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SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR
  SEPTIC SYSTEM BASICS
  Septic Guide for Home Buyers or Owners
  Septic or Sewer Connection?
  Septic System Design
  Septic System Designs Master List
  Septic Inspection Testing
  Septic Maintenance Repair
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  Septic Videos

ADDITIVES / TREATMENTS for SEPTIC SYSTEMS
AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS
ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS

BACKUP PREVENTION, SEPTIC
BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE
BACKWATER VALVES, SEWER LINE
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
BOOKS, RECOMMENDED SEPTIC
BOOKSTORE, SEPTIC SYSTEMS

CESSPOOLS
CESSPOOL SAFETY WARNINGS
CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY
CHEMICALS & TREATMENTS for SEPTICS
CHLORAMINE / CHLORINE Tests
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
CISTERNS
CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR

D BOX TROUBLESHOOTING
DEFINITIONS OF SEPTIC SYSTEM TERMS
DIFFICULT SEPTIC SITES
DISTRIBUTION-BOX INSPECTION, SEPTIC
DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC
DRYWELL DESIGN & USES

EFFLUENT RETENTION TIME

FILTERS SEPTIC & GREYWATER
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR

GARBAGE DISPOSAL vs SEPTICS
GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS
GRAVITY/SIPHON DOSING SYSTEMS
GREYWATER SYSTEMS

HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT

LAGOON SEPTIC SYSTEMS
LEACHFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS

MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
ODOR DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
ODORLESS CHEMICALS / GASES: CHECK FOR?
ODORS, PLUMBING SYSTEM
ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER
ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES
OUTHOUSES & LATRINES

PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
PRESSURE DOSING SEPTIC SYSTEMS

RAISED BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS

SAND BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS
SEEPAGE PITS

SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES, DESIGN REGS
SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION
SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR
SEPTIC BOOK, FREE ONLINE
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SEPTIC BIOMATS
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SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES
  Neighboring Septic System Problems
  PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SIZE
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SHAPE
  SEPTIC TANK DEPTH
  SEPTIC to POOL DISTANCE
  WELL CLEARANCES
SEPTIC CODES & REFERENCES
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SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE

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SEPTIC TANKS
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SEPTIC TESTS: DYE & LOADING TESTS
SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
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SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
SEWAGE BACKUP PREVENTION
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings
SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES
SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS
SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE
SEWAGE PUMPS
SEWAGE PUMP CLOG DAMAGE
SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION
SEWER GAS ODORS
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT
SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors
SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES
SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
SOAKAWAY BED FAILURE DIAGNOSIS

TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR
TOILET ALTERNATIVES
TOILET REPAIR GUIDE
TOILET TYPES
Toilet Types, Flush Methods
TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST
TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES
TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS, SEPTIC

VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos

WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS
WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE
WATER PURIFIERS
WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
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WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
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WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL CLEARANCES
WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WINTERIZE A BUILDING

More Information

Sketch of common septic system component setbacks and clearances. Online Table of Required Septic Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.
InspectAPedia®  -      

  • Setbacks & clearances for septic systems to wells, buildings, property lines, & distances to other site features
  • Well setbacks & clearances to septics, property lines, buildings, etc.
  • Questions & answers about the required distances or clearances between septic systems, wells, property boundaries, and other site features

Clearances for septic tank, drainfield, soakaway bed, & wells: distances to other site features: this document provides typical septic tank and field clearances. In this file a detailed septic distances table describes distance requirements between septic components (septic tank, leach field, cesspools, drywells) and other site features such as wells, water supply piping, streams, trees, property boundaries, lakes, etc.

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Online Table of Required Septic - Well Clearances

Readers will find more details about septic system clearances and issues at Neighboring Septic System Problems. Also see WELL CLEARANCES for required distances between wells and septic systems and other site features. In general, septic effluent must be disposed of on the property from which it originates.

However more strict clearances and distances than this are required between various onsite wastewater treatment system components and buildings, property boundaries, lakes, streams, wells, and so on, as detailed in the table below. Contact us with corrections or additions to this data.

This set of tables below gives distance requirements between septic components and wells, streams, trees, property boundaries, lakes, etc. Common guidelines require at least 50' clearance distance between a well and a septic system tank or 150' between a well and a septic drainfield or leaching bed but you will see that different authorities may recommend different distances.

Local soil and rock conditions can make these "rules of thumb" unreliable. See "One and Two Family Dwelling Code, Section P-2510-Combined Seepage Pits and Disposal Fields," and Table P-2504, "Location of Sewage Disposal System." Other references are cited at the end of this table.

Septic System Clearances from Wells, buildings, & Other Site Features
Min. Separation FromSeptic TankDrainfieldLagoonMass.Title 5.UPCGeneral
.EPAGeneralFLMOMANY..
Structures to Tank/SAS-10 ft
5-MO
15-bsmt-MO
5 ft100 ft8 ft-10 ft-
Structures to Sewer Line -------2 ft
Property line to-5
10-MO
10755---
Neighboring residence--
-
-200----
Water supply piping to-101010----
WATER SUPPLY PIPING
under suction
-10-100----
Non-potable water well--50-----
Water supply well 505075-10050--
Public water well--200300-100 ?-50
Cistern - definition---25----
Spring-50-MO-100----
Streams-50-2550--50
Swimming Pool - see details-15-MO-100----
Large Trees-10--?---
High water line of lake etc--75-----
Soil Absorption System above
groundwater (water table)
-----4--
Soil Absorption Sys. Min Area------150-
Tank cover soil backfill min/max-6"-?"--12"-24"---
Intercept drain
up-slope
---10----
Intercept drain
down-slope
---25----
Edge of surficial sinkholes---500----
Embankment top or
Cuts >= 2ft hgt
---20----
Other SAS exc repair area---20----
Cesspool Clearances and Specifications
Cesspools min. freeboard-----6"--
Minimum volume -----1/2 day--
Separation from Surface Water Supply-----100--
Separation from private well-----50--
Separation from private well, bad sample-----50-100--

TABLE NOTES:
Distances are in feet unless otherwise stated
SAS = Soil Absorption System - Leach Field etc.
Mass.Title5 = Massachusetts Title 5 Septic Code
FL = Florida septic component clearances table
MA = Massachusetts septic component clearances table
MO = Missouri septic component clearances table - Missouri distances and septic lagoon system clearances to other site features University of Missouri extension lagoon web page muextension.missouri.edu/explore/envqual/wq0402.htm
NY = New York State septic component clearances table
UPC = Uniform Plumbing Code
-1 Distance from source of pollution - proposed construction, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, FHA, Local acceptable standard No. 3, June 18, 1992, Ref. Hud Handbook 4910.1 Chg 1, Appendix K, Pg K-27
EPA references above and for other EPA information see Well Construction and Maintenance [Details to Help Avoid Well Water Contamination] US EPA

These septic information tables give typical required clearances for septic tank, soil absorption system (SAS), etc. but you will see that different authorities may recommend different distances.

These distances are for conventional onsite waste disposal systems which specify clearances presuming that effluent is being disposed-of after minimal treatment such as is received by a septic tank or cesspool. Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems, such as those described by Jantrania and Gross (2006), permit substantial reduction in these clearances, depending on the level of treatment achieved.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about the required distances or clearances between septic systems, wells, property boundaries, and other site features.

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SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES

  • [1] City of Calabasas California, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Ordinance & Codes 2009-262
  • [2] City of Calabasas California, Septic & Onsite Wastewater Treatment Inspection Guide 2009- 2010 ng
  • Life Expectancy of Septic Systems and septic system components
  • SPOTTING SEPTIC BREAKOUTS - Spotting Dyed Septic Effluent Breakout Outside - Where Septic Dye is Likely to Show Up During a Septic Dye

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

  • Advanced Onsite Wastewater Systems Technologies, Anish R. Jantrania, Mark A. Gross. Anish Jantrania, Ph.D., P.E., M.B.A., is a Consulting Engineer, in Mechanicsville VA, 804-550-0389 (2006). Outstanding technical reference especially on alternative septic system design alternatives. Written for designers and engineers, this book is not at all easy going for homeowners but is a text I recommend for professionals--DF.
  • Builder's Guide to Wells and Septic Systems, Woodson, R. Dodge: $ 24.95; MCGRAW HILL B; TP; Quoting from Amazon's description: For the homebuilder, one mistake in estimating or installing wells and septic systems can cost thousands of dollars. This comprehensive guide filled with case studies can prevent that. Master plumber R. Dodge Woodson packs this reader-friendly guide with guidance and information, including details on new techniques and materials that can economize and expedite jobs and advice on how to avoid mistakes in both estimating and construction. Chapters cover virtually every aspect of wells and septic systems, including on-site evaluations; site limitations; bidding; soil studies, septic designs, and code-related issues; drilled and dug wells, gravel and pipe, chamber-type, and gravity septic systems; pump stations; common problems with well installation; and remedies for poor septic situations. Woodson also discusses ways to increase profits by avoiding cost overruns.
  • Country Plumbing: Living with a Septic System, Hartigan, Gerry: $ 9.95; ALAN C HOOD & TP; Quoting an Amazon reviewer's comment, with which we agree--DF:This book is informative as far as it goes and might be most useful for someone with an older system. But it was written in the early 1980s. A lot has changed since then. In particular, the book doesn't cover any of the newer systems that are used more and more nowadays in some parts of the country -- sand mounds, aeration systems, lagoons, etc.

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