No Brooke Shields in this lagoon! (West Plains, Ozark: real estate, to rent, houses)

[bhaze]

I've been hunting for fixer upper houses in the lower section of Mo, and the ones I've stumbled across that have acreage and near the ark border don't have septic tanks...they have "lagoons". Is this a normal thing,these lagoons? I asked the real estate agent if there was danger of contamination of well water and she said "oh no. Not here". Well, that doesn't make sense to me. Or does it and I just don't "get it"?

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by bhaze

I've been hunting for fixer upper houses in the lower section of Mo, and the ones I've stumbled across that have acreage and near the ark border don't have septic tanks...they have "lagoons". Is this a normal thing,these lagoons? I asked the real estate agent if there was danger of contamination of well water and she said "oh no. Not here". Well, that doesn't make sense to me. Or does it and I just don't "get it"?

bhaze...good question! Lagoons are generally done on farms, which is probably why you're finding them on acreage...and I've been assured by my sewer guys that if they're done right they're no danger. And certainly not any more of a problem than a septic system... I would recommend that you talk to an old time excavation expert like Gross Excavating (perfect name, eh?) or Youngblood Excavating.

I personally have always thought "how gross" about lagoons...I want my "stuff" underground where it belongs!

[Silvermouse]

Lagoons are gross - and they smell bad too.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by Silvermouse

Lagoons are gross - and they smell bad too.

What... you don't like brown trout?

Actually, if properly constructed, maintained, and used, a lagoon can be as safe and effective as a septic system, if not better - and should have minimum if any odors. Many times, due to property size/location, soil type, and/or subsurface [rock layers] conditions, a regular septic system can not be installed. Like any system that depends on the helpful little critters [bacteria] to break down the gunk, be aware of what chemicals, detergents, oils/grease, etc. go down the drains. BTW, keeping lower height vegetation around them too is beneficial - lagoons work good w/ sunlight, but then keep the sight of the surface minimized.

WQ402 Residential Sewage Lagoon Systems: A Homeowner's Guide to Installation and Maintenance, MU Extension
Lagoon Sewage Disposal Systems

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by bhaze

I've been hunting for fixer upper houses in the lower section of Mo, and the ones I've stumbled across that have acreage and near the ark border don't have septic tanks...they have "lagoons". Is this a normal thing,these lagoons? I asked the real estate agent if there was danger of contamination of well water and she said "oh no. Not here". Well, that doesn't make sense to me. Or does it and I just don't "get it"?

Actually, having a lagoon LESSENS the chances of contaminating ground water since the waste is kept above ground and under the water creating an effective odor barrier. I have known people who owned a $400,000 house and had a lagoon in the back yard. If it is managed effectively it does not smell at all.

You can always install a septic tank and remove the lagoon if you don't like it.

20yrsinBranson

[bhaze]

Thanks for the input. But I'm a california gal and the only lagoon I want is one I can swim in that's clean. A septic tank will suffice. I just can't handle knowing a big pool of crap is floating around and stinking up my acre or two. Yuk. Blech.

[bhaze]

No offense intended. I know I'm in for culture shock, but I just can't deal with this sort of waste "holding" system.

[la_missourienne]

We had a lagoon in when my family lived in Southern MO. It really did not have an odor, and no one really noticed that it was there. It just looks like a very small pond if you happen to see it.

[allmuxedup]

I have a lagoon on my farm. There is no smell.
I've heard of people who thought that there was a 'swimming hole' on their newly aquired farm when they saw their lagoon. If there were smell, they wouldn't have thought that.
If you're moving to the country... I'm sure everyone would be happier if you left your city mentality in the city. You're moving to the country for what it offers. You don't want to spoil that by turning it into the city.... do you?
It too often happens that city folk move to the country & think it'll be like the city, just w/ more space. It is NOT the city! There is livestock & wild life! Sit on your porch & watch your neighbors cattle, pigs, chickens or whatever graze! They don't smell ether, when they're not on a feedlot. Feedlots smell, horribly, you don't want to live near one! But, cattle grazing on the pasture don't smell at all! I bought a farm in the country to enjoy the country. Then, some people wanted to rent the other house on the farm & wanted me to make sure the livestock didn't come near their house, so they wouldn't have the smell & flies. I took them out to the pasture, to meet the cattle. They admitted there was no smell & not flies, but they didn't want them near their house anyway, just to be sure.
They didn't rent the house. They kept calling & begging for it, but I rented to someone who understood the country & enjoys watching their beef graze. (Each of my farm tenants gets a beeve & a lamb a year.)

ENJOY your new country place!!! If you remember it's the country... you, your neighbors & the animals will be so much happier!!!

[OA 5599]

They really aren't bad. I've never been around one that smells. Most are full of many different kinds of frogs...giving you a nice frog chorus during the spring and summer months if it is close to the house. A lot of small towns in the Ozarks had them for their municipal wastewater systems, and some even still do (like Cabool, theirs is several acres, and doesn't smell). However, a sinkhole opened up under a large one that West Plains used to have in the 80's, and all of it drained right into Mammoth Spring!