The Septic System, The Maine Adventure

Project 11: Re-Connecting the Cape--Septic System

Electric * Phone * Cable TV * Internet * Water * Plumbing * Septic * Heat * Structure

The septic... another story. I hired a septic designer back in January, but when we tried to dig through the snow and ice to find good soil for the septic systems, we found that the ice went deeper than it had for the last 20 years--pouring boiling water down through the snow didn't do the trick and I didn't have a jackhammer handy.(!) So we reconvened on April 24th and laid out the two systems--one for the Cape in its new position and one for the future new house on the old site.

The designs were due a week later, but the designer, a nice and capable fellow, 'forgot about me' and they didn't show up until May 21st. This put us in the middle of the busiest period for excavation work all year. :-(
I had a major regret that we had taken that old three-seater away from the outhouse! :-)
And only thanks to a local septic installer getting creative with schedules did I get a new septic before July. Here's the story of the two new septic systems with many thanks to Eric M. Wood Construction:

The foreman, Casey, and helper, Steve arrived and began preparing the area for the tank and fields.

When the field equipment was placed and level, the Town Inspector was called to make an inspection. The system passed!

Steve spread grass seed and covered it with straw for fast germination.

And a shallow hole (shallow because of so much ledge) was dug for the 'lowboy' septic tank...which arrived like clockwork.

And was placed with precision.

Then expertly topped and covered with dirt.

Then the septic pipes were connected to the tank and the drainage to the basement replaced.

Anywhere you looked, the big machinery was just outside the window!

Casey tidied up the rest of the area around the tank.

This septic system is complete, with large rocks set to protect the tank
from big trucks. E.M. Wood did an excellent job--a very happy ending to the story. And I called Martin to come and take away his Porta-John--a salvation at the time, but no longer needed.