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Comprehensive Plan Sanitary Sewer Sub -Element <br />During the wet season,menths e€ <br />June through October, , the water table in much of the county ma} <br />be-e4y­is less than 24- 10 inches below this infiltF ting sur-faee the existing natural grade. <br />Therefore, fill material is often placed on top of existing soil creating a mound to achieve the <br />required 24 inch separation between the bottom of the drainfield and the wet season water table. <br />This fill material, which provides the depth necessary for the proper operation of the septic tank <br />system, is usually a high!), per-eus sand that eeAi pufify the liquids disehar-ged into <br />dfainfield-.t p� ically contains slightly limited soils that treat effluent discharged into the <br />drainfield. <br />The DOH has determined that the average life of a residential septic system (includin <br />drainfield) is 19 years and that of a commercial system is 10 years. Routine maintenance and <br />proper use can extend the life of a septic system. When septic systems are repaired, the DOH <br />allows for a drainfield replacement according to the rules in place at the time of original <br />construction. Most repairs for parcels developed prior to 1983 are permitted with only a 6 inch <br />separation between the bottom of the drainfield and the wet season water table rather than 24 <br />inches. <br />In low density areas with adequate soils where septic tanks systems are appropriate, there can <br />still be problems if septic tanks systems are not maintained. Generally, septic tanks need to be <br />pumped every 3 to 5 years. While there are private septic tank service <br />companies which empty- um septic tanks and haul away septage, it is the septic tank owner <br />who is responsible for initiating maintenance activities. Improperly maintained septic systems <br />can cause a system failure and a sanitary nuisance often requiring a repair of the septic system. <br />Even when fill material is plaeed en a residential let, there are still meas of the eounty in whi <br />there are problems with septie tank system Besides soil and groundwater conditions, adverse <br />impacts may arise dw se-preble-ms maw -be -due to inadequate separation between septic tank <br />system drainfields and wells or waterbodies. Without adequate separation, the potential of <br />contamination from septic tanks systems seeping into wells or waterbodies is greatly increased. <br />The DOH requires a minimum separation of 75 feet between wells and <br />septic tanks systems for parcels recorded or platted after 1972. Gefiefally, he DOH 1RC14D <br />requires diat-new construction lets -utilizing a well and septic4ank systems to be a minimum of 1/2 <br />acre (approximately 20,00 21,780 square feet). If a lot is served by a public water system, a <br />septic ta&-s sy tem may be used even if the lot is as small as '/4 acre (approximately 10,000 <br />10,890 square feet). <br />There are many areas of the county in which existing subdivisions contain lots which do not <br />meet the minimum acreage requirements_ Nevertheless, parcels <br />recorded or platted prior to 1972 that are smaller than 21,780 and 10,890 square feet are <br />grandfathered in and are being developed and repaired based on lot flow allowances residential <br />Community Development Department Indian River County 21 <br />Appendix A <br />