Dingman Township

                                                     Pike County, Pennsylvania

 

Sewage Notice #8

 

 

To:                   All Sewage System Installers Operating in Dingman Township

 

From:              Chris Wood, Sewage Enforcement Officer

 

Date:               May 28, 2010

 

********************************************************************************************

 

First, I would like to thank all of you who attended our 2^nd annual installers get together. We hope those of you who attended found it informative and those of you who didn’t attend will try to be there next year.

 

The following is a synopsis of the major points presented:

 

• There are over 24 types of on-lot sewage systems available for use in Pike County. When you add in variations such as using leaching chambers instead of stone, the number jumps to over 100. While everyone is apprehensive upon seeing something new, most of the systems are no more difficult to install than building a sandmound. People are asking for these new systems. In this economy you can’t afford to pass these jobs to out-of-the-area installers. If you get a system design of a type you’ve never done before, come in and discuss it with us. You might be surprised how easy and profitable they could be.

 

• DEP’s new sewage regulation proposals have been cancelled for the time being. Deputy Secretary of Water & Wastewater, John Hines, announced that there will be no changes in the sewage regulations until after 2012. With reviews and public hearings 2014 is probably the earliest they could take effect.

 

• Do not use Cell-Core (aka Foam-Core) pipe! It is not made for pressurization especially in freezing conditions. The pipes are marked SCH-40 PVC. Some, but not all, are marked not to be pressurized. It is being sold locally! Remember – have pipe labels up when ready for inspection.

 

• We are having problems with the hay that is used for soil barriers rotting out and allowing the mound’s to cover soil to drop into the aggregate. This causes the mound to malfunction. Use geo-textile cloth as the soil barrier. If you do use hay, use a thick 2” layer not a fluffy layer.

 

• Keep groundwater out of your tanks. Seal them well. Tar up joints. We recommend that you bring all manholes above grade. Crown the soil over the tanks to divert groundwater away.

 

• Use clean aggregate. Too much fine material (dust and crushings) in the aggregate can clog the mound. Even aggregate that meets DEP requirements may have too much fine material for practical use. Work with the quarry to get the cleanest material possible. If they continue to give you dusty materials, switch quarries or see us about alternatives to aggregate. Remember – the addition of fine material increases the weight of the stone. You pay more while getting less.

 

• DEP approved the following products/systems.

 

v      Orenco:               A fiber filter that may be used in place of peat filters

 

  - may be used to denitrify sewage.

 

v      Soilaire:              A method for renovating clogged sewage beds with a minimum

                                  of excavation.

 

v      Micro-mound:      A relatively small system that may be used on many soils that

  failed to pass for a sandmound.

 

v      Eljer In-Drain:       Substitutes - for aggregate in mounds and 

and                      in ground systems.

Infiltrator Quick-4

 

• See us before using plastic septic tanks. Not all are Pennsylvania legal. Each tank has specific installation requirements that must be adhered to.

 

 

Have a good summer!

 

 

 

 

________________________________

Chris Wood

Sewage Enforcement Officer

 

 

CW/sdm