{"id":40181,"date":"2022-10-18T13:25:38","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T17:25:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cake.dbo-dev.com\/?p=40181"},"modified":"2023-11-24T10:45:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T15:45:13","slug":"choose-a-septic-installation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cake.dbo-dev.com\/en\/blog\/choose-a-septic-installation\/","title":{"rendered":"Choose a septic installation"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to choose a septic installation<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Let\u2019s face it, it\u2019s the last thing on your mind when you\u2019re building your dream home. And it\u2019ll be the first thing to consider as you plan how to position your house and other buildings on your lot. But when you\u2019re building, or own, an isolated dwelling\u2013that is, a building not connected to a municipal sewage system\u2013you will need to consider a septic system to treat your wastewater.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why do I need to treat my wastewater?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Well, your wastewater comes from the sinks, showers, floor drains, appliances and toilets in your house. As such, the water contains soap and chemicals from cleaning agents, fecal matter, kitchen waste\u2026 whatever you dispose of this way. This water needs to be treated before it finds its way into your water table or nearby waterways or it could cause problems, including serious illness.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How do you treat wastewater?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Generally speaking, the ground on your lot can treat most of what is contained in domestic wastewater (wastewater from human activity in a house) after its initial treatment in the septic (or pre-treatment) tank. It all comes down to its <\/span>permeability<\/span><\/b>\u2013that is, the property of the soil to transmit water and air\u2013and its <\/span>depth<\/span><\/b>. If your soil is permeable with sufficient depth, all you need to do is disperse your wastewater over a surface area; the soil will treat domestic wastewater all on its own.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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When these two factors are absent (there are exceptions, but we\u2019re talking generally), you will need a system that can treat the water BEFORE it gets dispersed and infiltrated into the environment \u2013 this is called advanced treatment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Advanced wastewater treatment standards<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are technologies on the Canadian market that treat wastewater, and there are a few standards in use that can certify if these technologies work. One is NSF\/ANSI 40, an American standard certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Another is CAN\/BNQ 3680-600, a Canadian standard certified by the <\/span>Bureau de normalisation du Qu\u00e9bec<\/span><\/i><\/a> (BNQ). The BNQ also certifies a Quebec standard \u2013 NQ 3680-910. The two BNQ standards are very similar in that both require a manufacturer to test their product in cold weather for a whole year. The NSF standard requires 6 months and has no cold-weather requirement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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So, I just pick the wastewater standard?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, it\u2019s not that simple. Provincial governments decide which standard they want to accept on their territory. In addition, they will have a whole slew of specific requirements pertaining to the way it is designed, installed and maintained. Each province is different, so it gets complicated. That\u2019s why as a homeowner, your first step is to contact a designer, who is trained in your province\u2019s specificities and can recommend which systems will comply with the requirements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What should I be looking for?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are a few things to look out for, and their importance will depend on you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n