Septic System Services

Owner Declaration and Acknowledgment

An informative site evaluation is key to the design process and ensures that the appropriate information is collected to determine a suitable, cost-effective treatment system. We use our Property Owner Declaration form to determine the proposed use of the system and gather information on the property. We will also review administration and regulatory requirements that apply to the property or sewerage system that may affect the design.

Schedule a Site Visit

Once the completed Owner Declaration and Acknowledgment form has been received, we will contact you to schedule a site visit. During an initial site visit, buried infrastructure will be located based on utility locate reports and discussions about any utilities or underground structures that may have been installed by the owner. Once the lot boundaries have been identified, we will begin the process of selecting possible locations for the septic system components. Factors that could impact the location of the system include general topography, setbacks, past uses and owner preferences.

Schedule a Soil Evaluation

A soil evaluation will need to be scheduled once a planned location for the septic system is determined. During the soil evaluation, the soil profile for the potential dispersal area will be investigated for suitability through excavated test pits and percolation or permeameter tests. Occasionally site restraints and limitations are encountered during the soil evaluations and will require locating an alternative dispersal area location. We will always do our best to accommodate your current and future site development plans.
*Please be aware that a soil and site evaluation does not guarantee that the lot is suitable for a septic system. Some sites can present severe limitations and could require advanced engineering which we can assist with.

Design

Once all the preliminary and field information is collected, it will be analyzed through a site and soil evaluation report to determine a suitable system based on site conditions. If the property owner would like to proceed, a design will be completed.

Filing

New Systems, Alterations or Repairs

The design and a Record of Sewage System filing form will be submitted to the Environmental Health Authority at the Interior Health Sewerage Registry. Installation or repair may begin once the filing has been approved by an Environmental Health Officer.

*The Record of Sewerage System is one of the initial documents required by the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK)and local municipalities (where city connections are not available) when applying for a permit to build a new home or an addition. This creates timing delays between the completion of the design and installation. It is important that the planned location for the septic system is not disturbed by machinery or construction traffic as this could impact the integrity of the dispersal area soil and make the site or design no longer acceptable.

We ensure best practice methods are used throughout the installation process and that all installations comply with the manufacturer’s recommendation and Interior Health requirements. We strive to minimize the impact to existing vegetation and remediate all areas that were disturbed during construction.

* The area around the septic system should be vegetated with non-invasive plant species to minimise soil erosion from the excavated area around the tanks.

Once the installation is completed, we will submit a Letter of Completion to Interior Health and provide the property owner with a copy of all the documentation including an as constructed drawing and a maintenance plan.

Once the septic system is completed and working, it is the homeowner’s responsibly to ensure that the maintenance plan is followed and that records are maintained.