A perc test, sometimes referred to as a "perk test" or percolation test, determines your soil's water absorption ratespecifically, how much time it takes for the soil to drain. This is a ditch above the drainfield that is typically as deep as the installed lines. What training and qualifications are required to provide perk test services for others? This is all new to me, and Im trying to gather as much information before making a decision! I am not familiar with those soil types. We would be purchasing land together as a whole would land have to be divided before building could start? Do you know where I can find the information regarding the results of these percs? I dont know if Tennessee considers a cesspool as an acceptable disposal system. There are a few land panels for sale, one of them we are interested in is about 3 acres. One cannot randomly perc test land and claim it is usable. 62-18-208 for the licensing requirements. Everyone seems baffled of where the water is coming from. Thanks so much for your help! As far as I know, the 100-yr flood does not have an effect on the ability to install a subsurface disposal system. Since land isnt in my name, could my mother (land is in her name) have the perc test done with out any type of building permit? So I guess my question is, are there alternatives? Havent gotten to perc test yet but was told by a neighbor that the lower section of my property does not perc. They should be able to pull the records and see what is needed. Also, it may be possible for the soil to have failed because of drains and ditches. Timothy do you know of any Non conventional septic systems that are approved for use in Tennessee on land that wont perk?, aerobic systems, drip systems etc. Drive-through testing 8:30 AM - 11 AM Please call, 931-388-5757, if you have any questions. There are many other options. Also, dry creek, creek is on the propertycan we not use the creek in to drain the septic? I am looking to purchase 5 acres in Cheatham County. The one house site on it says 60mpi We are so confused as to where to go next and what has to be started over. Let the Health Department sort it out first. The lady tried to tell me about the septic I had to have not a place for a 2nd system if the first ever failed but to have a 2nd one installed. Fill is land that has had dirt added to it. I am not sure what you mean by pax but a perc test is only needed if the soil type requires it. Its quite a large lot as where all adjacent neighbors (quite close to the property lines on two sides) have built some very large homes (including a 12k sq foot castle of a home just next door). There should also be an absorption rate associated with it. Just like everything in life, a perc test is going to cost you something, and that cost can be quite a range depending on who you hire and how much work is required. This is a question for the Department of Environmental Health. Hi Timothy, Aside from the calling the slim scientist, is there anything else that needs to be done on our end prior to this? If they did fail an area, it stays failed. checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same Any advice and thoughts are appreciated. means state, county, and municipal government agencies including their subdivisions and utility districts, but does not include entities . He plans on building a shop with living qtrs and will only call for 1 bed 1 bath but before he starts to clear and put in driveway I want him to understand how this works so he dont have to go backwards. I would also suggest contacting your building codes department to ensure this is even legal in your area. A three-bedroom structure could house 6 people. This is a great blog! You will also want to talk to a soil scientist to see if the land in that area can support what you want to do. (over my head what it takes to override it). Tax Account Number: Transfer the 12-digit tax account number from your County property tax bill. However, you cannot use land that has been disturbed or is much over a 30% slope. My question is is there any other way or anything else that can be done to get a house out there? Correction: I cannot build a house on my land. Since it will just be the two of us living there, do we really need a 4 bedroom perc? I keep seeing some of the comments about a soil map? They said the soil was no longer good. We bought a home in 2006 in Lawrence County TN.we were told the lot next to us was unsuitable for field lines and nothing would ever be built there.well 2020 lot was sold and a mobile home and garage were built.state failed the site but soil scientist did a soil intensity test and says it is now suitable.nothing has been done to the property and 13 years of weather and erosion but test shows exact same readings as the soil intensity test he contracted to be done 114 years before when subdivision was being developed..that lot was held out of the subdivision due to not being suitable for field lines and sold in 2020 unrestricted with a 3 bedroom 2 bath mobile home and a septic system approved for a 2 bedroom 2 bath dwelling..new owner claims his trailer is a 2 bedroom 2 bath with an office although title to said mobile home indicates 3 bed 2 bath and state approved even after he was caught using creek gravel in his field lines which upon reinspection had already been covered up before reinspection..can I get a copy of the soil intensity tests done on that property or do I have to seek an attorney? I am not sure what I.P means. Good morning. If there are no sewer connections near us, what other options would we have? Bought a new constructed home in Washington cty tn, subdivision, on half acre lot. I assume that the county owns the tertiary treatment site (drain field) which means you do not have to have a perc test. Curtain/interceptor drains are also known as French drains. They are installed uphill of the septic system to catch the surface (and subsurface) water and divert it around the drain field to prevent runoff from infiltrating the system and saturating the land. It is a fairly detailed map showing the zones of different soil types for each section of the property. We are fairly confident it will perc. Not sure if I understood that correctly. If your drain field is above the septic tank, you may have to have a secondary tank with a pump in it. Maury County Property Records are real estate documents that contain information related to real property in Maury County, Tennessee. Wed really like to have good suggestions we can offer to the buyer! It has been a day or two since I laid out a septic system. Thanks in advance for your help. Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on us all. Reported on May 22, 2018 by ProMatcher Research Team 64 Fairview Rd , Columbia, TN 38401 is a vacant lot listed for-sale at $376,551. Thank you. Average costs for materials and equipment for percolation test in Columbia. In general the portion of the property in question is an open rolling 40 acre pasture plateau. Can we place a second home on 7.6 acres? After 6 months water backed up we have a 75 mpi. Timothy, It says Bradyville 0-5% slopes, Fill, some triangles, I.P and Bradyville 75 mpi to 24, 0-5% slopes. After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- Each hole shall be considered reasonably representative of a square area of two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet which includes that hole in the approximate center of the square. As for reporting the Williamson County Department of Environmental Health (I assume that is who you are speaking of), the only recourses I know of is to get in touch with the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC) and talk with them or you can contact the County Mayor or the Attorney General for the State of Tennessee. Thank you for sharing all your wealth of knowledge to help others gain a better understanding. What is the likelihood of being able to tie into the existing septic tank of his grandads house as it was never perced? The wetlands should not affect your septic system as long as you are not right on top of them but check with the local Department of Environmental health on that. Country living but close to it all. I grew fine tobacco on the land for thirty years, and I know a few things about soil. I have a customer that lives on a 3.5 acre lot and has a home currently on the property. First, lets talk about that division. Before? Also I know im not supposed to disturb the land but can I dig to plant trees before having the permit process done? If your house is functioning on it, the health department typically doesnt do anything about what was installed. They should be familiar with the local zoning requirements as well as subdivision requirements. Now, as for what issues can arise, that is a question for a plumber. Not sure. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. You would need to clarify with that soil scientist (or check the soil map). First, it is not uncommon for entire neighborhoods to use a shared septic system. All of the properties are on septic. They have sold their house, and they are living in a camper with their little three-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome. Parks. Contact the Department of Environmental Health. We own a little over an acre in Rutherford County. We have 3 plots under one deed. I have no way to travel to the States to do this. He suggests we have another perc test done. Bit he told us to not to worry about size of home we put out there. The only solution I can tell you is to contact a local civil engineer and see if they have some options for alternative onsite sewer disposal systems. I have never seen that nomenclature either. So we complied by destroying another acre of nice corn. Your best bet is to contact your local environmental health department and find out who works in the area. In a situation I had in my own house, I had a drain field that consistently stayed wet. I would reach out to the Department of Environmental Health and ascertain what is needed and who they recommend. The only thing is the front where we would all prefer our houses is kind of Rocky in places. Maury County, Tennessee Covid Case and Risk Tracker. How far from the creek can a septic system be installed? of Environmental Health and see what they have on the property. Thank you! APPROVED TO CONDUCT PERCOLATION TESTS Andrews, Jay 1012 East Baddour Pkwy Lebanon, TN 37087 (615) 443-1159 . I now have a soil map from a soil scientist from the approved list and the inspector came out and denied the area that was mapped and is saying I have to put the system in a very difficult location that will require a complicated pump system. Im sorry. I am looking for info on using a pre existing system built sometime around 1930 or 40. After that, the next stop would likely be the Dekalb County Department of Environmental Health. This adds to the up-front cost. HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GET A PERK TEST IF THE LAND DIDNT THE FIRST TIME? They will have to take core samples (unless they are very familiar with the land in your area) but shouldnt be guessing that much. Im subdividing my property to sell a parcel. You should be able to go to the health department and possibly get copies of everything (soil map, permit, etc). Soil type from just online seems to be Eg,Trc,tbd3,tbc3 would you know if any of those would normally perk? 4682 Bass Alderson Road , Williamsport, TN, 38487, Maury County. I live abroad and cannot sell the land because it wont pass the Perc test. But if so could we give each other an easement for septic if needed? We had hoped to buy 100 acers in E. TN and put cabins but it seems that a lot of people got the same memo and now land has tripled. So a 1 bedroom is 250 gallons per day. That, or there is a neighbor tied into the same system. If that is the case, you too would have to have an area mapped. Contact your local environmental health department and get a list of soil scientists that work in your area. If you want a bigger house, you need to talk to the soil scientist and see if there is any other land available that wasnt mapped. It is quite common to redo a soil permit to get more bedrooms. Submitting a failing perc test to the health department makes a 50-foot square, centered on the hole, non-usable for sub-surface disposal. If the soil type identified has an MPI (minutes per inch) rating above a certain number (I think 75 mpi), then percolation tests are required. Could a new perc test support the additional bedrooms after so many years have passed? So in my initial question when I say perc test I mean soil scientist. If that is the case, and you have exhausted all potential septic sites, then there is nothing a normal person can do. Overall Score less than 25. My family owns some land. The other option is to talk with a civil engineer to see if there is the potential for an alternative system, like a sand filter or constructed wetlands or an LPP system or whatever. The following statement is included: Tract is approved for a maximum of 3 bedroom residence with use of a conventional subsurface sewage disposal system. Based on that and Appendix 1 of RULES 2. It doesnt matter that he doesnt intend on building on it, someone may want to eventually and you would have created an unbuildable lot and a potential lawsuit for doing just that. I have the soil test on file it says it 30-45 mpi. I have a similar question. I hate to go against nature, but your husband is correct. Yes, as long as it is feasible to build (but maybe not cost-effective), then you are good. Every region has its own and besides that, I am not a soil scientist. We just purchased 45 acres on the highland rim in Maury. You would need to talk to someone that does them and in that area. I dont know if we passed officially or not. Hi Timothy, I would recommend getting a soil scientist to look at the land before your inspection period runs out and get their take on it. Thank you for your quick and helpful response. Remember, both primary and reserve are necessary for the approval of a system. Flat then sloping lake lot. All of it is very gently rolling, with no standing water and little if any erosion. Does that tell if the land has been perked? He/she mapped out a site to support 2 5-bedroom structures (according to the seller). There have been instances where people will build a 1 bedroom 5 bath house with 4 offices (no closet, no bedroom) and 10,000 ft because their land didnt pass for anything more than a 1 bedroom. Also, if you are increasing the number of bedrooms in the new home, then your existing system may not be adequate. Can we live in a dry cabin legally and not have to get a septic at all? The Maury County Health Department is part of the Tennessee Department of Health's South Central Region. Two questions: do you know what systems are allowed in Rhea County, TN and how we do find out what would be a a fair price to pay for land in Rhea County that doesnt perk? Not exceptionally expensive but more costly than if you didnt have to have one. So 2 questions, can a septic permit fail? The land that are field line sit on was sold illegally. 2. 3. Thanks, I am just now noticing them so I am working on getting the crap out of here. If you are not in the same area, you may need a separate soil map for each system. This is a hole dug 6 12 inches in diameter, about 36 42 inches in depth (around my area). I dont mind paying an engineer to retest if that would do any good in getting an approval or confirming that the entire property is not suitable. Latest Maps and Data; . There is nothing being disposed on your land. I am in need of a soil/Perk test done on a lot located at 157 Big Cove Creek rd. Registered just means that the perc test was submitted to the health department. Provided that the surface isnt altered (grading, deforesting, etc), a soil map is permanent. The real estate agent says there has been a preliminary perc test done, and it shows the ability to build a 3 bedroom house on the land. Whether or not yours was done this way, I dont know. Where we plan to build is a stone throw from the trailer. I have several lots in Lake Tansi in Crossville, TN. Perc tests typically take 24 hours to do (not counting digging). I can say I have seen a lot of areas where people have not dumped their greywater into their septic tank. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. You will need to have soil mapped areas for these options. Just going off ppl having trouble getting one in places. Water is at the road but would have to be run to each home independently. And then based on these two findings, we would submit this to the county to repermit the lot? Hi Julie, Does the perc refer to number of bedrooms allowed, or number of bathrooms allowed? Soil testing already completed and perc'd for a 4 br, surveyed and county water tap included. Hello Tim. Hi there! 4235 Old State Rd, Hampshire, Tennessee | (931) 285-2300. My son applied for a septic permit in July, and we destroyed an acre of corn to allow for the inspection. And, if so, where can you see this soil map? This is with terms that it perks. Can you recommend a soil scientist near the Tazewell area? The property is wooded. As for value. They can answer this for you. I dont however have a perc rate which I have repeatedly asked for. The dealer says people do this all the time building on family land or rented land. My question to you is can our contactor break ground to start building out 5050 workshop with a one bedroom apartment attached to it before the perc test is done? 5. Maury County sent in more letters of support for the grant than any other county in Tennessee. Do I have to have the land cleared before having the perc testing done? What does I.P mean and Fill means? About dividing the land. As for modified, I would guess it will be more expensive. You will want to find a localish engineer and call. This is to determine if you can use an alternate system. That is a question for the Health Department. It is large cleared pasture/hay field on top of a ridge line. Is it still possible that soil perks despite it being a non conducive type of soil? Now, it may have been functional for a smaller house, but when you increase the number of bedrooms, you theoretically increase the number of users (and they have to design using the legal max number of people in the household like 2 people per bedroom). This doesnt mean new testing, only paying the appropriate fees and what not. That is what I thought. I can tell you that I had a house where the drain field stayed wet a lot of the time. It is not far from where I want to build the new house. I would suggest you contact the soil scientist that did the original map. You will have to anyway as they are the permitting agency for construction of the sepic system. I am not sure what you are looking for but if there is anything regarding a septic system on file, it would be with the Health Department. Which wouldnt be a problem but I guess we could split off 5 acre tracts and keep the other about 35 acres together. Thanks for your time!!! If you are pumping the effluent offsite, then no. Tenn. Comp. If it wont perc, we wont buiid there. But before you do, you will need to ensure that the soil map is up to date, post-excavation. Timothy, thanks for the great information on this site! If you dont need perc tests it likely means your soil type is good enough not to require verification. 1363 sqft. What do you think is the best approach to this? The representative at the Williamson County Sewer Department who Ive been working with for the past 3 years and getting this process to this point stated I simply dont know I dont know what your next processes' Seriously???? Im buying land and have no idea who to call. My other questions are about alternatives. The perc site is at the bottom of the hill. My husband and I have almost 3 acres, we had the lands soil tested and they said we can only put a two bedroom home there but we.could tell the guy to write it is a 2 bedroom one bath on paper work when we get it and its bigger. AFter a week of leveling the land; dirt & gravel; we are told you need to get a Perc test for the septic. Also includes testing soil to determine if site is suitable for septic leach field construction. Her grandparents bought a home on 11 acres in Wilson county Lebanon TN and planned on us getting half the land and putting a home there so my wife can continue to take care of them. Thank you for your reply. If, however, there is more than 6 inches of water remaining in the hole the following day, you reduce it to 6 inches and then measure the rate of absorption at the end of 30 minutes. If it was from the original plat or listing, then it only serves to raise questions. Unfortunately, I no longer do perc tests. Any advice/suggestions are welcome! It is cesspool, still attached to a home I inherited. Most towns have at least a few licensed septic system designers who are well acquainted with local soil types, septic system regulations . There is no obligation to have it surveyed before it is evaluated for a subsurface disposal system. The New York Times Updated March 23, 2023. And I know tobacco doesnt grow on soil with poor internal drainage. You will need to get a permit. If you truly have a piece of land that cannot support a septic system, you have a piece of land that has very limited use. You may need to have your land remapped by a soil scientist to find a suitable area to expand the field lines. Why couldnt I just build up and area? Is our inspector in Robertson County just lazy, or is that all a septic inspection is? ", 1909 Hampshire Pike Columbia TN 38401-5650. https://www.tn.gov/environment/permit-permits/water-permits1/septic-systems-permits/ssp/permit-water-septic-system-construction-permit.html and apparently apply for a permit (this part is new to me). One lot is our current residence, we are building a new home on the adjacent lot. I have a nephew that is very interested and there seems to be a real need in our area. The systems we are looking at produce clean water at the effluent. We have found a piece of property we would like to make an offer on contingent on it perking obviously. Essentially, you need a soil map to tell if you need to do percolation testing. Is that something the environmental health department may know? You cannot retest a failing hole. Thank you for your assistance? Is pasture land with Dickson soils considered to be percable? I would check with the local Dept. Well, it is actually a percolation test designed to determine the absorption rate of soils for subsurface disposal systems. It is not structurally sound, has electrical issues it does have a septic that we have never had any problems from. Hello, seems like your the person to answer this question. That is an engineering question, but I have seen drain fields be 1000+ feet from the actual septic tank. Will that result let a 3-2 perc for septic? As far as I know, you cannot alter the land to make it more suitable for subsurface disposal and if you did, it would have to sit, untouched, for a very long time (7-20 years). Credit @TheVisualMediaCo. It may be that the previous owner planned on future development or didnt want the system there or a plethora of other reasons. Thanks so much, great threadus newbies to raw land greatly appreciate it!! The guy has been a soil engineer for 30+ years, so he knows! This may alleviate the problem. The area is somewhat rocky. This will come down to your zoning and any restrictions placed on the deed (Homeowners association, etc). However, if you are wanting to put a system in somewhere that wasnt mapped, you will likely need to get that area done. 1. * Professional, reliable, punctual, excellent craftsmanship and great customer service 2nd, this isnt the forum to request work; that is https://www.tnlds.com/request/. 2. We always treat every project as if it were our own property being worked on, so we'll connect with the best of the best when it comes to local perc testing pros in the Maury County area. This blog is an education in itself. If your system isnt failing, they shoulnd be too up in arms about it. We have been able to find someone to do perc but cannot find a soil engineer to qualify the soil content as buildable. This is designed to catch both runoff and subsurface water before it infiltrated the drainfield area. Thanks again. MLS # 2512866 I do know the mound systems are more expensive, but We were never told we would be responsible for this at any point. I just want the right information! You would need to talk to the Department of Environmental Health to see if any other area is suitable. I dont want to do something i dont need to do and was wondering if you could point me in the right direction. maury county, tn perc test. Thank you. A high-intensity soils test was done in 2008, and seller stipulated that site was permitted for two 5 bed homes. Is my first step getting the land perc? Remember, you are also likely required to keep a 100% reserve area. As our numbers show in 2023 average cost that homeowners paid for land surveyor in Maury county is between $223.00 and $839.00. Typically, if you dont like what was laid out, you can have a soil scientist map more of the area, assuming the entire area wasnt already mapped. That is a VERY low number given the amount of work they have to be experiencing. You may or may not require percolation testing, but you will likely need to ensure that you have enough land to install twice the amount of drain field than is needed for the house. They are also more likely to be familiar with the region's specific soil type and common risk factors. I had no idea about perc tests before I started researching buying property in Tn 3 years ago. It is very common around here that the contractor decides if the land is structurally sound. A couple of questions if you dont mind. The Environmental Health Department for your county is about your only option (short of a civil engineer and lots of money). Wed like to skip straight to the perc test and permit, if possible. Removing and disposing of domestic septage from septic tanks, holding tanks, portable toilets or other similar sewage treatment or disposal facilities. Their decision will be based on soil conditions and proposed building size. The American Classical Academy submitted applications . As to the last segment when you said, House was built in 1980s, the field lines are in the neighbors yard and were never surveyed properly when the property was divided and sold. I am aware that having the soil mapping done could potentially result in us not even needing a perc test/septic permit, but it is much more expensive (at least $1000) than just having the perc test and septic permit issued by the health department (about $550). Now, I assume that the health department is the one who told you to get the soil scientist involved. The builder I hired consulted with a soil scientist and did a percolation test. Is a physical perk test legally performed anymore in the state of Tennessee or is it just a Soil Scientists report that shows the soils at the location from soil web survey website? You cannot typically connect to an existing system without a full inspection of it to ensure that it meets current codes. What specific requirements or issues apply in this situation? As for trees, I dont know. Everything else is private so it would remain in the hands of the previous owner or the soil scientist. Here is a description of a STEP system from consolidated utility in Rutherford county.