Upgrade to Nitrogen Removing Septic System?

[JustStoppingBy]

Has anyone used the grant money from the Health Dept to upgrade their septic system to one of the new 'nitrogen reducing technologies'?

It's something I'm considering, just because I'm in the critical area zone and feel that sooner or later, I'm going to be forced into upgrading. I'm afraid that if I wait too long, there won't be any grant money left and I'll have to pay out of pocket.

Has anyone actually gone thru the process of upgrading? If so, I'd like to hear about your experiences, both good and bad.

 

[Popster]

I had to upgrade. Ronnie Carter did the work for me. The grant will pay for the installation of the tanks, blower, pump, etc. It does not cover the drain field. You would have to have your system considered failing. Once that happens, the health dept. is in control of your life and pocket book. We had to have a new mound built about 500 ft. from our house. The mound cost us about 12K.

I have also heard that eventually all systems in the critical area will have to be upgraded and that the grant money will run out. Contact Heather at the Health dept and she can give you info.

 

[struggler44]

Has anyone used the grant money from the Health Dept to upgrade their septic system to one of the new 'nitrogen reducing technologies'?

It's something I'm considering, just because I'm in the critical area zone and feel that sooner or later, I'm going to be forced into upgrading. I'm afraid that if I wait too long, there won't be any grant money left and I'll have to pay out of pocket.

Has anyone actually gone thru the process of upgrading? If so, I'd like to hear about your experiences, both good and bad.

Public sewer may come first

 

[TPD]

I'm not convinced its proven technology yet and I've heard there is some maintenance involved with this system that is not required of the 'old' system.

 

[hitchicken]

Public sewer in critical area zones? Might be a while.

Critical area zones are waterfront; the lowest areas in the county. That means pumping sewage uphill to treatment centers which is expensive and problematic. I don't think you're going to see Metcom funding that kind of layout any time soon. St. George's Island and Piney Point public sewer are pretty much on flat ground and they have had a myriad of problems with leaks and overflows.

If your septic system is marginal, go for the nitrogen removal systems now. Remember that the levels of the grants are also dictated by your income... so make sure you are poor.

 

[TPD]

Critical area zones are waterfront; the lowest areas in the county. That means pumping sewage uphill to treatment centers which is expensive and problematic. I don't think you're going to see Metcom funding that kind of layout any time soon. St. George's Island and Piney Point public sewer are pretty much on flat ground and they have had a myriad of problems with leaks and overflows.

You haven't been to Ridge apparently where a special 'community' mound system was built for one particular neighborhood of waterfront properties that were forced to hook on to the system regardless of a failing individual septic system at the time or not. The crap is pumped about 2 miles up hill both ways through the snow and cold to the special mound system. Metcom doesn't fund these systems - they build them and the home/property owner funds them.

And as a side note with this particular mound system in Ridge, it is not uncommon to see the sewage pumping truck on site every week or two. The assumption is it is taking crap out to put in the sewage treatment at Marley-Taylor. If this is a working mound system, should they have to take crap out of it?

 

[Hijinx]

You haven't been to Ridge apparently where a special 'community' mound system was built for one particular neighborhood of waterfront properties that were forced to hook on to the system regardless of a failing individual septic system at the time or not. The crap is pumped about 2 miles up hill both ways through the snow and cold to the special mound system. Metcom doesn't fund these systems - they build them and the home/property owner funds them.

And as a side note with this particular mound system in Ridge, it is not uncommon to see the sewage pumping truck on site every week or two. The assumption is it is taking crap out to put in the sewage treatment at Marley-Taylor. If this is a working mound system, should they have to take crap out of it?

Not too familiar with them, but basically IMO they are a septic tank with paddles to keep the solids stirred.
you know what happens when you stir stuff , it stinks through the vent.
Now those paddles have to be powered, That should add about $30.00 a month to your electric bill. The stuff that is stirred will go into another septic tank and out to your fields,or mound.
That mound is basically a pile of sand sitting on land that did not perk. So it is basically sitting on clay, they put the fields in the sand and then they cover it with more clay to seal it, and then put top soil over that and plant grass.

The grass seed on top always washes off in the first rain and the seed takes root around the edges, the top is left with weeds, and whatever will grow wild on top of this sand pile. The grass around the edges always grows nice and green because most of them leak a little. After a while they leak more until in about 15 years they are as bad as that system that did not work and you get to replace the mound.

There are better systems available, but St. Mary's will not approve them.

 

[hitchicken]

Visited Ridge; never lived there. Wouldn't you consider property owner funding & weekly pump-outs 'expensive and problematic'? No offense, just wondering.
By the way, was this mound system for a new housing development or forced on existing homeowners?

 

[TPD]

There are better systems available, but St. Mary's will not approve them.

That's what I have heard.

Visited Ridge; never lived there. Wouldn't you consider property owner funding & weekly pump-outs 'expensive and problematic'? No offense, just wondering.
By the way, was this mound system for a new housing development or forced on existing homeowners?

This system was built for existing homeowners. I believe new access to the system is tightly controlled. I am not part of this system, but yes, I would guess it is expensive and problematic. But the system was put in place to save the bay because of so many failed traditional septic systems on waterfront properties in this particular area. At least that is the way I understood it.

 

[catlingirl]

We had one installed where we live and it comes with warning beeps that go off every time it rains,and the septic isnt covered by grass just surrounded by the grass. if that makes any sense. The noise drives us crazy to where we try to ignore it or wish we had a remote to shut it off. We can turn the noise off outside by pressing a button. That seems to be the only trouble we've had with it.

 

[Midnightrider]

Has anyone used the grant money from the Health Dept to upgrade their septic system to one of the new 'nitrogen reducing technologies'?

It's something I'm considering, just because I'm in the critical area zone and feel that sooner or later, I'm going to be forced into upgrading. I'm afraid that if I wait too long, there won't be any grant money left and I'll have to pay out of pocket.

Has anyone actually gone thru the process of upgrading? If so, I'd like to hear about your experiences, both good and bad.

I had mind done about 5 years ago. The bay fund paid for the tank, installation, and servicing up until this spring. It was a relatively painless process.
While I am sure there will be parts to replace eventually considering the pumps, so far so good. They tested mine regularly and the guy said it was clean enough to water your lawn. Its a girly proven technology, they have just scaled down a water treatment plant

 

[Popster]

Here is the rough idea of how they work. There is a high speed aerator that spins for 30 min of each hour- think of it as a blender. When the water leaves the tank (mine is pumped 500 feet) it is clear and odorless. Supposedly, if it is slightly chlorinated or passed through uv light, it is drinkable (after you please )

My installer said there is virtually no maintenance. In LA, these systems are sometimes pumped directly onto fields or lawns, not drain fields are used.

 

[Larry Gude]

And the point of all this??? What next, global concern about excess nitrogen in the air???????

Y'all know human waste makes good fertilizer, yes?

 

[Gilligan]

And the point of all this??? What next, global concern about excess nitrogen in the air???????

Once it reaches about 80%, we're all gonna die.

 

[Larry Gude]

Once it reaches about 80%, we're all gonna die.

About???? Aren't we at something north of 78% now?

 

[Dukesdad]

And as a side note with this particular mound system in Ridge, it is not uncommon to see the sewage pumping truck on site every week or two. The assumption is it is taking crap out to put in the sewage treatment at Marley-Taylor. If this is a working mound system, should they have to take crap out of it?

Yes, the same idea as your home septic system. The solids are removed and the liquid makes its way to the mounds. If the solids aren't removed, the mounds plug up.

 

[Midnightrider]

And the point of all this??? What next, global concern about excess nitrogen in the air???????

Y'all know human waste makes good fertilizer, yes?

At my place we have a spring that dumps into a creek that feeds into mill creek. I am pretty sure my drain field feeds into this spring. The idea is to keep the dissolved nutrients from entering the bay. "They" say that one of he big problems with the bay is too much nitrogen.....

With the low nitrogen system the health department approved a traditional drain field about 50 feet from the water. Without it I was going to have to put in a pit system uphill from the house. That's all fine and well until you lose power but you still have and keep using the municipal water. I begrudgingly agreed to let them pay for the tank.

 

[Larry Gude]

At my place we have a spring that dumps into a creek that feeds into mill creek. I am pretty sure my drain field feeds into this spring. The idea is to keep the dissolved nutrients from entering the bay. "They" say that one of he big problems with the bay is too much nitrogen.....

With the low nitrogen system the health department approved a traditional drain field about 50 feet from the water. Without it I was going to have to put in a pit system uphill from the house. That's all fine and well until you lose power but you still have and keep using the municipal water. I begrudgingly agreed to let them pay for the tank.

The problem with the bay is the Conowingo dam. Everything, EVERYTHING being done in the name of 'save the bay' means NOTHING unless and until that mess is cleaned up.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/08/3467685/chesapeake-bay-pollution-conowingo-dam/

 

[officeguy]

The problem with the bay is the Conowingo dam. Everything, EVERYTHING being done in the name of 'save the bay' means NOTHING unless and until that mess is cleaned up.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/08/3467685/chesapeake-bay-pollution-conowingo-dam/

The argument about Conowingo dam makes no sense. Supposedly, sediment is what is causing all the bad stuff to the bay, the dam has kept a lot of sediment and nitrogen out of the bay. Over the same time that the dam is in existence, seafood populations have significantly decreased. So the dam has been keeping all the evil stuff out of the bay and now the owner should be responsible for cleaning it out ? If the state wants to remove the sediment, they should probably pay for it.

 

[Larry Gude]

The argument about Conowingo dam makes no sense. Supposedly, sediment is what is causing all the bad stuff to the bay, the dam has kept a lot of sediment and nitrogen out of the bay. Over the same time that the dam is in existence, seafood populations have significantly decreased. So the dam has been keeping all the evil stuff out of the bay and now the owner should be responsible for cleaning it out ? If the state wants to remove the sediment, they should probably pay for it.

Have you read anything about it? I'm in no mood to make arguments that are readily available answering your assertions.