ank , riser, or risercover are exceeded by subject ing it to v ehicular t rac o r when t he t o p of t he tank is placed deeper t han three feet belo w nished grade. Euent Filter, Tee, and Outlet: NC GS 130A-335, 15A NCAC 18A.1952, 15A NCAC 18A.1954 N C GS 130A-335 (f2) For each septic tank sy st em t hat is designed t o t reat 3,000 gallons per day or less of sewage, rulesadopted pursuant t o subsectio n (f) o f this sect ion shall require t he use of an euent lter t o reduce the tot alsuspended so lids entering t he drain eld… 15A N CAC 18A.1952 (a) …Septic t a n ks sh all h ave a n approve d e u e n t lt e r a n d ac c e ss de vic e s….T h e re qu ire m e n t (s) for an eu en t lt e r an d a ccess de vices sh all apply to septic t a n ks for wh ic h a Con st ru c t ion Au th oriza tion is issu e d on or after Jan u ary 1, 1999. 15A N CAC 18A.1954 (a) (6) The o utlet shall be through an approv ed euent lter secured in place in an euent lt er support case.  The euent lt er support case shall serv e as a funct ioning sanitary t ee wit h t he bot t o m inlet extending down bet ween 25 and 40 percent o f t he liquid depth.  The approv ed euent lter and support case shall be furnishedby the sept ic t ank m anufacturer. The inv ert of the o utlet shall be at least t wo inches lower in elev atio n t han t he inv ertof t he inlet. Permits: NC GS 130A-336 , NC GS 130A-337 See N C GS 130A-336 and 337 and 15A NCAC 18A.1937 for mo re info rmatio n. Currently , NC GS 130A-336 requires an I mpro v ement P ermit , then an Authorizat ion t o Const ruct ion Permit, befo re t he sy stem is installed. N C GS 130A-337 (b) Upon det ermining t hat t he sy stem is properly inst alled or repaired and that t he sy stem is capable of being o perat ed in accordance wit h t he condit ions t o of t he impro v ement permit , the rules, this Article and any conditio ns to be impo sed in the operatio n permit, as applicable, t he local healt h depart ment shall issue an operatio npermit authorizing the residence, place o f business or place o f public assembly to be occupied and for t he sy st em to beplaced int o use or reuse. Inspections - Required Paperwork: 21 NCAC 39.1002 21 N CAC 39.1002 General Requirem ent s I nspect o rs shall:  (1) P rov ide a writ t en co ntract , signed by t he client o r client ’s representat iv e, before the o n-sit e wast ewater sy steminspection is performed….  (2) Obt ain writ t en permission fro m the owner o r o wner’s represent ativ e t o perform t he inspect ion 179 Old Lak ey Gap R d Kathryn Stelljes WNC Independent Labs Page 53 of 53 Inspections - Standards: 21 NCAC 39.1001, 21 NCAC 39.1002, 21 NCA C 39.1004 21 N CAC 39.1001 D e n ition s (2) “Compo nent” means a readily accessible and observ able part of an o n-sit e wast ewater sy st em  (13) “Readily Accessible” means approachable or ent erable for inspect ion wit ho ut the risk o f damage t o any pro pert y or alteratio n of t he accessible space, equipment , o r o pening.  (14) “Readily openable access panel” means a panel prov ided for homeo wner o r cert ied operator maint enance andoperation t hat has remo v able or operable fast eners or latch dev ices in order t o be lift ed o , swung open, o r o therwise remov ed for inspectio n.  This denitio n is limit ed t o t ho se wast ewat er sy st em com po nent s not blo cked by st ored items, furniture, building co mponent s, or landscaping.  (15) “Readily v isible” means seen by using nat ural or articial light without t he use of equipment o r tools o ther t han aprobe, ashlight or mirror 21 N CAC 39.1002 Ge n e ra l R e qu ire m e n ts (3) Inspect readily openable and accessible inst alled sy st ems and components list ed in this Sect ion.  (4) Submit a writ ten report to the client o r client representat iv e wit hin 10 business day s of t he inspectio n t hat:  (a) Describes t ho se sy st ems and compo nents required t o be described in Rules .1005 t hro ugh .1006 of t his Sectio n;  (b) Stat es which sy st ems and com po nent s designat ed for inspect ion in t his Sectio n hav e been inspect ed, and st ate any sy stems or co mponent s designated for inspectio n t hat were no t inspect ed, and the reaso n fo r no t inspect ion.  Failureto lo cat e t he sy stem or co mponent s for inspect ion or “co uld no t locate” shall no t be t he same as “not v isible.”  I f thesystem or component is no t located, t he writ ten report shall st ate the failure to locate t he sy stem or co mponent fo r inspect ion o r “could no t locate;”  (c) St at es any sy st ems or component s inspected that do no t functio n as intended or harm the wast e wat er t reat mentsystem 21 N CAC 39.1004 Ge n e ra l Ex clu sion s(a) Inspectors shall no t be required to report o n: (1) L ife expect ancy o f any compo nent o r sy st em;  (2) The causes of t he need fo r a repair;  (3) The met ho ds, materials, and costs of correct ions; (4) The suit ability of t he pro pert y fo r any specialized use; (5) The mark et v alue of the property o r it s mark etabilit y ;  (6) The adv isability o r inadv isability o f purchase o f the property ; or  (7) N ormal wear and t ear t o t he sy stem   (b) Inspectors shall no t be required to:  (1) Ident ify propert y lines;  (2) Oer warrant ies or guarant ees of any kind; (3) Calculat e the st rengt h, adequacy , o r eciency of an sy stem or co mponent ; (4) Operat e any sy stem or co mponent t hat do es no t respond t o normal operat ing cont ro ls;  (5) M ov e excessiv e v eget atio n, st ruct ures, personal it ems, panels, furniture, equipment , snow, ice, or debris t hat obst ruct access t o or v isibility o f the sy stem and any relat ed component s; (6) Determine t he presence or absence of any suspected adv erse env ironmental co ndit ion o r hazardo us subst ance,including toxins, carcinogens, no ise, and cont aminants in t he building or in t he so il, wat er, and air;  (7) Determine t he eect iv eness of any sy st em installed t o cont rol or remov e suspect ed hazardous subst ances’  (8) P redict future condit ion, including failure of component s; (9) P roject operating co st s of co mponent s; (10) Ev aluat e acoustical charact erist ics of any sy st em o r co mponent ; or  (11) inspect equipment or accesso ries that are not list ed as com po nent s t o be inspect ed in this sect ion.