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Using Septic Holding Tanks as Components of Alternative Septic Systems for Difficult Sites InspectAPedia®  -     How to Use Septic Holding Tanks as Components of Alternative Septic Systems Septic holding tank size requirements Typical regulations regarding use of septic holding tanks

Using Septic Holding Tanks as Components of Alternative Septic Systems - design and usage advice for septic holding tanks. This document discusses septic system holding tanks, designs, product sources, limitations of use. In many if not most jurisdictions, a septic holding tank is not permitted for permanent installation, though there are exceptions.

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What are septic holding tanks, how, where, and why are they used?

Holding Tank Septic Systems use a sealed tank to hold household waste and wastewater until the tank can be pumped out by a septic pumping company.

Most jurisdictions do not permit septic holding tanks as a permanent wastewater handling method for full-time occupied residences, but holding tanks may be permitted during new home construction and in other special cases.

In New York State we've seen holding tank systems in use on small-lot properties located along the Hudson River. Generally such systems will not be acceptable for full time occupied residences as even a large tank of several thousand gallons will require frequent and costly pumping and disposal.

Holding Tank Septic System Regulations for Installation and Use

The use of holding tanks shall not be permitted for new home construction except where occupancy of a home is permitted while the sewage treatment system is under construction.

Tank size shall be based upon five days design flow or 1,000 gallons, whichever is greater and meet the same construction as a septic tank except that the holding tank shall not have an outlet.

Holding tanks are not acceptable for long term use on year-round residences.

The above sanitary code citation is from: New York State Appendix 75-A.10 Other systems.

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SEPTIC INFO ARTICLES
HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• 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.
• Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
• Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)
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