How do I know if my septic system is failing?

Standing water or soggy ground over the drain field, sewage odor outside, slow drains throughout the house, or backups. Wet weather makes a marginal system show its symptoms first, which is why most failure calls come in the winter.

How long does the permit process take?

The site and soil evaluation has to come first and it is weather and schedule dependent, so start earlier than you think you need to - particularly if the system is tied to a build schedule.

Why is my system more expensive than my friend's inland?

High groundwater and tight coastal soils frequently rule out a simple gravity drain field. Pressure distribution, sand filter and mound systems cost more to build because they have to treat and disperse the effluent where the native soil cannot do it alone.

Can you install a system on a steep lot?

Often, yes, but the design has to account for it and the site evaluation drives what is allowed. Steep ground narrows the options rather than eliminating them.

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Septic Systems

DEQ-compliant systems for high groundwater and steep coastal ground.

Free Estimate Call

Coastal Coos County is a hard place to put a septic system. High groundwater, tight soils, steep slopes and sensitive watersheds mean the conventional gravity drain field that works fine inland often is not approvable here. The soil evaluation and the site conditions decide what system you get, and the answer is frequently not the cheapest one.

New system installation

Tank set, distribution box, drain field or alternative treatment component, and the piping between them, installed to the approved site plan. We install conventional gravity drain fields where the soils will take them, and pressure distribution, sand filter and mound systems where they will not.

Repair and replacement

Failing drain fields, collapsed lines, root intrusion, saturated fields, and tanks at the end of their life. A field that surfaces in the winter is a health hazard and a permit issue, not just an inconvenience. Repairs and replacements go through the county the same way a new system does.

Permits and the process

The order matters: soil and site evaluation first, then the permit application and system design, then installation, then inspection before backfill. Skipping ahead is how people end up digging a system back up. In Coos County, on-site septic permitting runs through Oregon DEQ. We work within that process rather than around it.

Lateral lines and drain fields

The drain field is the part that determines whether the system lasts. That means the right rock, the right fabric, correct fall, and not compacting the infiltrative surface with equipment during installation. Driving over a finished drain field is one of the fastest ways to kill one.

Common Questions

How do I know if my septic system is failing?: Standing water or soggy ground over the drain field, sewage odor outside, slow drains throughout the house, or backups. Wet weather makes a marginal system show its symptoms first, which is why most failure calls come in the winter.
How long does the permit process take?: The site and soil evaluation has to come first and it is weather and schedule dependent, so start earlier than you think you need to - particularly if the system is tied to a build schedule.
Why is my system more expensive than my friend's inland?: High groundwater and tight coastal soils frequently rule out a simple gravity drain field. Pressure distribution, sand filter and mound systems cost more to build because they have to treat and disperse the effluent where the native soil cannot do it alone.
Can you install a system on a steep lot?: Often, yes, but the design has to account for it and the site evaluation drives what is allowed. Steep ground narrows the options rather than eliminating them.

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