excuse my ignorance... septic/sewer question

[ckhagen]

Let me give a little history first.

We purchased our house approximately 5.5 years ago here in SRB. Of course, we live on a dirt road (never to be paved... ), and every house on our street at the time was on septic.

Apparently, sewer was put in place within a year of when we bought the house. We had NO idea they had done this until it was over and a neighbor brought it up. Supposedly, whatever agency/county/whomever was responsible for the decision to put it in, was supposed to offer us some sort of "deal" to rid ourselves of septic and hook up to the sewer lines at the time it was being put in, but they ran out of funds by the time they got to our street and didn't notify anyone of the option because they could no longer afford to offer the discounted rate (I've been told this by more than one person in the neighborhood).
Since then of course every newer house on the street has sewer.

I have two little kids (3 and 1). They can't play in the driveway because we don't have one (gravel, can't afford to replace it), they can't play in the street because, well.. they're 3 and 1! I would like to get them a playset, but it's highly advised that you do NOT put these on septic mounds from what I've been told. I would also like to plant a veggie garden, but... yeah not on the septic mound, which btw takes up the ENTIRE back yard.

So... what does it run these days to rip out a septic tank and hook up to existing sewer? Humor me. I'm sure it's some astronomical amount that I wouldn't be able to scrape together in 15 years (we're broke and I'm not ashamed to admit it). But really, just tell me so I can stop wishing and hoping...

I would just move, but no one is going to buy this house for what we owe on it right now, even though we bought before the boom... the prices are just too low

Ok, sorry to be so long winded....

 

[momof2kids]

Let me give a little history first.

We purchased our house approximately 5.5 years ago here in SRB. Of course, we live on a dirt road (never to be paved... ), and every house on our street at the time was on septic.

Apparently, sewer was put in place within a year of when we bought the house. We had NO idea they had done this until it was over and a neighbor brought it up. Supposedly, whatever agency/county/whomever was responsible for the decision to put it in, was supposed to offer us some sort of "deal" to rid ourselves of septic and hook up to the sewer lines at the time it was being put in, but they ran out of funds by the time they got to our street and didn't notify anyone of the option because they could no longer afford to offer the discounted rate (I've been told this by more than one person in the neighborhood).
Since then of course every newer house on the street has sewer.

I have two little kids (3 and 1). They can't play in the driveway because we don't have one (gravel, can't afford to replace it), they can't play in the street because, well.. they're 3 and 1! I would like to get them a playset, but it's highly advised that you do NOT put these on septic mounds from what I've been told. I would also like to plant a veggie garden, but... yeah not on the septic mound, which btw takes up the ENTIRE back yard.

So... what does it run these days to rip out a septic tank and hook up to existing sewer? Humor me. I'm sure it's some astronomical amount that I wouldn't be able to scrape together in 15 years (we're broke and I'm not ashamed to admit it). But really, just tell me so I can stop wishing and hoping...

I would just move, but no one is going to buy this house for what we owe on it right now, even though we bought before the boom... the prices are just too low

Ok, sorry to be so long winded....

Septic companies do not rip out the tank; they pump it out, crush it with a backhoe and fill it up with dirt... I'm sure it will run $2000 or more for that to be done... That doesn't include your sewer hook up. Sewer hook up varies - call the sewer company (South Walton Utilities?, Regional?) and find out about tap fees & hook up. Utility companies are not obligated to offer any deals, more than likely the health dept was trying to get rid of septic systems at the same time the utility company was trying to get sewer in more areas and to make things easier on homeowners & to get things switched over deals were offered. However - it doesn't hurt to ask whatever utility company services your area if they offer anything. (don't always rely on what you hear on the street). Also - call septic companies, or plumbing companies - most will give you a ballpark quote over the phone. (mostly they need to know if they will be able to have easy access to the tank area to get the heavy equipment to it & maybe how far from the house to the street so they know how much pipe needs to be installed & hooked to the sewer line). Not sure if this helped at all... It can be frustrating, but most companies are so familiar with this in this area that they will answer questions.

(in my former life I worked at a septic & sewer company...)

 

[NotDeadYet]

Do ask the utility company. When I switched from septic to sewer, Regional Utilities crushed and filled the septic as a part of the sewer installation. They might not still be doing that, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Ask for a deal too, explain you were never notified when they brought the sewer down your street.
Be prepared for what I consider a shockingly high monthly bill for that sewer connection.
And if you do hook up, be vigilant about water usage and leaks. (Which you should be anyway.) If you develop a leak that you miss it will run up your sewer bill through the proverbial roof. I would have liked to just stay on septic myself, but the water table is too high in my neighborhood, was always a problem, especially when it rained a lot.

 

[jodiFL]

I am pretty sure that Regional will crush/fill the tank. If I remember correctly it has to be done to comply with some code or something. When we had it done it was our responsibility to run the lines from the house to the grinder station and to have power available to the pump/grinder station. Most plumbing companies around here have all the info you need once you go to Regional and pay tap fees etc.

 

[elgordoboy]

The "deal" I think is financing the amount of the conversion to you over 30 years and maybe saving a grand or two. I believe mine was like 7400$ for everything. The finance rate was negligible iirc. Water and sewer- it was well worth it. I was a big fan of my well water in GA, this here where I am now really not so much.

 

[Camellia]

I just called regional to install sewer. All of their prices are on the web site.
If you dont' need a grinder pump it runs around 4,000. If you do, add another 675 or so. To have an old septic system removed is around 1,000 I believe. Do check out their web site , google regional utilities of walton county.

 

[JustaLocal]

There is a Florida Statute that requires you connect within a year, but I don't think it's enforced much. I heard rumblings about enforcing it in Freeport a year or so ago when building slowed down.



381.00655 Connection of existing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems to central sewerage system; requirements.-- (1)(a) The owner of a properly functioning onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, excluding an approved onsite graywater system, must connect the system or the building's plumbing to an available publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system within 365 days after written notification by the owner of the publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system that the system is available for connection. The publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system must notify the owner of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system of the availability of the central sewerage system. No less than 1 year prior to the date the sewerage system will become available, the publicly owned or investor-owned sewerage system shall notify the affected owner of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal system of the anticipated availability of the sewerage system and shall also notify the owner that the owner will be required to connect to the sewerage system within 1 year of the actual availability. The owner shall have the option of prepaying the amortized value of required connection charges in equal monthly installments over a period not to exceed 2 years from the date of the initial notification of anticipated availability. Nothing in this section shall operate to impair contracts or other binding obligations relating to payment schedules in existence as of October 1, 1993. Nothing in this paragraph limits the power of a municipality or county to enforce other laws for the protection of the public health and safety.

If you had received notice the intention, it sounds like you could have made payments instead of being hit with the cost all at once.

 

[John R]

you actually have a choice to go with the grinder? that's news to me. i thought it was a requirement. what a racket.

 

[momof2kids]

you actually have a choice to go with the grinder? that's news to me. i thought it was a requirement. what a racket.

I think what determines to grind or not is the slope to the sewer pipes. You know what they say "***t doesn't flow uphill".

(sorry - sleep deprived today...)

 

[Smiling JOe]

Here is the rate sheet for Regional Utilities. Note that prices will vary depending on your location. Also, ask about the payment plan, which I had at my last house. It was something like an extra $6 per bill for the life of the property, rather than lump sum up front. I'm told that they don't do that for new construction.