New septic systems
Building on acreage outside town? Here's how a new septic system gets designed, permitted and built in Yavapai County.
If your lot isn't near a sewer line, the house will need its own on-site wastewater system. In Yavapai County, Development Services' Environmental Unit permits and inspects conventional and alternative systems up to 24,000 gallons per day, acting for ADEQ. A typical home falls well under that.
How does the process work?
- Site investigation. Soil, depth to rock or caliche, slope and setbacks from wells, washes and property lines are evaluated. This is the step that decides what kind of system will work.
- Design. The designer chooses a conventional system or alternative treatment products from ADEQ's approved list based on the site-limiting conditions.
- Notice of Intent to Construct. The application is filed and reviewed. ADEQ's general permit allows two years to build after approval.
- Installation and inspection. The system is built and inspected before it's covered.
- Discharge Authorization. Once construction and testing are verified, the system is authorized for use.
Conventional or alternative?
A conventional system is a tank and a gravity disposal field. Where the soil is shallow or the site is tight, an alternative system adds treatment, such as an aerobic unit or a media filter, so the wastewater is cleaner before it reaches a smaller or shallower field. Alternative systems usually have pumps, floats and alarms, and the EPA recommends an annual inspection for that kind of equipment.
Planning tips
- Ask the county for any old perc test or septic records on the parcel before you buy
- Place the well and the house with the disposal field in mind
- Plan for bedrooms you might add later, since system size is tied to expected flow
- Keep the field out of driveways, corrals and future shop sites
The septic company prices the job after learning about your system and, for repairs or new installs, seeing the site. We don't quote prices, and any figure given over the phone is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I get existing perc test results for a lot?
Often, yes. Yavapai County's Environmental Unit takes requests for septic and percolation test records by parcel number.
Who issues septic permits in Yavapai County?
Yavapai County Development Services' Environmental Unit, which works on ADEQ's behalf for systems up to 24,000 gallons per day.
Related services
More background: Yavapai County septic guide.
Selling a house on septic, or drains backing up?
Call now and a local septic company will help you sort out what's needed.