Why some lots need more than a tank and trench
A conventional septic system relies on the soil to finish treating wastewater. When soil is shallow, wet, or too tight, or a lot is small or close to water, a conventional field may not be permitted. The EPA's overview of septic system types describes alternatives for these situations. Aerobic treatment units, for example, inject oxygen into the treatment tank to increase bacterial activity, and the EPA says they can be used for homes with smaller lots, inadequate soil conditions, high water tables, or proximity to sensitive surface water.
Other alternatives the EPA lists include drip distribution, mound systems, recirculating sand filters and community systems. Which ones are allowed on your lot is decided by the state's approved products and the county's review of your soil report, not by a sales brochure.
What Georgia means by alternative
Georgia's Chapter 511-3-1 defines an alternative on-site sewage management system as one that differs in design or operation from the conventional or chamber septic tank or privy and has been approved by the Department of Public Health. The state publishes product approvals, and Hall County's Environmental Health page points to the state's approved sewage products list.
Pump systems are a common middle step. When the field is uphill from the house, or effluent must be dosed across a large field, a pump tank lifts it. The EPA notes that systems with electrical float switches, pumps or mechanical components should generally be inspected once a year, more often than a conventional system.
Permits and operating requirements in Hall County
Hall County's fee schedule effective January 1, 2024 lists pump systems for residential use, and for commercial systems up to 3,000 gallons per day, at $600, and lists advanced treatment systems in the same category at $600. That compares with $350 for a conventional residential permit for five bedrooms or fewer. The county's Land Use page also posts Advanced Treatment Operating System Requirements, which owners should read before choosing a unit, because they affect what you must do after installation.
As with any new system, the county requires the application package described in our Hall County septic permit guide, including a level III soil report and a to-scale site plan. New construction cannot get a building permit until the septic permit is issued.
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Free Quote RequestLiving with an engineered system
Mechanical systems have parts that wear: pumps, floats, alarms and, on aerobic units, blowers. The EPA says a service contract is important for alternative systems because of those mechanized parts. Keep the alarm working and know what it means. Keep records of every service visit, as the EPA recommends for all septic owners.
The tank still needs pumping. Georgia's septage standards apply to every certified pumper, and the written tank-condition report they must provide is just as useful on an engineered system. Our pumping guide lists those requirements.
Questions to ask before you sign
Ask which Georgia-approved product is proposed and why a conventional or chamber field will not work on your soil report. Ask what the county's operating requirements will mean for you each year, who will provide the annual inspection, and what happens if the alarm sounds at night. Ask whether the system's setbacks fit the lot; the state's distances are listed in our Georgia septic setbacks guide.
If you are replacing a failing conventional field with an engineered system, read drain field repair as well, since Georgia treats that work as a permitted repair.
Comparing a conventional field with an engineered option
A conventional or chamber field is usually the simplest system to own because it has few moving parts. Engineered systems trade that simplicity for the ability to serve difficult sites. The EPA lists benefits such as use on smaller lots, poor soils, high water tables, or near sensitive surface water. The trade-off is ongoing maintenance and electricity for pumps and blowers.
Ask for the site-specific reason. If the soil report or setbacks rule out a conventional field, the provider should be able to point to the specific limit. Georgia's setbacks for fields, such as fifty feet from the normal water level of a lake or stream and one hundred feet from wells, often decide the matter on Lake Lanier and creekside lots.
Budget time as well as money. Engineered systems may require a design review and the county's operating requirements, and they add steps to the installation process. Plan the permit timeline before you set a move-in date.