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This chapter discusses soil percolation testing for septic system absorption system or drainfield design or repair. The ability of a drain field, also called leach field, or drain field, to absorb septic effluent determines the size, location, and type of effluent absorption system which can be installed at a property.

Perc tests may also be performed in order to evaluate soils when a septic system is believed to have failed, and when repair or septic field replacement are being considered. Readers should also see our example of state-regulated soil percolation tests at the New York State Septic System Design Regulations 75-A.4 - Soil and site evaluation for septic system design page.

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." This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

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WHAT ARE PERC TESTS: What is a septic system soil percolation test? What is a "deep hole test"?

In specifying the size and type of absorption field (leach field, seepage pits, galleys, other) a septic engineer or health department official will require that a soil percolation test or "soil perc test" be performed. You may hear it described as a "deep hole test."

In brief, one or more holes are dug in the soil of the property where (or near where) a septic leach field is to be installed. Water is placed in the hole, and the engineer observes the amount of time it takes for the soil to absorb the water, or for the water to "percolate" through the soil. The engineer will also examine the exposed soil layers to obtain additional site design information. (Details follow).

What is a Soil Test Pit or Perc Test Pit or Deep Hole Test Pit?

Perc Test / Soil Percolation Test: A hole, 5-7 feet deep is dug in an area to be tested for future use as a drain field, or near the drain-field area in representative soils. Water is poured into the hole and and the soils or septic engineer or contractor observes the rate at which soil absorbs the water by noting the time that it takes for the level of water in the hole to drop one inch (for example). More precise "perc tests" may involve using a specific quantity of water or a perc test hole of specific dimensions to make these observations.

The first time I participated in a soil perc test procedure I found myself smiling with surprise at how low-tech the procedure actually was (in New York State.) After identifying the most-likely location on the lot for placement of a septic drainfield, the excavator used a backhoe to dig a very rough hole about 5 ft. deep. Happily no groundwater immediately filled in the hole (which would have been bad news). Perhaps this is why builders try to have this test done in July which is the period of most-dry weather and lowest groundwater table levels.

After digging this rough hole, the septic engineer poured a 5-gallon (joint compound) bucket of water into the hole. In some cases a few buckets might be dumped therein. After that sophisticated move, the observers simply watched the rate at which the water disappeared. a one-inch drop in water level in this hole in three minutes was considered very good. If the water was found still in the hole at no drop in level the next morning, this was considered seriously bad and probably requiring some soil exchange or other special design measures.

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  PERC HOLE SPECIFICATIONS
  PERC STANDARDS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
  Septic Soil PERC TESTS
  WHAT ARE PERC TESTS
  PERC HOLE SPECIFICATIONS
  PERC STANDARDS
  SEPTIC TANK SIZE
  SEPTIC TANK DEPTH
  SEPTIC TANK TEES
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SIZE
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD SHAPE
  SEPTIC CLEARANCES
  SEPTIC TANK PUMPING FREQUENCY
  SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
  SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR
  SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC DESIGN ALTERNATIVES

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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.
• 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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