I can answer that. According to Steve, at the GTG with Linus and Petra:

Holding tanks. Pumped out and hauled away, completely.

No effluent percolation at all.

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Believe it or not, there is a leach field. I believe it's referred to as an aerobic system. There's a holding tank where the goodies go to separate, then it goes to another tank for disinfecting, then it gets pumped to the leach field which is basically a bunch of pipe with a mound over it.

We spotted the well today also, it gets drilled on the 19th of next month.

 

Ahh, that's very different that my original understanding of our conversation.

That's a more expensive way to get rid of effluent, but it's what the LA Health Department is requiring for most new systems here, too.

EPA is forcing everybody's hands on these to reduce sulfates in ground water.

Still, it's a lot cheaper than complete truck-away.

Was there a change to the plans, or a complete misunderstanding by me?

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Quick photo, there exist many various combinations. Such a fascinating topic.

 

The "single-compartment trash tank" above is usually a double compartmant, sized appropriately, and is commonly called the "septic tank". It serves to settle-out the solids (allowing the bacteria to eat them) and you end up with basically carbon-black settling to the bottom. Any oils or greases also are floated to the top in what becomes the "scum mat". If sized appropriately, a droplet spends a lot of time in the septic tank before it is passed on to the next stage. It needs cleaning (pumping out) at regular intervals that are determined by the number and ages of the individuals using the system.

The "aerobic treatment tank" is what further treats what is now clear effluent. It is what's "new" in septic systems. It has filters, an air-injector mechanism, and almost always requires a dedicated phone line to auto-call for servicing when necessary. A long-term maintenance contract is almost always a requirement for a Health Board sign-off on the building plans.

The rest is just holding for pumping to the percolation field or evapo-transpiration area. The latter is far more interesting than the former, as plant selection and maintenance is important.

Brother Steve (FTE's Flying Triples) is a Certified Engineering Geologist, which is one of the professions allowed to design these systems in California. After I got out of the aircraft business, I worked for him for a few years.

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This thread has gone to the dumps......

 

Most likely a third option...poor communication/explanation on my part

 

Only on FTE can the conversation go from beautiful bridges to septic tanks.

Jim

 

You gotta' stay on your feet to keep up here!

Otherwise, you're sitting in it!

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When living in IL, I had the pleasure of replacing a 50 yr old septic tank/field with the Aerobic type. Seems the neighbors well head was too close to my proposed field, so we did the only alternative. Service contract was a few hundred per year. Luckily I had a separate system for gray water, else we were limited to 250 gals per day waste stream. That's less than one teenage girl shower...

I was a registered waste disposal site with the state of IL (and another fee).

Just one of many pluses and minuses of living in the countryside.

 

Most of LaCanada Flintridge still doesn't have a central sewer system in place, and about three fourths of that city still have their own private septic systems.

When major changes are made to a property, a re-evaluation of the system is necessary prior to a sign-off by County Health on the proposed building plans.

I did the percolation testing to provide the data portion for the new designs, but often got to explain to the end users what was coming and why.

It's amazing just how many properties, particularly in the hills on the south side of town where percolation rates are the worst, have clandestine "grey water" drains to the curb. On a Monday morning, soapy water is running in the street gutters. You can smell the soap and bleach.

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If you guys ever want to tour a waste water plant, let me know. I can probably make it happen on my current project in Irvine.

 

I've got the Tillman treatment plant about three miles distant in the Sepulveda Dam Basin. It's where pumper trucks from all over come to off-load (no longer can they legally just open a manhole cover and dump).

I took a tour a few years ago. It's an interesting place that turns out tertiary-treated water into the L.A. River. They have a "sludge" pump that sends the solids to Hyperion via pipeline for even-further processing.

They have a very nice Japanese garden area with a large fish pond, complete with huge, expensive Koi. The water in the pond is output from the treatment plant.

None of the fish has three eyes or two heads, so the plant must do a pretty-good job!

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I got on the work release program here and they're letting me fly back across the pond tomorrow. I won't be needing Sr. Bricks special 405 powers tomorrow (unless some crazy decides to turn the axles sunny side up).

 

Except for the possibility of some scattered showers on Sunday, you're in for a nice weekend here.

However, if needed, I hear Steve makes some Voodoo traffic-control house-calls on the spur-of-the-moment.

Keep that number handy........

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