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Texas Administrative Code
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TITLE
30
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ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY
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PART
1
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TEXAS
COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
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CHAPTER
285
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ON-SITE
SEWAGE FACILITIES
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SUBCHAPTER
D
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PLANNING,
CONSTRUCTION, AND INSTALLATION STANDARDS FOR OSSFS
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RULE §285.33
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Criteria
for Effluent Disposal Systems
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(a) General requirements.
(1) All disposal systems in this section shall have an approved treatment system
as specified in §285.32(b) - (d) of this title (relating to Criteria for Sewage
Treatment Systems).
(2) All criteria in this section shall be met before the permitting authority
issues an authorization to construct.
(3) The pipe between all treatment tanks and the pipe from the final treatment
tank to a gravity disposal system shall be a minimum of three inches in diameter
and be American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) 3034, Standard
dimension ratio (SDR) 35 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe or a pipe with an
equivalent or stronger pipe stiffness at a 5% deflection. The pipe must maintain
a continuous fall to the disposal system.
(4) The pipe from the final treatment tank to a gravity disposal system shall be
a minimum of five feet in length.
(b) Standard disposal systems. Acceptable standard disposal methods shall
consist of a drainfield to disperse the effluent either into adjacent soil
(absorptive) or into the surrounding air through evapotranspiration (evaporation
and transpiration).
(1) Absorptive drainfield. An absorptive drainfield shall only be used in
suitable soil. There shall be two feet of suitable soil from the bottom of the
excavation to either a restrictive horizon or to groundwater.
(A) Excavation. The excavation must be made in suitable soils as described in §285.31(b)
of this title (relating to General Criteria for Treatment and Disposal Systems).
(i) The excavation shall be at least 18 inches deep but shall not exceed a depth
of either three feet or six inches below the soil freeze depth, whichever is
deeper. Single excavations shall not exceed 150 feet.
(ii) In areas of the state where annual precipitation is less than 26 inches per
year (as identified in the Climatic Atlas of Texas, (1983) published by the
Texas Department of Water Resources or other standards approved by the executive
director), and suitable soils (Class Ib, II, or III) lie below unsuitable soil
caps, the maximum permissible excavation depth shall be five feet.
(iii) Multiple excavations must be separated horizontally by at least three feet
of undisturbed soil. The sidewalls and bottom of the excavation must be
scarified as needed. When there are multiple excavations, it is recommended that
the ends be looped together.
(iv) The bottom of the excavation shall be not less than 18 inches in width.
(v) The bottom of the excavation shall be level to within one inch over each 25
feet of excavation or within three inches over the entire excavation, whichever
is less.
(vi) If the borings or backhoe pits excavated during the site evaluation
encounter a rock horizon and the site evaluation shows that there is both
suitable soil from the bottom of the rock horizon to two feet below the bottom
of the proposed excavation and no groundwater anywhere within two feet of the
bottom of the proposed excavation, a standard subsurface disposal system may be
used, providing the following are met.
(I) The depth of the excavation shall comply with clause (i) of this
subparagraph.
(II) The rock horizon shall be at least six inches above the bottom of the
excavation.
(III) Surface runoff shall be prevented from flowing over the disposal area.
(IV) Subsurface flow along the top of the rock horizon shall be prevented from
flowing into the excavation.
(V) The sidewall area will not be counted toward the required absorptive area.
(VI) The formulas in clause (vii)(I) - (III) of this subparagraph shall be
adjusted so that no credit is given for sidewall area.
(VII) No single pipe drainfields on sloping ground as shown in §285.90(5) of
this title or no systems using serial loading shall be used.
(vii) The size of the excavation shall be calculated using data from §285.91(1)
and (3) of this title (relating to Tables). The soil application rate is based
on the most restrictive horizon along the media, or within two feet below the
bottom of the excavation. The formula A = Q/Ra shall be used to determine the
total absorptive area where:
Attached
Graphic
(I) The absorptive area shall be calculated by adding the bottom area (L x W) of
the excavation to the total absorptive area along the excavated perimeter
(2(L+W), in feet) multiplied by one foot.
Attached
Graphic
(II) The length of the excavation may be determined as follows when the area and
width are known.
Attached
Graphic
(III) For excavations three feet wide or less, use the following formula, or §285.91(8)
of this title to determine L.
Attached
Graphic
(B) Media. The media shall consist of clean, washed and graded gravel, broken
concrete, rock, crushed stone, chipped tires, or similar aggregate that is
generally one uniform size and approved by the executive director. The size of
the media must range from 0.75 - 2.0 inches as measured along its greatest
dimension except as noted in clause (i) of this subparagraph.
(i) If chipped tires are used:
(I) a geotextile fabric heavier than specified in subparagraph (E) of this
paragraph must be used; and
(II) the size of the chipped tires must not exceed three inches as measured
along their greatest dimension.
(ii) Soft media such as oyster shell and soft limestone shall not be used.
(C) Drainline. The drainline shall be constructed of perforated distribution
pipe and fittings in compliance with any one of the following specifications.
(i) three or four inch diameter PVC pipe with an SDR of 35 or stronger;
(ii) four inch diameter corrugated polyethylene, ASTM F405 in rigid ten foot
joints;
(iii) three or four inch diameter polyethylene smoothwall, ASTM F810;
(iv) three or four inch diameter PVC ASTM D2729 pipe;
(v) three or four inch diameter polyethylene ASTM F892 corrugated pipe with a
smoothwall interior and fittings; or
(vi) any other pipe approved by the executive director.
(D) Drainline Installation Requirements. The drainline shall be placed in the
media with at least six inches of media between the bottom of the excavation and
the bottom of the drainline. The drainline shall be completely covered by the
media and the drainline perforations shall be below the horizontal center line
of the pipe. For typical drainfield configurations, see §285.90(5) of this
title (relating to Figures). For excavations greater than four feet in width,
the maximum distance between parallel drainlines shall be four feet (center to
center). Multiple drainlines shall be manifolded together with solid or
perforated pipe. Additionally, the ends of the multiple drainlines opposite the
manifolded end shall either be manifolded together with a solid line, looped
together using a perforated pipe and media, or capped.
(E) Permeable soil barrier. Geotextile fabric shall be used as the permeable
soil barrier and shall be placed between the top of the media and the excavation
backfill. Geotextile fabric shall conform to the following specifications for
unwoven, spun-bounded polypropylene, polyester or nylon filter wrap.
Attached
Graphic
(F) Backfilling. Only Class Ib, II, or III soils as described in §285.30 of
this title (relating to Site Evaluation) shall be used for backfill. Class Ia
and IV soils are specifically prohibited for use as a backfill material. The
backfill material shall be mounded over the excavated area so that the center of
the backfilled area slopes down to the outer perimeter of the excavated area to
allow for settling. Surface runoff impacting the disposal area is not permitted
and the diversion method shall be addressed during development of the planning
materials.
(G) Drainfields on irregular terrain. Where the ground slope is greater than 15%
but less than 30%, a multiple line drainfield may be constructed along
descending contours as shown in §285.90(5) of this title. An overflow line
shall be provided from the upper excavations to the lower excavations. The
overflow line shall be constructed from solid pipe with an SDR of 35 or
stronger, and the excavation carrying the overflow pipe shall be backfilled with
soil only.
(H) Drainfield plans. A number of sketches, specifications, and details for
drainfield construction are provided in §285.90(4) and (5) of this title.
(2) Evapotranspirative (ET) system. An ET system may be used in soils which are
classified as unsuitable for standard subsurface absorption systems according to
§285.31(b) of this title with respect to texture, restrictive horizons or
groundwater. Water saving devices must be used if an ET system is to be
installed. ET systems shall only be used in areas of the state where the annual
average evaporation exceeds the annual rainfall. Evaporation data is provided in
§285.91(7) of this title.
(A) Liners. An impervious liner shall be used between the excavated surface and
the ET system in all Class Ia soils, where seasonal groundwater tables penetrate
the excavation, and where a minimum of two feet of suitable soil does not exist
between the excavated surface and either a restrictive horizon or groundwater.
Liners shall be rubber, plastic, reinforced concrete, gunite, or compacted clay
(one foot thick or more). If the liner is rubber or plastic, it must be
impervious, and each layer must be at least 20 mils thick. Rubber or plastic
liners must be protected from exposed rocks and stones by covering the excavated
surface with a uniform sand cushion at least four inches thick. Clay liners
shall have a permeability of 10 -7 cm/sec or less, as tested by a certified soil
laboratory.
(B) ET system sizing. The following formula shall be used to calculate the top
surface area of an ET system.
Attached
Graphic
The owner of the ET system shall be advised by the person preparing the
planning materials of the limits placed on the system by the Q selected. If the
Q is less than required by §285.91(3) of this title, the flow rate shall be
included as a condition to the permit, and stated in an affidavit properly filed
and recorded in the deed records of the county as specified in §285.3(b)(3) of
this title (relating to General Requirements).
(C) Backfill material. Backfill material shall consist of Class II soil as
described in §285.30 of this title. All drainlines must be surrounded by a
minimum of one foot of media. Backfill shall be used to fill the excavation
between the media to allow the backfill material to contact the bottom of the
excavation.
(D) Vegetative cover for transpiration. The final grade shall be covered with
vegetation fully capable of taking maximum advantage of transpiration. Evergreen
bushes with shallow root systems may be planted in the disposal area to assist
in water uptake. Grasses with dormant periods shall be overseeded to provide
year-round transpiration.
(E) ET systems. ET systems shall be divided into two or more equal excavations
connected by flow control valves. One excavation may be removed from service for
an extended period of time to allow it to dry out and decompose biological
material which might plug the excavation. If one of the excavations is removed
from service, the daily water usage must be reduced to prevent overloading of
the excavation(s) still in operation. Normally, an excavation must be removed
from service for two to three dry months for biological breakdown to occur.
(F) ET system plans. A number of sketches for ET system construction are
provided in §285.90(4) and (5) of this title.
(3) Pumped effluent drainfield. Pumped effluent drainfields shall use the
specifications for low pressure dosed drainfields described in subsection (d)(1)
of this section, with the following exceptions.
(A) Applicability. If the slope of the site is greater than 2.0%, pumped
effluent drainfields shall not be used. Pumped effluent drainfields may only be
used by single family dwellings.
(B) Length of distribution pipe. There shall be at least 1,000 linear feet of
perforated pipe for a two bedroom single family dwelling. For each additional
bedroom, there shall be an additional 400 linear feet of perforated pipe. No
individual distribution line shall exceed 70 feet in length from the header.
(C) Excavation width and horizontal separation. The excavated area shall be at
least six inches wide. There shall be at least three feet of separation between
trenches.
(D) Lateral depth and vertical separation. All drainfield laterals shall be
between 18 inches and 3 feet deep. There shall be a minimum vertical separation
distance of one foot from the bottom of the excavation to a restrictive horizon,
and a minimum vertical separation of two feet from the bottom of the excavation
to groundwater.
(E) Media. Each dosing pipe shall be placed with the drain holes facing down and
placed on top of at least 6 inches of media (pea gravel or media up to two
inches measured along its greatest dimension).
(F) Pipe and hole size. The distribution (dosing) and
manifold (header) pipe shall be 1.25 - 1.5 inches in diameter. The manifold may
have a diameter larger than the distribution pipe, but shall not exceed 1.5
inches in diameter. Distribution (dosing) pipe holes shall be 3/16 - 1/4 inch in
diameter and shall be spaced five feet apart.
(G) Pump size. Pumped effluent drainfields shall use at least a 1/2 horsepower
pump.
(H) Backfilling. Only Class Ib, II, or III soils as described in §285.30(b)(1)(A)
of this title shall be used for backfill.
(c) Proprietary disposal systems.
(1) Gravel-less drainfield piping. Gravel-less pipe may be used only on sites
suitable for standard subsurface sewage disposal methods. Gravel-less pipe shall
be eight-inch or ten-inch diameter corrugated perforated polyethylene pipe. The
pipe shall be enclosed in a layer of unwoven spun-bonded polypropylene,
polyester or nylon filter wrap. Gravel-less pipe shall meet ASTM F-667 Standard
Specifications for large diameter corrugated high density polyethylene (ASTM D
1248) tubing. The filter cloth must meet the same material specifications as
described under subsection (b)(1)(E) of this section.
(A) Planning parameters. Gravel-less drainfield pipe may be substituted for
drainline pipe in both absorptive and ET systems. When gravel-less pipe is
substituted, media will not be required. ET systems shall be backfilled with
Class II soils only. All other planning parameters for absorptive or ET systems
apply to drainfields using gravel-less pipe.
(B) Installation. The connection from the solid line leaving the treatment tank
to the gravel-less line shall be made by using an eight or ten-inch offset
connector. The gravel-less line shall be laid level, the continuous stripe shall
be up, and the lines shall be joined together with couplings. A filter cloth
must be pulled over the joint to eliminate soil infiltration. The gravel-less
pipe must be held in place during initial backfilling to prevent movement of the
pipe. The end of each gravel-less line shall have an end cap and an inspection
port. The inspection port shall allow for easy monitoring of the amount of
sludge or suspended solids in the line, and allow the distribution lines to be
back-flushed.
(C) Drainfield sizing. To determine appropriate drainfield sizing, use a
drainfield width of W = 2.0 feet for an eight-inch diameter gravel-less pipe,
and an excavation width of W = 2.5 for a 10-inch gravel-less pipe.
Attached
Graphic
(2) Leaching chambers. Leaching chambers are bottomless chambers that are
installed in a drainfield excavation with the open bottom of the chamber in
direct contact with the excavation. The ends of the chamber rows shall be linked
together with non-perforated sewer pipe. The chambers shall completely cover the
excavation, and adjacent chambers must be in contact with each other in such a
manner that the chambers will not separate. To obtain the reduction in
drainfield size allowed in subparagraph (A)(i) - (ii) of this paragraph for
excavations wider than the chambers, the chambers shall be placed edge to edge.
(A) The following formulas shall be used to determine the length of an
excavation using leaching chambers.
(i) The following formula is used for leaching chambers without water saving
devices.
Attached
Graphic
(ii) The following formula is used for leaching chambers with water saving
devices.
Attached
Graphic
(B) Leaching chambers shall not be used for absorptive drainfields in Class Ia
or IV soils. Leaching chambers may be used instead of media in ET systems,
low-pressure dosed drainfields, and soil substitution drainfields; however, the
size of the drainfield shall not be reduced from the required area.
(C) Backfill covering leaching chambers shall be Class Ib, II, or III soil.
(3) Drip Irrigation. Drip irrigation systems using secondary treatment may be
used in all soil classes including Class IV soils. The system must be equipped
with a filtering device capable of filtering particles larger than 100 microns
and that meets the manufacturer's requirements.
(A) Drainfield layout. The drainfield shall consist of a matrix of
small-diameter pressurized lines, buried at least six inches deep, and pressure
reducing emitters spaced at a maximum of 30-inch intervals. The pressure
reducing emitter shall restrict the flow of effluent to a flow rate low enough
to ensure equal distribution of effluent throughout the drainfield.
(B) Effluent quality. The treatment preceding a drip irrigation system shall
treat the wastewater to secondary treatment as described in §285.32(e) of this
title unless the drip irrigation system has been approved by the executive
director as a proprietary disposal system without the use of secondary
treatment.
(C) System flushing. Systems must be equipped to flush the contents of the lines
back to the pretreatment unit when intermittent flushing is used. If continuous
flushing is used during the pumping cycle, the contents of the lines must be
returned to the pump tank.
(D) Loading rates. Pressure reducing emitters can be used in all classes of
soils using loading rates specified in §285.91(1) of this title. Pressure
reducing emitters are assumed to wet four square feet of absorptive area per
emitter, however, overlapping areas shall only be counted once toward absorptive
area requirements. The loading rate shall be based on the most restrictive soil
horizon within one foot of the pressure reducing emitter. When solid rock is
less than 12 inches below the pressure reducing emitter, the loading rate shall
be based on Class IV soils.
(E) Vertical separation distance. There shall be a minimum of one foot of soil
between the pressure reducing emitter and groundwater and six inches between the
pressure reducing emitter and solid rock, or fractured rock. For proprietary
disposal systems that do not pretreat to secondary treatment, there shall be two
feet of soil between the groundwater and pressure reducing emitter and one foot
of soil between solid rock or fractured rock and the pressure reducing emitter.
(F) Labeling or listing. All drip irrigation system devices shall either be
labeled by the manufacturer as suitable for use with domestic sewage, or be on
the list of approved devices maintained by the executive director according to
§285.32(c)(4) of this title.
(4) Approval of proprietary disposal systems. All proprietary disposal systems,
other than those described in this section, shall be approved by the executive
director before they may be used. Proprietary disposal systems shall be approved
by the executive director using the procedures established in §285.32(c)(4)(B)
of this title.
(d) Non-standard disposal systems. All disposal systems not described or defined
in subsections (b) and (c) of this section are non-standard disposal systems.
Planning materials for non-standard disposal systems must be developed by a
professional engineer or professional sanitarian using basic engineering and
scientific principles. The planning materials for paragraphs (1) - (5) of this
subsection shall be submitted to the permitting authority and the permitting
authority shall review and either approve or disapprove them on a case-by-case
basis according to §285.5 of this title (relating to Submittal Requirements for
Planning Materials). Electrical wiring for non-standard disposal systems shall
be installed according to §285.34(c) of this title. Upon approval of the
planning materials, an authorization to construct will be issued by the
permitting authority. Approval for a non-standard disposal system is limited to
the specific system described in the planning materials for the specific
location. The systems identified in paragraphs (1) - (5) of this subsection must
meet these requirements, in addition to the requirements identified for each
specific system in this section.
(1) Low pressure dosed drainfield. Effluent from this type of system shall be
pumped, under low pressure, into a solid wall force main and then into a
perforated distribution pipe installed within the drainfield area.
(A) The effluent pump in the pump tank must be capable of an operating range
that will assure that effluent is delivered to the most distant point of the
perforated piping network, yet not be excessive to the point that blowouts
occur.
(B) A start/stop switch or timer must be included in the system to control the
dosing pump. An audible and visible high water alarm, on an electric circuit
separate from the pump, must be provided.
(C) Pressure dosing systems shall be installed according to either design
criteria in the North Carolina State University Sea Grant College Publication
UNC-S82-03 (1982) or other publications containing criteria or data on
pressure dosed systems which are acceptable to the permitting authority.
Additionally, the following sizing parameters are required for all low pressure
dosed drainfields and shall be used in place of the sizing parameters in the North
Carolina State University Sea Grant College Publication or other acceptable
publications.
(i) The low pressure dosed drainfield area shall be sized according to the
effluent loading rates in §285.91(1) of this title and the wastewater usage
rates in §285.91(3) of this title. The effluent loading rate (Ra ) in the
formula in §285.91(1) of this title shall be based on the most restrictive
horizon one foot below the bottom of the excavation. Excavated areas can be as
close as three feet apart, measured center to center. All excavations shall be
at least six inches wide. To determine the length of the excavation, use the
following formulas, where L = excavation length, and A = absorptive area:
(I) If the media in the excavation is at least one foot deep, the length of the
excavation is L = A/(w+2) where:
(-a-) w = the width of the excavation for excavations one foot wide or greater;
or
(-b-) w = 1 for all excavations less than one foot wide.
(II) If the media in the excavation is less than one foot deep, the length of
the excavation is L = A/(w + 2H), where H = the depth of the media in feet and:
(-a-) w = the width of the excavation for excavations one foot wide or greater;
or
(-b-) w = 1 for all excavations less than one foot wide.
(ii) Each dosing pipe shall be placed with the drain holes facing down and
placed on top of at least six inches of media (pea gravel or media up to two
inches measured along the greatest dimension).
(iii) Geotextile fabric meeting the criteria in subsection (b)(1)(E) of this
section shall be placed over the media. The excavation shall be backfilled with
Class Ib, II, or III soil.
(iv) There shall be a minimum of one foot of soil between the bottom of the
excavation and solid or fractured rock. There shall be a minimum of two feet of
soil between the bottom of the excavation and groundwater.
(2) Surface application systems. Surface application systems include those
systems that spray treated effluent onto the ground.
(A) Acceptable surface application areas. Land acceptable for surface
application shall have a flat terrain (with less than or equal to 15% slope) and
shall be covered with grasses, evergreen shrubs, bushes, trees, or landscaped
beds containing mixed vegetation. There shall be nothing in the surface
application area within ten feet of the sprinkler which would interfere with the
uniform application of the effluent. Sloped land (with greater than 15%) may be
acceptable if it is properly landscaped and terraced to minimize runoff.
(B) Unacceptable surface application areas. Land that is used for growing food,
gardens, orchards, or crops that may be used for human consumption, as well as
unseeded bare ground, shall not be used for surface application.
(C) Technical report. A technical report shall be prepared for any system using
surface application and shall be submitted with the planning materials required
in §285.5(a) of this title. The technical report shall describe the operation
of the entire OSSF system, and shall include construction drawings,
calculations, and the system flow diagram. Proprietary aerobic systems may
reference the executive director's approval list instead of furnishing
construction drawings for the system.
(D) Effluent disinfection. Treated effluent must be disinfected before surface
application. Approved disinfection methods shall include chlorination, ozonation,
ultraviolet radiation, or other method approved by the executive director.
Tablet or other dry chlorinators shall use calcium hypochlorite properly labeled
for wastewater disinfection. The effectiveness of the disinfection procedure
will be established by monitoring either the fecal coliform count or total
chlorine residual from representative effluent grab samples as directed in the
testing and reporting schedule. The frequency of testing, the type of tests, and
the required results are shown in §285.91(4) of this title.
(E) Minimum required application area. The minimum surface application area
required shall be determined by dividing the daily usage rate (Q), established
in §285.91(3) of this title, by the allowable surface application rate (Ri =
effective loading rate in gallons per square foot per day) found in §285.90(1)
of this title or as approved by the permitting authority.
(F) Landscaping plan. Applications for surface application disposal systems
shall include a landscape plan. The landscape plan shall describe, in detail,
the type of vegetation to be maintained in the disposal area. Surface
application systems may apply treated and disinfected effluent upon areas with
existing vegetation. If any ground within the proposed surface application area
does not have vegetation, that bare area shall be seeded or covered with sod
before system start-up. The vegetation shall be capable of growth, before system
start-up.
(G) Uniform application of effluent. Distribution pipes, sprinklers, and other
application methods or devices must provide uniform distribution of treated
effluent. The application rate must be adjusted so that there is no runoff.
(i) Sprinkler criteria. The maximum inlet pressure for sprinklers shall be 40
pounds per square inch. Low angle nozzles (15 degrees or less in trajectory)
shall be used in the sprinklers to keep the spray stream low and reduce
aerosols. If the separation distance between the property line and the edge of
the surface application area is less than 20 feet, sprinkler operation shall be
controlled by commercial irrigation timers set to spray between midnight and
5:00 a.m.
(ii) Planning Criteria. Circular spray patterns may overlap to cover all
irrigated area including rectangular shapes. The overlapped area will be counted
only once toward the total application area. For large systems, multiple
sprinkler heads are preferred to single gun delivery systems.
(iii) Effluent storage and pumping requirements.
(I) For systems controlled by a commercial irrigation timer and required to
spray between midnight and 5:00 a.m., there shall be at least one day of storage
between the alarm-on level and the pump-on level, and a storage volume of
one-third the daily flow between the alarm-on level and the inlet to the pump
tank.
(II) For systems not controlled by a commercial irrigation timer, the minimum
dosing volume shall be at least one-half the daily flow, and a storage volume of
one-third the daily flow between the alarm-on level and the inlet to the pump
tank.
(III) Pump tank construction and installation shall be according to §285.34(b)
of this title.
(iv) Distribution piping. Distribution piping shall be installed below the
ground surface and hose bibs shall not be connected to the distribution piping
outside the pump tank. An unthreaded sampling port shall be provided in the
treated effluent line in the pump tank.
(v) Color coding of distribution system. Effective 365 days after the effective
date of these rules, all new distribution piping, fittings, valve box covers,
and sprinkler tops shall be permanently colored purple to identify the system as
a reclaimed water system according to Chapter 210 of this title (relating to Use
of Reclaimed Water).
(3) Mound drainfields. A mound drainfield, an absorptive drainfield constructed
above the native soil surface, shall only be installed on sites with less than
10% slope. A mound drainfield shall only be installed at a site where there is
at least one foot of native soil; however, approval for installation on sites
with less than one foot of native soil may be granted by the permitting
authority on a case-by-case basis. Planning criteria for mound construction
shall either use the design criteria in the North Carolina State University Sea
Grant College Publication UNC-SG-82-04 (1982), the EPA's On-site Wastewater
Treatment and Disposal Systems Design Manual (1980) or any technical
publication containing mound system criteria acceptable to the executive
director.
(A) The depth of the suitable soil material between the bottom of the media
shall be 1.5 feet to the restrictive horizon or two feet to groundwater.
(B) Effluent shall be pressure dosed into the distribution piping to ensure
equal distribution and to control application rates. Shallow placement of the
pressure distribution pipe is recommended to reduce mound height. The toe of the
mound is considered the edge of the disposal area in determining the appropriate
separation distances as listed in §285.91(10) of this title.
(4) Soil substitution drainfields. Soil substitution drainfields may be
constructed in Class Ia soils, fractured rock, fissured rock, or other areas of
high permeability where septic tank effluent could rapidly reach groundwater
without undergoing adequate treatment through soil contact. A soil substitution
drainfield is constructed similar to a standard absorptive drainfield except
that a two foot thick Class Ib, Class II or Class III soil buffer shall be
placed below and on all sides of the drainfield excavation. The soil buffer
shall extend at least to the top of the media. There shall be two feet of soil
between the bottom of the media and groundwater. A soil substitution drainfield
shall not be used in Class IV soils, and Class IV soils shall not be used in a
soil substitution drainfield. Disposal areas shall be sized based on the
textural class of the substituted soil. Soil substitution drainfields shall be
designed to address soil compaction to prevent unlevel systems. It is
recommended that low pressure dosing be used for effluent distribution.
(5) Drainfields following secondary treatment and disinfection. Subsurface
drainfields following secondary treatment and disinfection may be constructed in
Class Ia soils, fractured rock, fissured rock, or other conditions where
insufficient soil depth will allow septic tank effluent to reach fractured rock
or fissured rock, as long as the following conditions are met.
(A) Drainfield sizing.
(i) If the unsuitable feature is Class Ia soil, the disposal area sizing shall
be based on the application rate for Class Ib soil. Some form of pressure
distribution shall be used for effluent disposal.
(ii) If the unsuitable feature is fractured or fissured rock, the system sizing
should be based on the application rate for Class III soil. Some form of
pressure distribution system shall be used for effluent disposal.
(B) Effluent disinfection. Treated effluent must be disinfected as indicated in
§285.32(e) of this title before discharging into the drainfield.
(C) Other requirements. The affidavit, maintenance, and testing and reporting
requirements of §285.3(b)(3) and §285.7(a) and (d) of this title apply to
these systems.
(6) All other non-standard disposal systems. The planning materials for all
non-standard disposal systems not described in paragraphs (1) - (5) of this
subsection shall be submitted to the executive director for review according to
§285.5(b)(2) of this title before the systems can be installed.