Have a piece of land (5 acres) was going to sell, but found out it wouldn't perc. Neighbor wants to buy, but way below assessed value. Would like any advice on alternative septic system and/or way to increase value.

-- kelly miller (kellys_plants@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001

Answers

You're SOL. What buyer would admit the possibility of anything but septic, when the ground will not perk?

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Composting toilets or outhouse or portapotty

-- cottonpickerboy (cottonpickerboy@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

Here in Michigan we can use evaporation mounds on ground that won't perk. They are expensive, but then what isn't.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Land that will not perk is worth a lot less than land that will. Your neighbor is correct to want to buy below assessed value.

Land is cheap for a reason, in your case it's because it won't perk.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

You can increase the value by installing a Health Department approved sand filter or mound system. Once you talk to some installers and see what this costs, you may be willing to accept the low offer.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), April 03, 2001.

Here in coastal virginia there is a test system underway trying a holding tank that needs to be pumped out once or twice a year. I don't know who to contact, or even the name of the system, but I am sure you could gain info with a combination search of government/ waste disposal/ health dept, ect. I heard about it second hand.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Kelly here in se.ks. we build above ground lagoons on ground that wont perc. Bob se.ks.

-- bobco (bobco@hit.net), April 03, 2001.

Here in Tx we have the same problem and the state has aproved a system that treats the water and sprays the water on the surface.I have one installed and they work great. I think a search on the KEY word "aerobic septic systems" will give u a number of choices.God Bless and have a Great week.

-- Charles steen (xbeeman412@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

I am in Texas and on waterfront where the only system approved for the area is an aerobic type. Youshould be able to get one in for around $8000 if the land is not rocky where they have to dig to put in the tank. The brand I bought was Hydro-Action and they provide absolutely NO after the sale SERVICE.. I mean NO service, so look for another company. But with an aerobic system, it doesn't matter about no perc. The system becomes your lawn sprinkler system and that's not all bad. :) PS: Did I mention Hydro-Action is not the one you want to consider?

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), April 04, 2001.

Talk to your health dept. Here in KY, in my immediate neck of the woods, none of the land perks. We have lots of new housing around here, so it hasn't hurt land values. These houses are still high. We have 3 different wastewater systems to chose from.

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), April 04, 2001.

What exactly does it mean when one's land won't or doesn't perk? Thanks for enlightening me rather than ridiculing me for my "city- slicker" ignorance. I am here to learn and you all are the BEST teachers. Thank you.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

I was wondering the same thing! Once you know what it is, how do you know if your land perks? Thanks!

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), April 05, 2001.

"Perc" is shorthand for percolate. It means "will water sink into this soil? And if so, how fast?" To test for percolation, dig a hole about4-6" diameter 1-2'deep. Fill with water and watch how fast it empties.

This will work for general knowledge, but the the actual scientific test has many more specifications. The person doing it must be licensed, they dig several holes (five, I think), hole size and depth are very specific, I think they keep the holes filled for a long time (many hours) and time the drain rate in saturated ground. And there is a continuum of perc rates.

It is important because the perc rate determines what type of waste disposal system your county will require. In truth, enviornmental concerns are not the only criteria; local governments use this as a means of controlling development. Merely by requiring a very expensive system they can significantly raise the average price of a house. Sandy

-- Sandy in MN (jpevans_56353@yahoo.com), April 05, 2001.

I have a lagoon, it does not smell, looks like a nice pond with ducks and all. In Eastern Ok., most people with large acreage have lagoons, in the city they have septic. Now, I have lived in several states and this was the first time I had seen one and almost died, "no septic", but you get use to it and actually I call it a pond (would eat the fish in it though!)

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), April 07, 2001.

The National Small Flows clearinghouse sponsered by EPA at West Virginia Un. http://www.estd.wvu.edu has available literature on onsite alternative septic systems for problems such as yours, alot of the info is free or real cheap. check it out. Bruce

-- Bruce Burdge (comfreybruce@richmond.com), April 09, 2001.

Owned a place on a lake in wisconsin that wouldn't perk. Put in a holding tank approved by the health dept. It had to be pumped every every 6 weeks or so. We had to really learn what water conservation was. You couldn't give me a piece of land that wouldn't perk after that.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), April 09, 2001.