FAQs about clearances for septic tank, drainfield, soakaway bed, & wells:

This article provides answers to common questions about the required distances between septic system components and other site feature, including typical septic tank and field clearances

In this article series we give detailed septic distances tables describing the 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.

Septic Setbacks & Clearance Distance FAQs

Recent Septic Component Clearance Distance Questions & Answers posted originally at CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM - topic home page. Be sure to see the distances and tables given there.

On 2022-10-21 by InspectApedia (Editor) - floor height for proper drainage

@Levi,

Your drain line itself needs to slope between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch per horizontal foot of run. So to that change in elevation you add the connection point at the far end you have to go up from that point and your floor and toilet need to be of course sufficiently above that connect the toilet Bend.

On 2022-10-21 by Levi

I am adding a bathroom to the garage I already have the septic in the ground for my house I want to tie into about 40 ft away . How high does my floor need to be for it to drain?

On 2022-07-31 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - be sure to not block access for maintenance

@William R. Eagle,

That's not a specific clearance that you will find in the model codes however I think to meters or 10 ft is reasonable. There's a little more to it than that. You want to be sure that you're not blocking access for maintenance.

On 2022-07-30 by William R. Eagle

How far does a pad mounted Transformer have to be from a Septic tank

On 2022-06-09 by InspectApedia-911 (mod) - Separation between old and new septic tank

@Alan collins,

Separation between old and new septic tank is not a distance that I've seen specified in any of the plumbing or building codes.

There are of course practical considerations having to do with routing of the piping in and out of the new tank.

Keep in mind that the old septic tank needs to be properly abandoned.

On 2022-06-08 by Alan collins

When you put in a new septic tank how far does it have to be from your old septic tank in Ravenden Arkansas

On 2022-01-21 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - Why does a leech field have to be 50ft from a waterway, stream or wetland?

@Justine,

To reduce the risk of sewage contaminants from the septic system entering the Waterway where they kill wildlife, contaminate the environment, and make other people sick.

On 2022-01-21 by Justine

Why does a leech field have to be 50ft from a waterway, stream or wetland?

On 2021-02-26 by danjoefriedman (mod) - driveway distance not cited in clearance distances

@shannon childs,

The "Continue reading at " suggestion below points to this article that should be helpful;

CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Clearance_Distances.php

But you won't see driveways as a specific item;

Principally you''ll want to be sure that during drive construction equipment doesn't drive-over and damage the septic tank nor drainfield nor any of the system piping.

Also consider the weight-bearing ability of your drive to include heavy tanker trucks such as septic pumper.

On 2021-02-26 by shannon childs

I want to reroute my driveway and I need to know how far I need to be away from my tanks.

On 2021-02-24 by danjoefriedman (mod) - exactly where to take measurements for clearance distances

@John,

Thank you for the follow-up that will be helpful to others. We should be careful however that local authorities may differ in their opinions about exactly where to take measurements. For example, some with whom I've spoken measure to the edge of a trench and others to the edge of an allowable field area.

On 2021-02-24 by John

@danjoefriedman, I talked with the county land and water management division and he said with the two fields draining the same direction (I think) it makes no difference, they can be next to each other.

He was more specific about setbacks from lot lines, 5 ft and how you measure that (the inner core, stone, sand, etc). He said the plumber/installer would make a final determination, but as long as the soil can handle the moisture, it didn't seem to matter to him.

On 2021-02-14 by danjoefriedman (mod)

Thank you for the follow-up to let me know what you're told and it may help other readers.

On 2021-02-14 by John

Thanks, I'll contact a design engineer.

On 2021-02-13 by danjoefriedman (mod) - code citation for distance between two adjacent septic mounds

John

at the Continue Reading link below we suggest taking a look at CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Clearance_Distances.php

that's more complete than an off-the-cuff guess. Please let me know if that leaves you with further questions or suggestions.

But we won't find a code citation for distance between two adjacent septic mounds - that's an unusual situation in my experience and one that usually is dealt with by the septic design engineer in getting local authority approval.

If, for example, the 2 mounds are on separately owned properties then typical codes want the mound to be at least 20 ft. from a building and 10 ft. from a property line - to the edge of the mound.

On 2021-02-13 by John

Is there a restriction in WI or a best practices limitation to how close two above ground septic mound fields can be to each other? In other words, how close to an existing septic mound can a new separate mound be placed for a new construction project.

On 2020-08-02 by Mod

Typically 10 feet, Mark but your local code official is the final legal authority and local codes vary depending on where you live.

On 2020-08-02 by Mark

How close to property line can the septic tank be placed

On 2020-07-27 by Molly Boylan

what is required clearance between underground power line and septic system

On 2020-07-04 - by (mod) -

Tracy

There is no "right" answer to your question; the maximum distance a septic tank might be from a building is limited by site conditions (area, the need to slope the drain 1/8 to 1/4" per foot, cost e.g. to install a sewage grinder pump system, site space, shape, clearances from wells and waterways)

On 2020-07-04 by Tracy Cox

What is the maximum distance I can have my 1200 gallon septic tank from my house?

On 2020-05-28 - by (mod) -

Doubtful, but IMO relying only on code-authority can be a mistake.

Building codes set the **minimum** standards for construction.

Making things difficult to maintain or service is, ultimately, more expensive and more trouble than not doing-so.

On 2020-05-28 by Anonymous

Thanks! And just to be clear, is their any code preventing from the post being so close or is it more of a pain for the septic people. And no sewer or effluent line near where post is going

On 2020-05-28 - by (mod) -

Let's be picky and more precise, Chris.

A deck post is not the only limiting factor in accessing the septic tank; the edge of the deck or its framing may also block access.

If the closest edge of the entire deck structure is a foot or more from the outer edge of the septic tank top then it's going to be more than a foot or two away from the septic tank access opening. That won't prevent removing the opening, nor pumping the septic tank,

but if the septic tank pumper needs to use a septic tank muck rake - a tool to break up sludge and scum layers - to perform a thorough septic tank cleanout, then his access will be impeded - he may have to work from just two or three of four possible directions.

So more distance is better in that regard.

A second worry is that some dope drives a post or chops a hole for a deck post pier and breaks open a sewer line or effluent line.

So take care.

On 2020-05-28 by Chris

My contractor is extending my deck to make it a covered deck. The post he wants to put will be 1-2 ft away from septic lid. He says it’s fine and won’t interfere with access, thoughts?

On 2020-02-11 - by (mod) -

Anon

Yes, see

CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM

Live link at "continue reading" below

But regarding "same area" you'll need to be more specific.

On 2020-02-11 by Anonymous

Is it permissible for septic drain fields and city household water pipes to be in the same area?

On 2019-05-04 by (mod) - How far away from a well head can I put my septic system?

William please see CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM at https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Clearance_Distances.php

and don't hesitate to ask if that leaves you with further questions

Additional details are at WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES https://inspectapedia.com/water/Well_Clearance_Distances.php

On 2019-05-04 by William Meeker

How far away from a well head can I put my septic system. My well is 320 ft deep

On 2017-04-12 by (mod) re: septic clearance distance to house in Harris County Texas

Roger,

Septic tank clearance to the building itself is often permitted to be quite close - 10 ft.

Check with your local building./ engineering department for local septic regulations.

Harris County Department of Engineering , 10555 Northwest Fwy #100, Houston, TX 77092, USA Phone: +1 713-274-3900

On 2017-04-11 by Roger

How far away do i need to be away from the secptic tank to the house in harris country texas

On 2017-03-14 by (mod)

Sorry Raju I don't understand the question. Septic tank clearance distances from site-features are given in the article above. Septic tank distances from a town?

On 2017-03-14 by Raju

How much distance of the town to make the septc tank

NY Septic Component clearance distances Q&A

Question: New York State septic regulation: septic to modular home

(July 26, 2015) Ron said:
In New York State exactly how far from a new modular home does a septic tank have to be?

Reply:

Ron, the state code does not amend the clearance distance from house to septic tank for modular homes. However check with your local building department as there may be local regulations that change the data from that given in the table in the article above.

On 2017-02-26 by (mod) re: Seneca County New York Septic Clearance to Property Line

Roger, as there may be local variations from the NYS and other model septic codes cited above, check with your building department about septic component setback requirements from property lines.

Seneca County Code Enforcement Department, 31 Thurber Dr # 4, Waterloo, NY 13165, USA Phone:+1 315-539-1950

On 2017-02-26 by Roger

I live in Seneca County, NYS and want to know the distance between the septic leech bed and neighboring boundary lines.

On 2017-02-22 by (mod) re: report septic failure to health department, check clearance distances with building department

Tony

Check with your building department about septic component setback requirements from property lines.

If you see evidence of drainfield failure - effluent seeping to the surface - then your health department will want that corrected.

On 2017-02-22 by Tony

I live in Colorado where the soil has a high content of clay and drains very slowly. My new neighbor has just put in a septic tank about 25 feet from our border and 70 feet from my house.

He has run his leach field 12 feet parallel to my border and about 50 feet from my house.

Can this be legal? I do have a call in with the health dept. but they haven't gotten back to me yet. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

On 2017-01-18 by (mod) re: maximum distance from house to septic tank depends on these factors:

Ray

You ask a fair and common question: the maximum distance from house to septic tank is not, by anything I've read, specified by codes or standards but rather by the following limitations:

- you need to maintain proper slope in the drain piping - typically 1/8" to 1/4" per foot of run

- the septic tank must meet other clearance distances given in this page - so you can't put your septic tank on the neighbor's property nor even too close to it, etc.

- there may be practical limitations: very long gravity-operated sewage runs may be prone to clogging

So I would expect a septic design engineer to go to a grinder pump and a "forced main" to move sewage over long distances (or up-hill).

On 2017-01-18 by Ray Cecil

Is there a maximum number of feet that you can have between a house and the septic tank?

My son is building a new home on a piece of land with an existing septic system.

The new location for the house is approximately 225' from the existing septic tank. Is this too far away by code or if I can get the proper 1/8"-1/4" per foot of slope to the inlet line from the house to the tank can we reuse the existing tank?

On 2017-01-18 by (mod) - re: de-coding abbreviations in septic clearance distance table

Holly:

That specification, 3x eff. dia seen in the page top sketch at CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM - topic home page - says keep those two seepage pits at least as far apart as three times the diameter of each pit.

The abbreviation is for "three times the effective diameter"

So if you have two seepage pits each of which is four feet in diameter, the distance between the closest edges of the two pits would be 12 feet (3x4). This is before noting that seepage pits may dispose of effluent but they don't treat it - it's not a permitted design in many jurisdictions.

On 2017-01-18 by Holly

What does the circles and triangle with 3x eff. dia. mean?

On 2016-11-15 by (mod) A well that is only 10 feet further away from the septic tank

JR

A well that is only 10 feet further away from the septic tank would not meet modern building codes or plumbing or sanitary codes in most jurisdictions.

And there is a very great risk that the well is contaminated by sewage.

On 2016-11-15 by Jr

Hi, my Ceptic tank is 20 feet from my house but the leech well is between 8-10feet, my question is, is this legal?

On 2016-09-12 by (mod)

Raelene if you're asking about water piping distance to septic components that's in the table above.

On 2016-09-12 by Raelene Bevich

A septic tank is up hill from my well the drain mound is across from tank. My con Vern is my water is directly below I walked and it 50 feet up hill.

On 2016-07-19 by (mod) - building a sunroom over a septic tank

You need to keep piers away from pipes as well as septic tanks;
You will need to preserve access to the septic tank for cleaning;

And you'll want to take care not to drive equipment across pipes, tank, drainfield during construction.

Your local building department may also specify a minimum clearance distance required between the septic tank and the closest point of the structure.

On 2016-07-19 by Leslie

I would like to add a small sun room off the master bedroom with pier block support as opposed to a concrete foundation.

The issue is that our septic tanks are very near to this location, however the addition would not extend over the access plates and access would not be compromised. Are there any restrictions for this kind of structure? Thanks!

On 2016-03-31 by (mod)- setback distances from septic tank to property line

Chris, in most jurisdictions the required setback distance from septic system features to a property line is 10 feet.

However my OPINION is that depending on where other site features of a neighboring property are located, the required clearance distances to those features may rule.

For example, if a stream passed just ten feet from my property line, I couldn't locate my septic fields ten feet back from that property line, because the required distance from my septic fields to any nearby stream, lake, river, etc. is likely to be 100 ft. (depending on local regulations and where you live).

On 2016-03-31 by Chris

What is the distance requirement for septic tank being away from neighbors property line

 

Florida Septic Clearance Distance FAQs

Question: irrigation well within 50 feet of a septic in Florida

(Sept 13, 2015) Lyn said:
What has to be done for code compliance if my irrigation well (not in use) is located within 50 ft of septic system soon to be replaced in Florida?

Reply:

Great question, Lyn. I don't know an authoritative answer. My opinion is that an irrigation well, that is a well not used for production of potable (drinkable) water, can probably be used for lawn or crop irrigation with less concern.

I'd check with your local health department. Let me know what they want. I'd be surprised if they say you have to abandon the well - if so there are instructions for that here at InspectApedia.com;

When replacing the septic system near a well that is to remain in use for *potable* water and that is too close to the well, you'd need to relocate the septic.

For a not-in use well you still may be asked to properly abandon the well. A concern is that the well can route sewage effluent into the aquifer, contaminating not just your well but the whole aquifer. Check with your local health authority.

On 2016-03-30 by (mod) - what is the distance allowed between a in ground swimming pool and a septic tank and field lines, in the State of Florida

Anon:

Not all states specify all possible septic system clearances to all site features. But Florida's 2013 septic code does mention swimming pools including these examples

In Florida, 64E-6.004 Application for System Construction Permit - you are required to include the pool on the layout drawing

Florida 64E-6.005 Location and Installation.

(2) Systems shall not be located under buildings or within 5 feet of building foundations, including pilings for elevated structures, or within 5 feet of mobile home walls, swimming pool walls, or within 5 feet of property lines except where
property lines abut utility easements which do not contain underground utilities, or where recorded easements are specifically provided for the installation of systems for service to more than one lot or property owner.

64E-6.009 Alternative Systems.

(f) There shall be a minimum 4 feet separation between the shoulder of the fill and the nearest trench or absorption bed sidewall.

Where a portion of the mound slope will be placed adjacent to building foundations, pilings or supports for elevated structures, mobile home walls, swimming pool walls, retaining walls, or similar obstructions there shall be a minimum 5 foot separation between the sidewall of the absorption area and the obstruction.

Such obstructions shall impact the slope on no more than 50 percent of the shoulder perimeter.

Be sure also to see SEPTIC to POOL DISTANCE

On 2016-03-29 by Anonymous

What is the distance allowed between a in ground swimming pool and a septic tank and field lines, in the State of Florida

Question: exact law for distance between well and septic

(June 26, 2014) wendy said:
what exactly is the law from distance between well and septic. Is it to edge of tank or to cleanout or where? ours is 49 feet from edge of septic but farther from clean out. There is some problem getting financing on our house because of this. Please what is the answer?

Reply:

Measurement is made from well casing horizontally to nearest portion of the septic tank.

Question: how to measure the 50 foot distance from well to septic field

(Sept 4, 2014) Anonymous said:
how do you measure the 50 foot requirement from well to septic field? Is it from well to field or well to the pipe run in the field?

Reply:

Measurement is made from the closest edge of the well itself - e.g. the steel well casing - to the nearest corner of the septic soil absorption field. We refer to the well itself, not the water piping connecting well to the building. See the next question as well.

Question: distance between water main & private septic system in Illinois

(Oct 8, 2014) Gayle Gutkowski said:

For Will County, Illinois, what is the required distance that a 24" high pressure water main is to be located from an existing homeowners septic system? Thank you.

Reply:

Gayle check with your local health department for confirmation but generally the distance between a pressurized water main and septic components is 10 feet.

Question: distance between septic drainfield and a river in Vermont

(Oct 14, 2014) g-f-lewis@hotmail,com said:

How close can a spetic field come to a river or body of water in Vermont. What type of system in best to use in this case.

Reply:

GF most states use the same distance for rivers, streams, and lakes: 75 feet to the high water line. Your state may differ.

Question: clearance between mobile home septic fields

(Mar 9, 2015) rita besa said:

I own 2 1/2 acre lot with a mobile home and septic already on property. I wanted to buy another mobile home to put on property. What is the clearance between one septic to another.

Reply:

Rita the second home's septic component clearances need to meet all of the specifications in the table above, including property line (5 feet).

So for example you can't install a septic drainfield on your property that meets the clearances for your property if at the same time it would violate the clearance distance to a neighbour's well.

Comment:

21 April 2015 bluarc said:

"Septic Field" not the same as "Septic Tank" 50 (Fifty Feet) for the Tank "SEPTIC FIELD" is 100 ft. (One Hundred Feet) for the leach field.

Sewer lines from Wells distance is also 50 ft. (Fifty Feet).

Reply:

Thanks Bluarc, those distances are indeed reflected in the tables at CLEARANCE DISTANCES, SEPTIC SYSTEM.

I edited the table, rearranging its lines alphabetically to make information easier to find. Note that distances to the drainfield can vary among various jurisdictions in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Ireland India, and other countries.

Question: Pennsylvania distance from sand mound to property line or neighbor's well

(July 31, 2015) Linda said:
In Pa. how far does a sand mound need to away from neighboring property lines also from neighors well. Is the sand mound grandfathered in by law,

and how to you measure from the distance from the base of the sand mount, center or ends. the base of the neighbors mound is only3 feet away from the property line.

Reply:

Linda I think the well clearance distances have to be respected regardless of whether they are on the same property as the septic system or on a neighboring one.

Standard septic clearance distances are given in the table above. Measure from the nearest edge of the septic mound or field to the site feature being checked.

Then check with your local building department about local codes or regulations on clearance distances as those may differ from the model building codes.

In my opinion 3 feet sounds a bit close, but 3 feet from what is not quite clear.

Question: maximum distance, septic tank to house

(Aug 23, 2015) Andrew said:
How far can you locate a septic tank from the house?

Reply:

I haven't seen a maximum but your piping elevations, pipe slope, periodic cleanout access ports along a long run, and other clearances still have to work.

That is, haven't seen a maximum distance as a general statement; the working distance will depend in part on the elevations OR on the installation of a grinder pump system to move waste to the tank.

Question:

(Sept 19, 2015) Maria said:
So after clearing some weeds, brush etc. I discovered my neighbors septic "candy-cane" if you will. There is a stake similar to the rest on my property which I'm assuming are boundary markers. How far doe this (and system) need to be away from my property line? I live in Derry, NH 03038

Reply:

Sorry I don't know what that is.

Question: typical septic tank lid depth

(Oct 1, 2015) Jim said:
On average how far down is the lid of a septic tank from the surface ground.

Reply:

I have never seen an average - depth of the tank lid varies enormously depending on where you live, climate, soil conditions.

See SEPTIC TANK DESIGN DEPTH

and

see SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND

Question: house distance to swamps and lakes

(Oct 19, 2015) Jesse said:

how far away from water (ponds, lakes, swamps .. should a house be?

Reply:

Jess that's a local code restriction not one I can state. House location is not the same as onsite wastewater location. Codes vary by state or province.

Question: distance from neighbor septic to property line

(Nov 4, 2015) Tera denny said:

How far away does my neighbors septic system has to be from my property line?

Reply:

I don't know, Tera as that'll be a local regulation or state or provincial one depending on where you live

. A typical distance from a septic to a neighbor's house is 200 ft. so if you know your property setbacks for houses you can guesstimate from that. Do check with your local building or health department.

Question: setback distance from railroad tracks to drainfield leach line

(Jan 31, 2016) Roñir said:
How far do you set back from railroad tracks with a leach line drain field

Reply:

That's one I"ve not heard before, Roñir, but I'd expect that as long as your drainfield meets local regulations for distance from your property line, adding the railroad right-of-way to that, your local inspector may say you're ok.

Question: drainfield to fruit trees, overhead irrigation

(Feb 3, 2016) Lisa said:

When you have overhead irrigation for fruit trees, how far away from the main line would a drain field have to be placed?

Reply:

Lisa you might want to take a look at PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS

Question: Massachusetts septic system clearance distances

(Feb 18, 2016) Anon said:

HOw far does a house have to be from septic in Massachusetts

Reply:

See the MA Title 5 column in the table above

Question: distance from a septic mound to a water well

(Mar 10, 2016) Anonymous said:
How far does a well have to be from a septic mound?

Reply:

Anon it depends - check the table in the article above and you'll see distances from 50 ft. to 200 ft.

On 2013-03-19 by (mod) -

Sounds accurate to me.

On 2013-03-19 by Sean

i am currently looking into purchasing land in the victoria, tx county to build a house on that has a septic system in place already.

it has not been used in over 10yrs and may need to be replaced.

we have heard that because the acreage (half acre) is so small if we have to put in a new septic that the current regulations would keep us from being able to comply with the proper footage from our water well and the neighboring wells.

is this accurate?

On 2013-02-07 by jerica

why is the septic tank should be located downhill and as far as the well as possible?

On 2012-10-28 by Dianne Forsberg

I have a house that was built in the 50's the leach lines are dry. What is the NC recomendation of the well being that close. Can the well be used or is there a requirement to abandon by the state

On 2012-10-22 by chris

my question is in ohio what is the minimum distance between one neighbors septic system and leech field and also their leech field and septic to my water well. how much land is needed for them to build a 2 bedroom house and have enough distance between my well and septic system.

On 2012-10-22 by Osman

what is minimum safe distance between well (for Coal Gas Seam Extraction) and open drain (surface water)? Thanks Osman

On 2012-10-17 by (mod) -

Septic tanks themselves, where multiple tanks are placed in series can be next to one another or more distant.

Your problem is due to area flooding and perhaps a flooded drain field, not tank clearances.

On 2012-10-16 by William Tracy

I need to know the distance's between septic tank & septic tank? there are three septic tanks within 20 ft of each other rain water flooding all three the sewage flooding house

On 2012-09-28 by (mod) -

Karen,

The clearance distance is from the well to closest edge of the drain field, not the D box.

See the article SEPTIC DRAIINFIELD LOCATION

Link in our ARTICLE INDEX for help finding a drainfield

On 2012-09-19 by Karen

sorry-I meant to say that I am from Indiana

On 2012-09-19 23:37:56.293404 by Karen

How far does the drain field need to be from the well and does that mean from the furthest point of the drain field or at the point by the distribution box? How can we find that information if the house is 22 years old and we need it for refinancing the house without actually digging up the septic system?

On 2012-09-12 20:26:16.140183 by Biff

How far from the house must a leach field be sited? Could I run parralll to the single line, 20 feet away? I'm in Nevada

On 2012-07-20 17:16:36.289107 by (mod) -

You live in the septic tank? Isn't English syntax odd?

I have not found the specific situation you ask about in model codes.

Some practical considerations: you don't want the pool construction to damage the tank, piping, nor drainfields by driving around in the yard during excavation. So your pool will need to be far enough away from not just the septic tank but drainfield that the backhoe operator does not have to DRIVE anywhere within 15-20 feet or so of any such components. Else you risk serious, even dangerous damage.

On 2012-07-16 by judy

how far do we have to be from the septic tank in the back yard if we want to put an inground pool in? we live in fl.

On 2012-05-23 by (mod) -

Mike in our ARTICLE INDEX see and click on the article titled SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SIZE to see how drainfield size is determined. Your local code officials can tell you about local requirements.

On 2012-05-23 by Mike kelly

i live in wright county mo and i was wondering what is the minimum leach field chambers i would need for a 2 bed room trailor.

On 2012-04-24 by (mod) -

Kelly, I'm not sure where your land is in Nebraska, but you could start by contacting the City of North Platte, 211 West 3rd St., North Platte Nebraska, 69101, tel: 308-535-6724, and ask for assistance. If that city is not the administrator for the area of your land they can tell you who is.

On 2012-04-23 by Kelly

I am considering buying some land that is near the Platte River in Nebraksa. We want to build a house on the land and need to know what regulations and restrictins we would run into when installing a septic line.

On 2012-02-17 by Adam

I am trying to find out what the FHA required distances are between a private well and a septic tank and the private well and the drain field are for Jackson County Florida.

Thanks,

Adam

On 2012-02-04 by jones.

Looking to build a house, but the lot is near a fresh water creek, wondering how far apart the septic system has to be from the creek. thanks

On 2012-01-08 by (mod) -

David,

If the raised bed is really "raised" with respect to surrounding grounds, and presuming you refer to standing water "around" the bed, meaning on the lower ground level, and one more "if" - if the bed was properly constructed, it ought to be high enough above the seasonal high water table that the installation should work properly.

It's ok for the septic drainfield bed to get wet during rain, but the design will not expect that the soil is continually saturated - saturated soils do not permit adequate treatment of the septic effluent.

That said, I have seen plenty of raised beds that were not well made, including contractors who first used the raised bed site to "bury" site debris and trees and stumps, beds that were not high enough above the water table, and beds that did not drain.

If there are doubts about your own raised bed system or if you just want to protect it further, see if you can shape the surrounding land or add drainage in it so that you keep surface runoff away from the bed location. Chances are the system will have a longer life and better function if you do.

On 2012-01-08 by (mod) -

Shipley: for local code-specific septic component setback clearances you need listed in the table above, you'll want to consult with your local health department or building department. Our tables above give most setback or clearance distances for septics and wells and cite the authoritative sources. Let us know what else you're told - it will assist other readers.

On 2012-01-08 by David Lindsay

I have a new raised bed system, put in just before we bought this last summer. It has been such a wet year that there is standing rainwater all around the raised bed. Do I have to worry about this? The system seems to be working fine in the house.

On 2011-12-11 by shipley

I have an aerobic septic system, and I applied for and recieved a building permit to build a shop, there is a note on the permit that states I must comply with TCEQ requirements on setbacks. I have not been able to figure out what exactly the requirements are. I do believe my yard is large enough and I am prepared to relocate sprayer heads. I am unsure about distances and clearances from building, property line, neighbors property.

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Or see SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCE FAQs-2 - more-recently-posted questions and answers about the distances and setbacks for septic system components to other site features.

Or see this Septic component clearance & setback

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