Septic System, greenfield township (Bedford, Claysburg: appointed, house, construction)

[matt_geri13]

I need some help here. We have property on our families ground in Claysburg, PA Greenfield Township. We are trying to start the building process for a house on it. We have been having some trouble finding out the exact rules as far as what type of septic system we will need. There is an exemption for anyone with 10+ acres, that you can forgo the perk testing and just put in whatever type of system you want. We would like to do a conventional system. However every person we have talked to within the township has given us a different answer regarding that. Some say yes that's true others say no. How can we go about finding out the law ourselves, before we spend the time and money putting something in and having it be wrong? I don't mind doing the research, I just don't know where to start. Thanks in advance for your time.

[Hopes]

What do you mean everyone you've talked to within the township? Do you mean employees of the township? If you like the answer you're getting from the zoning officer, ask for him to give it to you in writing.

As for research, building codes are defined by federal, state, and local governments. Just like all laws, anything not included at the higher level can be defined at the lower levels.

Start here: Uniform Construction Code

If you can't find the answer there, you'll have to track down your local building code because I can't find it online. Just remember, local can't override state or federal and state can't override federal. If the law exists at a federal or state level, you don't need to look for it in local. If it doesn't exist in federal or state, you need to find local law.

One thing you know for sure, there is a law since your township requires perk tests and permits for septic systems. It's just a matter of figuring out if it's a state law or a local law and finding the actual law.

[PAhippo]

Another place to start is to call someone who installs septic systems. Although they certainly don't have the final say, they can tell who to talk to. And they probably have a pretty good handle on what areas of the township will perc for a regular system and what areas will need a sand mound. As I said, that won't be official, just voice of experience.

[Wells5]

If your family owned the 10 acre lot before January 10, 1987 AND the local municipality does not require a sewage permit "by ordinance," you can install a spetic system on the property withhout all of the hassle. See 025 Pa. Code §*72.22.*Permit issuance..

[matt_geri13]

Thank you so much for all your help. @Hopes yes, the township employees are the ones giving us different answers. I will look into all the info you have given us. Thanks again!!!

[ki0eh]

The township will have an appointed Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO), who may be a Township employee but is more likely a contracted individual/small business. If you were a bit further south in Bedford County, most if not all municipalities there contract with a countywide agency.

What is called a "conventional" drainfield in most other states, simply won't cut it in PA. Yes there is such a thing in the code. However the soil suitability criteria ("probes" are more important than "percs") basically knock it out. Someone at Delaware Valley College calculated the suitability of PA soils based on soil surveys, unfortunately I can't now find the reference, but the bottom line was a single digit percentage of PA's land area, based on soil survey based predictions, would be expected to be suitable for a conventional drainfield.

If your family ground doesn't pass muster according to the rule cited in post #4, it is very likely a sand mound is the best you can legally do.

The only surprising thing to me about this story is that anyone at the Township would be telling you anything differently. I suspect selective wishful hearing.