What To Expect When Switching From A Residential Septic To A Municipal System
Posted on: 1 September 2015
When you're a homeowner that's been mandated to switch from a residential septic system to a municipal treatment outlet, you may be wondering how the process works. Whether you're in line for a grinder pump or a main sewer connection, switching from a septic to a municipal system can be easier if you know what to expect. So if you're getting ready to make the jump from septic tank to city sewage, here's what you should know about the process.
Connecting To The Municipal System
Whether your county has issued you a sewage meter to connect to or a pump, you will be in charge of redirecting your residential effluent to the new system. In some cases, the homeowner will be responsible for installing a new grinder or gravity system all together, where in others, the only responsibility is to use a plumber to connect plumbing from the home to the main sewage line. Either way, you will have to hire a plumber to reconnect your plumbing lines from the house away from your septic and to the municipal system. If you will be connecting your home's plumbing to a grinder pump, you will also have to supply the unit with electricity and possibly a back-up source of power for handling effluent during power outages. If you're unfamiliar with the logistics of placing a new grinder system, you should have a contractor or plumber find the best place to locate your new pump.
Configuring Your Old System
In every case, whether you're connecting to a grinder pump or lateral sewage line, you will have to have your old septic tank cleaned and inspected as a part of the process of switching. Septic tank pumping and cleaning should already be a voluntary part of your residential plumbing maintenance, but when you're abandoning an old tank, professional pumping and cleaning is a requirement of municipal hook-up. You'll be required to show that your tank is pumped, cleaned, and abandoned in order to connect to a municipal sewage line. Contact a professional service, like The Outhouse, to do this job for you.
If you don't want to completely abandon your old septic tank, you may be interested in converting your old septic tank to a cistern. Though it sounds scary, converting your septic tank to a cistern is a safe and reliable method of maintaining a fresh water source for landscaping, washing cars or boats, or for emergency needs. Beyond connecting a gutter to your septic and having your tank thoroughly cleaned, you'll also have to have the Department of Health inspect your new cistern before it goes into action.
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