Wells, Sump Pumps and Septic Sewage Systems - Ohio sewage disposal question
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Ohio sewage disposal question
JulieC
10-22-09, 01:03 PM
We have 20+ acres in southern Ohio. We inherited this land and plan to build a real house as a retirement home in the far and distant future. For the near future, there is a decrepit little former convenience store that we would are going to convert into a tiny weekend home.
Tiny: 12'x30', one floor, crawlspace foundation.
This is an area that does NOT require building permits but DOES require any plumbing to be inspected.
We do NOT want to spend a ton of money on our tiny cabin.
We DO have ready access to running water (family farm, our piece is about 10% of the whole thing, well line runs right next to the building).
There is NOT any sort of septic/sewer/etc., existing or available.
I would like an actual bathroom. I can live with a composting toilet and minor spillage of sink water out the side of the building, which is what was (is) there.
I haven't gotten a quote, but I don't want to drop thousands into installing a septic system.
QUESTION: Is there something "in between" that meets plumbing code? Something that gets us flush toilet and/or a little more usage than just dumping the water out of the building? I have a hard enough time getting the kids to flush the toilet at home that I'm not looking forward to enforcing "dump some sawdust on your poo". :wall:
Tiny: 12'x30', one floor, crawlspace foundation.
This is an area that does NOT require building permits but DOES require any plumbing to be inspected.
We do NOT want to spend a ton of money on our tiny cabin.
We DO have ready access to running water (family farm, our piece is about 10% of the whole thing, well line runs right next to the building).
There is NOT any sort of septic/sewer/etc., existing or available.
I would like an actual bathroom. I can live with a composting toilet and minor spillage of sink water out the side of the building, which is what was (is) there.
I haven't gotten a quote, but I don't want to drop thousands into installing a septic system.
QUESTION: Is there something "in between" that meets plumbing code? Something that gets us flush toilet and/or a little more usage than just dumping the water out of the building? I have a hard enough time getting the kids to flush the toilet at home that I'm not looking forward to enforcing "dump some sawdust on your poo". :wall:
shacko
10-22-09, 03:51 PM
If where you live requires the plumbing to be inspected you will have to ask your local jurisdiction what it requires for a minimal hook-up, sorry. :confused:
shane21
10-23-09, 11:51 AM
Hang on... this is in Ohio and it was a commercial convenient store and they didn't have a sewage disposal system? How long ago did this store go out of business... like 40 yrs ago?
I do work in Ohio (not septic) and know for a fact the Ohio EPA is ridiculously aggressive about commercial sewage disposal systems so I am having a hard time understanding this building. Maybe it's so rural they never had a complaint so they don't know about it?
If I were you I would call the local county health department and without being too descriptive (as you don't want them knowing where the building is or that you already own it) just ask if they have a set of rules - in print - that you can analyze before you "ahemm...purchase" this piece of land in question.
Once you know what's required (if you can get the regulations in print) you can call a few contractors and ask for some ideas and pricing or you can start doing the research yourself and see if it's a job you feel comfortable doing yourself.
Sewage disposal is the one system I'd be leery of installing from scratch myself as there are so many environmental regulations in place now you could actually end up being fined for improper disposal systems.
I do work in Ohio (not septic) and know for a fact the Ohio EPA is ridiculously aggressive about commercial sewage disposal systems so I am having a hard time understanding this building. Maybe it's so rural they never had a complaint so they don't know about it?
If I were you I would call the local county health department and without being too descriptive (as you don't want them knowing where the building is or that you already own it) just ask if they have a set of rules - in print - that you can analyze before you "ahemm...purchase" this piece of land in question.
Once you know what's required (if you can get the regulations in print) you can call a few contractors and ask for some ideas and pricing or you can start doing the research yourself and see if it's a job you feel comfortable doing yourself.
Sewage disposal is the one system I'd be leery of installing from scratch myself as there are so many environmental regulations in place now you could actually end up being fined for improper disposal systems.
Gunguy45
10-23-09, 01:49 PM
There was a thread (I'll try to find it) about sewage control at campsites or similar. Similar to what is used at national parks for the outhouses in remote areas.....
I believe it would need occasional pumping though..
If there wasn't much usage..that might be an option for black water..though not for gray.
One note (and we practice it here)..if someone just has a liquid release requirement (nice term huh?)..you ask others if they have the same and share the flush.
I once saw a sign at a remote gas station in Montana or one of the Dakotas that said..."if its yellow, let it mellow...if its brown, flush it down".
I believe it would need occasional pumping though..
If there wasn't much usage..that might be an option for black water..though not for gray.
One note (and we practice it here)..if someone just has a liquid release requirement (nice term huh?)..you ask others if they have the same and share the flush.
I once saw a sign at a remote gas station in Montana or one of the Dakotas that said..."if its yellow, let it mellow...if its brown, flush it down".
nap
10-23-09, 02:35 PM
There was a thread (I'll try to find it) about sewage control at campsites or similar. Similar to what is used at national parks for the outhouses in remote areas.....
I believe it would need occasional pumping though..
.
I would call them storage tanks.
If a person is into do-it-yourself, a drywell can be built for a couple hundred bucks but a septic tank is additional to that.
Of course, that is if the drywell is legally acceptable.
I believe it would need occasional pumping though..
.
I would call them storage tanks.
If a person is into do-it-yourself, a drywell can be built for a couple hundred bucks but a septic tank is additional to that.
Of course, that is if the drywell is legally acceptable.
goldstar
10-23-09, 05:41 PM
You could also contact a septic system company in the area. Since you are only going to use this place on some weekends, you could get by with a holding tank, sized to your family. Of course you need to have it set in the ground and plumbed. Probably wouldn't need pump out more than once a year or maybe two years. In my part of the state they are very strict on septic systems and check them (at owner expense) every five years.
shane21
10-23-09, 06:48 PM
I know in NE Ohio (Summit County) "dump and pump" tanks are not permitted anymore. I'm sure you could do just about anything and it would work if you only plan to use it for a weekend at a time a few times a year but I'm guessing none of the cheap fixes would be allowed if it were inspected.