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New York State Septic System Design Regulations 75-A.9 Alternative Septic Systems, Raised Bed Septic System Design InspectAPedia®  -     Raised Bed Septic System design specifications & regulations

This document uses the New York State wastewater treatment standard for individual household septic systems (Appendix 75-A) to provide an example of state regulated design and installation of alternative septic system designs, including raised septic systems, septic mound systems, intermittent sand filter septic systems, and evaportion-transpiration septic systems. Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers welcomed and are listed at "References."

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Section 75-A.9 Alternative Septic Systems: (b) Raised Septic Systems Design Criteria

Title: Appendix 75-A.9 - Alternative Septic Systems [Regulation and System Design Criteria for Raised Septic Systems, Septic Mound Systems, Intermittent Sand Filter Bed Systems, Evaporation-Transpiration Septic Systems, Evaporation-Transpiration Absorption Septic Systems, and Other Alternative Septic Systems]
Effective Date: 12/01/1990

(1) General: Raised Septic Systems

A raised septic system [or raised bed septic system] is an absorption trench system constructed in fill material with acceptable permeability placed above the natural soil on a building lot.

[DF: Note: while they are similar in design "raised septic systems" discussed here are not identical to "mound septic systems" discussed at Septic Mounds which have different site requirements]

(2) Site Requirements for Raised Septic Systems

A raised system may be used where all the following conditions are found:

(i) There is at least one foot of original soil with a faster than 60 minutes percolation rate, above any impermeable soil layer or bedrock, but not more than two feet.

(ii) The maximum high groundwater level must be at least one foot below the original ground surface.

(iii) Slopes shall not exceed 15%.

(iv) All minimum vertical and horizontal separation distances can be maintained as described in Table 2.

(3) Design Criteria for Raised Bed Septic Systems

(i) Percolation tests shall be conducted in the fill material at the borrow pit and after placement and settling at the construction site. The slower percolation rate of these tests shall be used for design purposes.

(ii) The total area beneath the absorption trenches, extending 2.5 feet in all directions from the outer edge of all trenches, is defined as the basal area. The minimum size of the basal area of the raised bed shall be calculated based upon 0.2 gpd/sq.ft.

(iii) An absorption trench system as described in Section 75-A.8(b) is designed using the percolation rate of the fill material. The use of slowly permeable soils for the fill material will result in a trench system that will have a basal area larger than the minimum area calculated in (ii) above.

(iv) Sufficient soil with a percolation rate of between 5 - 30 min/in is required to maintain at least two feet separation between the proposed bottom of the trenches and any boundary condition such as groundwater, bedrock, clay or other relatively impermeable soil or formation.

(v) The edge of the fill material shall be tapered at a slope of no greater than one vertical to three horizontal with a minimum 20 foot taper.

(vi) Horizontal separation distances shall be measured from the outside edge of the taper.

(vii) The system shall incorporate siphon dosing or pressure distribution except where the following conditions are met:

(aa) The local health department has a program incorporating site evaluation, system design approval, and construction inspection/certification.

(bb) A minimum of two feet of fill material with a percolation rate of 5 - 30 min/in shall be placed between the bottom of the trenches and the existing ground.

(viii) Curtain drains may be used to intercept and carry underground water away where high groundwater levels exist. Curtain drains shall be upslope from the system and at least 20 feet from the toe of slope of the fill material.

[See: Curtain drains or intercept drains can protect septic drainfields in areas of wet soils or surface and subsurface groundwater]

(4) Construction details for raised bed septic systems

(i) Heavy construction equipment shall not be allowed within the area of the system. The underlying soil shall be undisturbed although the surface may be plowed with at least a double bottomed blade/furrow plow and the furrow turned upslope.

(ii) A system shall not be built in unstablized fill material. The fill material shall be allowed to settle naturally for a period of at least six months to include one freeze-thaw cycle.

(iii) The absorption trenches shall be constructed in the fill material.

(iv) The entire surface of the system including the tapers shall be covered with a minimum of six inches of topsoil, mounded to enhance the runoff of rainwater from the system and seeded to grass.

(v) On sloping sites a diversion ditch or curtain drain shall be installed uphill to prevent surface water runoff from reaching the bed area.

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75-A.0 New York State Regulation of Private Septic Systems
75-A.1 Introduction to Septic Systems, Definitions of Septic System Terms
75-A.2 Regulation of Sewage Treatment Systems by other agencies
75-A.3 Sewage flows and design flow estimates
75-A.4 Soil and site appraisal for Septic Systems
75-A.5 House or building sewer line specifications
75-A.6 Septic tank capacity requirements, installation, and placement
75-A.7 Distribution lines, distribution boxes, gravity flow, pressure distribution, dosing, siphons
75-A.8 Subsurface treatment of effluent, absorption field requirements, leach field design criteria
75-A.9 Alternative Septic System Designs
  Raised Bed Septics
  Septic Mounds
  Sand Septic Filters
  Evaporation Septics
75-A.10 Other systems
75-A.11 New product/system design interim approval

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

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