Septic System Installation & Alterations
We offer on-site estimates! Quick & Friendly Service That's what Priority Pumping is all about!
Are you building a brand-new home? Are you adding bedrooms on to your current home? Is your current septic system failing and requiring replacement? Whatever the issue may be, Priority Pumping can help you!
Priority Pumping offers installations of conventional and advanced treatment septic systems for new construction homes, additions, remodels or total septic replacements due to aging or failing systems. We install both concrete and poly septic tanks ranging from 1000 gallons all the way up to 5000 gallons for commercial use.
Conventional septic systems are simple systems with a septic tank and a leach field. The leach field treats the effluent. An advanced treatment system (ATU) or Aerobic Treatment Unit is a more complex septic system. It treats the effluent either before it enters the disposal field or with engineered products within the leach field.
All new septic tank installations require a permit from the local County Environmental Agency. Priority Pumping can help you obtain your septic tank installation permits with our full-service permitting program. Once we obtain the permit, we’ll set a timeline to complete your project as quickly as possible. possible.
We are your one-stop shop in the Gilbert area for all of your septic tank installation needs.
Priority Pumping offers support through all stages of the installation process.
Phase 1 Permitting
Site Evaluation and Soils Testing (perc testing) conducted on the same day!
Phase 2 Permitting
Application to Construct and Septic System Design - both conventional & advanced.
Installation Service
Full installation service for conventional and advanced treatment systems
Septic System Alterations
Replacing ONLY the septic tank or the disposal field,
permitting is required
Abandonment/ Sewer Connections
Abandonment of septic system to connect to public or private sewers.
Phase I Permit Application - Site And Soil Testing (perc test)
The Phase I permitting application includes completing a form provided by the County that includes the general overview of the property and the plans for the new septic system. The permitting phase requires a plot map of the proposed home site. This helps us meet the proper setback requirements when placing the septic tank. If you aren’t quite sure where you plan to put the home or if the testing is required for the bank to loan on the land, we will pick a good middle point and test there.
Our advice: if you aren’t submitting a plan to construct right away, just let us know. We’ll skip sending in phase 1 testing to the County for you. We’ll give you the report and you can submit the Phase 1 when you are ready to build and know the exact location of your home and out buildings.
Part of the Phase I permitting is to have a site and soil test conducted, interchangeably referred to as a perc test. This test involves digging three holes on the property. Two in the area of the proposed disposal field and one in the proposed reserve disposal field. We dig each hole to meet County requirements. (A full percolation test is done a bit differently than the site & soils, we’ll address those later).
We work together with a licensed sanitarian who will perform our site and soils evaluation the same day as the hole excavation. Once the holes are prepped our licensed sanitarian conduct a test determine the SOIL ABSORPTION RATE (otherwise known as the SAR). This rate measures how quickly the soil absorbs water and explains the basic makeup of the soil’s characteristics. We use this number to design the disposal field needed to handle the effluent water from the septic tank once installed. The sanitarian will also provide a site analysis based upon proposed plot map to ensure that required setback measurements are possible with proposed home site.
After completing the testing and observation, we’ll back-fill the holes and finish the job! Our sanitarian will prepare the 6 page report required by the County and return it back to us in 3-5 business days. Once we receive the report with the SAR results, we can move forward with Phase II permitting.
If site and soil tests show unfavorable conditions for a conventional system, we will need to conduct a full percolation test. This test is more complex. We will explain it further at the test site if it applies to your situation. If your area of desired construction is already in an area popular for required ATU systems, we will alert you and plan accordingly for that test. CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS DO NOT REQUIRE FULL PERC TESTS IN ARIZONA, so we always try to save our customers money by performing the site and soils first.
Phase II Permit Application and Septic System Design
In this phase of the permitting process, you submit your septic system design to the county for construction approval. You will select the proper septic tank size. Then, you will also design the best disposal method based on the SAR number provided in Phase I.
Selecting the proper septic tank size is done one of two ways and may actually consider both in close calculations. First, a current floor plan design will be required for this permitting phase. This will allow us to determine the number of bedrooms in the home and the number of plumbing fixtures that will be connected to the septic system. (this is includes garage sinks, barns, pool bathrooms, guest quarters, etc). Each plumbing fixture in the home is given a number based upon water usage required to operate each. An example of this would be a bathroom sink would represent 1 fixture where a toilet would represent 3 fixture-unit count; more usage, more water. All fixtures are added to a calculation sheet and a grand total of “fixtures” is notated. Also counted is the number of bedrooms in the home. In some cases, dens may be counted as bedrooms.
With these two numbers we are able to properly identify the best tank size for the home’s predicted water usage. Sometimes, new home construction includes plans for a future addition or a garage/shop. Consider these future additions when selecting the tank size. The system may seem oversized for the current home. However, this prevents the need for septic system reconstruction later when additional rooms or fixtures exceed the permit limits.
Check out the links here to help you understand the process.
Along with selecting the correct septic tank size, we calculate the disposal field complexity. This uses numbers from the bedroom/fixture count and the SAR number from Phase I-Site and Soil testing. The most common conventional septic system disposal fields in Arizona are seepage pit(s), leach lines, or chamber systems. Each disposal field differs and serves separate needs and applications. Each field also has it’s own special calculation. This ensures that the depth or length is adequate to handle the estimated daily effluent from the septic tank. If your soil test requires an advanced treatment unit, we can help. We will recommend the best system for your home, usage, and maintenance requirements.
Designing a septic system is a matter of acquiring the correct septic tank size and the correct disposal method and it’s individual complexity. Proper septic system design will ensure that you will have a system that will last you many years and perform it’s job properly. After designing the system and submitting the documents to the County, they will issue an Approval to Construct. This approval is the green light to begin the installation process.
We offer complete permitting service for both phases of this process. Our service includes completing all applications, gathering required documents, creating scaled site plans, and scheduling of the inspections. We’ve done all of the hard work in learning what is required to complete these permits as quickly as possible. Let us help you today!
Full Septic Installation Service
Once the County issues the Approval for Construction, we will schedule your installation job to begin. We typically install most systems within one to two weeks, including county inspections. Our installation crew uses our own excavating equipment. We hold full licenses and insurance to handle the job. Our installation team has years of experience and are some of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. We first excavate to set the septic tank. Next, we excavate and install the disposal field. Finally, we connect the two parts of the system with the proper plumbing and connections.
After completing the installation, we will call in the inspection to the respective County. A representative typically arrives on-site within 48 hours. They inspect the final construction before we cover any part of the system. Once we receive the tag to proceed, we will complete the project with precision. We’ll ensure your septic area is clean and presentable. And that’s it! You can now enjoy the use of your properly installed septic system. At the end of your project, you will receive a permit package with all documentation for your files. You will also get a maintenance manual for your system.
Septic System Alterations
It is important to know that there are two equally important components to a septic system. There is the septic tank and the disposal field. When one portion of the of septic system has failed and needs to be replaced, it is referred to as a septic system alteration. Common situations where an alteration may come into play could be these:
If the septic tank is eroded, deteriorated or cracked beyond repair and the disposal field is still performing well, you may only need to replace the septic tank.
If the disposal field is over-saturated or the structure is compromised beyond repair, yet the septic tank is functioning properly, you may only have to replace the disposal field.
If the septic tank and the disposal field are no longer working, the entire system must be abandoned and you will have to follow the new installation process.
Have questions? Give us a call! 480-540-6266 We want to help you!
There are few checklist items you have to consider when filing an Alterations Permit for the septic tank. If the home’s size and bedroom count haven’t changed, you can file an alterations permit to replace the septic tank with a like-for-like tank. If additional bedrooms have been added without an increase in tank size, the County will make you account for those additional “bedrooms” and install a tank that is appropriate for the current structure of the home. We will also have to determine the exact disposal field method and confirm that the size and functionality of the disposal field through a Report of Inspection form.
Permitting for an alteration of a disposal field can sometimes be accomplished easily if there is a valid record of the original percolation test that was completed on the property at initial installation. This would allow us an SAR number to calculate the new field. If the system is older and there is no valid percolation test on file with the County, we may need to conduct another test. Since each case varies, Priority Pumping will research your original permit to provide an accurate estimate for your alteration.
Septic System Abandonment & Sewer Connection
When a septic system fails and you must replace it, the current system will need to be properly abandoned. In Maricopa County, an abandonment permit is required along with the alteration or new installation septic permit. Septic tank abandonment is needed for a couple of different reasons:
- Sometimes only parts of the system need to be abandoned. This process, known as a septic system alteration, is described above. If you are only altering the tank or the field, you will only have to abandon the portion that you are replacing.
- If you are replacing the entire septic system, the entire system will need to be abandoned. This situation will occur if you are abandoning a complete failure system, upgrading to a larger system or choosing to connect to the city sewer.
You can abandon a septic system in two ways. We can slurry or dirt fill the septic tank and field or we can remove it in entirety. Our team can advise which option is best for your particular situation.
If you septic system fails and there is sewer in the vicinity of your home, your city guidelines may make connecting to the sewer a must!
Maricopa & Pinal County’s are growing at a rapid pace. Can you believe Maricopa County has been the fastest growing County in the nation for three years in a row! There are many capital improvement projects going on throughout all of the Phoenix metro and surrounding cities. Some of these capital improvement projects include running new sewer lines through older septic neighborhoods. Sewer connection isn’t always mandatory, but many homeowners opt to connect or must when their septic fails.
Priority Pumping can help you with this process. We know permitting inside out. We’ll guide you through the paperwork and city process to tap into the sewer system. We abandon the old septic system and reroute the plumbing to connect directly to the sewer.
Call us today to learn more 480-540-6266.
