WASTEWATER FAQ’s
If I have a property that doesn’t have enough septic capacity, are there any alternative “green” systems I can use to allow me to build a house?
Possibly. At this time, a building constructed with composting toilets and without any flush toilets can receive a 25% reduction in leach field size as compared to a building with flush toilets.
There are several types of pre-treatment units available for pre-treating the effluent that comes out of the septic tank before it goes to the leach field. In some cases these can increase the septic capacity of the property. However, they often do not help much on properties with very poor soils for wastewater disposal.
If I use a composting toilet or other “green” system, do I still need a leach field?
In almost all cases, some form of leach field will be required. There are no alternative technologies currently approved in Vermont that are allowed to be used without a leach field.
What about a composting toilet and a pipe which drains the greywater into the ground?
If a composting toilet is used, a reduced sized leach field must still be designed and constructed to handle the greywater.
Will a composting toilet or constructed wetland save me money?
Not generally. A composting toilet can enable you to reduce the size of the leach field by 25%. This might save you up to a few thousand dollars. On the other hand, a composting toilet can cost up to $7,000 more than a conventional toilet.
A constructed wetland, when approved, can be used like a mechanical pre-treatment unit (see definitions page) and, in some cases, can allow you to reduce the size of your leach field. The cost of the wetland is comparable to the mechanical unit. However, the cost of any of the pre-treatment units will likely be greater than the savings from reducing the size of the leach field.
Why do I need a soils investigation performed before I buy land to build a house?
What if you buy a parcel of land to build a house and find out, after you own it, that you can’t build a house on it legally? This can happen in Vermont. If the seller cannot provide you with written documentation from a qualified consultant that a soils investigation has been performed on the property and that there is septic capacity for what you want to build, you should have that done yourself. You probably wouldn’t buy an existing house without getting it inspected. It is the same for land. Earthbound Services, LLC does soils investigations to determine septic capacity. This is the only way to know if you can legally build a residence with plumbing in Vermont.
Do I need a state permit to build a camp or cabin?
If you don’t plan to have plumbing other than a sink and don’t plan to live in the building year round, then you most likely will not need a permit.
Go to the Definitions page for more information.
Information provided on this website is not to be construed as professional advice. Please call us or email us about your unique project.
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