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Maintenance

We also maintain:

  • Tertiary Systems
  • Effluent Filters

Contact us to find out more!

Installation

In the case of a vacant lot, we start with lot clearing: cutting down trees, removing rocks, etc.
It is a best practice to cut down any tree, shrub, within 10' of the septic system- otherwise their roots will enter the system and cause bed failure prematurely. We minimize the cutting of trees because often homeowners are partial to the look of thier lot, and want to preserve as much of the natural landscape as possible. Any trees we cut down are either chipped on site, cut them into logs for use, removed from the site.

Once the area is cleared then digging begins, usually starting with the septic tank.The tank will either be plastic or concrete depending on the necessities of the system.  Once the tank installed, then the bed installation proceeds.

There are many factors that determine how the bed is installed, some factors include:

  • high water table
  • bedrock exists
  • heavy soils
  • pump necessity

These conditions will affect building code requirements and we must adhere to it and to the permit in place! Its important to remember these requirements are for your protection and well worth their consideration.
If a pump is required, either a raw sewage from the house to the septic tank, or an effluent pump from the tank to the bed..either one we can install it!

The only thing required by the homeowner is to have a licensed electrician wire the pump to the electrical panel. We must call for an inspection once the tank is an and the pipes/chambers are installed.

Once that inspection is complete, backfilling commences which is comprised of sand over the pipes/chambers, then topsoil. The topsoil we use is screened and of high quality, ready for sod/seed. The system is left nicely landscaped to however the owner requests it..it can be left plain, or decorated with rocks etc.

If the house is under construction, typically the plumber installs the pipe from the house to the septic tank. If the pipe is already prepared when we come in, then we can simply do the hook up. 

Maintenance

Building Code Regulates effluent filters are required in new septic tanks.
This means they have to be cleaned at least once a year or more depending on the usage of the system.
Cars need maintenance like oil changes, furnaces need air filters changed..septic tanks need filter cleaning for it to work properly & efficiently!!! The result of not cleaning a septic tank filter is clogging of large particles in the filter which then causes sewage to back up into the house...which is not pretty and can be costly.

A different type of system called tertiary treatment is the Waterloo Biofilter. Its significantly newer technology but replaces a conventional system when needed, properties are getting smaller or more difficult to build on, and new bylaws are being put into place that restrict building which means these systems can be the answer. They cost more, but may allow a homeowner to build on his lot rather than keeping it as an expensive picnic site!! With these systems comes yearly maintenance required by Building Code to be serviced by a qualified Waterloo biofilter installer.

Which is where Septic System Design comes in handy. We are qualified to maintain Waterloo Biofilter systems, 
but we design all types of tertiary treatment units.
Further, if a homeowner has any installer put a Waterloo Biofilter unit in, they are not obligated to have that same installer service the equipment.

Call Septic System Design!

Renovations

Suppose you are considering an addition or a renovation.

Whether you are considering turning your cottage into a permanent residence, or you just want the extra capacity, before you can acquire a building permit, you may have to prove that the septic system is adequate to accomodate the desired renovation. 

We can help determine the new flows and the anticipated usage then refer back to the paperwork (Certificate of Approval & Use Permit) which will allow you to understand if your existing system is sufficient or if you need to implement a system with more capacity.

On your behalf, we can submit a review application to the conservation authority, often Septic System Design does not ever meet the owners, we can deal exclusively with the builder/contractor to help figure out all the details.  

It's very important to note that you are required to have all the paperwork associated with your septic system. Often homeowners do  not have records, this can require communication with the central office in North bay to retrieve the existing permits from archives, which can be very time consuming and frustrating. Look to us to help navigate the system. 

If no records exist, then typically the system in place is very old or put in illegally. In those particular cases we can be very helpful in finding ways to proceed, for example documenting the existing system and finding ways to get it approved, or developing a new system that will sufficiently cover your needs. 

We do our best to get you a  building permit, with the least frustration and ensure proper function of your system.

Troubleshooting

Septic System Design is available for troubleshooting problems with an existing system. 

We can provide assessments and reccomendations to resolve problems, for example:

  • Bed Failure
  • Pump Failure
  • Sewage Backup

Often, we can resolve simply problems on site, like changing a pump or unblocking a baffle. 

Here are some examples of problems we have discovered:
This particular bed was hit by lightning, the reaction blasted the dirt away from the piping.

A closer picture of lightning damage:

Sometimes, the problem is not so obvious, in the photo below, ponding is visible on the ground surface, this is a clear indication of a problem with the system.

 

Other problems are consierably more obvious, the black soil is refferred to as biomatting, it forms naturally over time and eventually becomes so thick that the effluent entering the pipe cannot drain. This forces the effuent upwards and starts ponding on the surface, as shown above. It can also back up into the house, it will always follow the path of least resistence, unfortunatley this can mean backing up into the house.

This particular septic tank's lid deterioated, the cause of this is typically the strong gases inside the tank created from water softeners.
Just like Canadian cars, salt being the primary ingredient in water softeners, it damages septic systems the same way it damages our cars.

The design of a proper septic system will include a seperate dischage for the water softener, away from the septic system.
An assessment can determine how your system is operating to ensure you avoid costly repairs or entire system replacements.

This photo illustrates biomat that had grown to 5' in depth.
When we do an installation in an existing site, we make sure to dig out all the biomat, typically the bed is raised to reduce the likilness of ground water troubles, beds installed into the water table or too close to the water table can contaminate drinking water and our lakes, which also does not promote proper treatment of the effluent through the soil and a leading cause to biomat formation.

The biomat is so dense that it entirelly prevents draining, which is the primary cause of system backup.


This is a 7 hole croncrete distibution box, it is a preferred way of distrbuting effluent instead of using a solid header across the top of a bed.
This particular box is old and very deteriorated and needs to be changed, which an assessment would quickly determine.


This is an example of what nearby trees can do to a septic bed, as time goes on, the roots of trees can be detrimental to a septic system, and because of the nutrient rich soil, it's almost certain that if a tree is close enough, the majority of it's roots will grow towards the septic bed.

 

This is the end result of excessive root growth, sewage ponding/malfunctioning and bed failure.



This is a distribution box indicating bed failure. The sewage level being far above the level of the pipes inside indicating poor drainage.
Sometimes the cause of these problems can be discovered through a series of simple questions.

October 10, 2025
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