1. PRESSURE MOUND
SYSTEM TIMED DOSE
Michael A. Schwartz, P.E.
mschwartz@preinnewhof.com

2. Changing Regulations
 New Kalamazoo County Sanitary Code
 Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services
 New in December 2007
 Restrictions now include properties:
 Where a public sewer is available to the property.
 Where the proposed location of a septic tank would render the
septic tank inaccessible for cleaning or inspection purposes.
 Where the property to be served by the onsite sewage
treatment system is too small to allow for proper isolation
distances between the onsite sewage treatment system which
includes the replacement area and any existing or proposed
water wells, or surface waters.

3. Changing Regulations
 New Kalamazoo County Sanitary Code
 Restrictions now include properties:
 Where the property lacks sufficient drainage area and/or
replacement area.
 Where the property’s high groundwater and/or mottling is 24
inches or less of the natural ground surface elevation for
installation of an onsite sewage treatment system on new
construction sites.
 Where the property’s stabilized percolation rate exceeds 60
minutes per inch.
 Where the Department determines that the property’s soil
classification and/or physical conditions are unsatisfactory for
the treatment of sewage effluent.

4. Changing Regulations
 New Kalamazoo County Sanitary Code
 Restrictions now include properties:
 Where conditions exist upon the property, or may occur upon
the property, which may endanger the public health or the
environment.
 Where the proposed site is subject to flooding and/or is included
within the 100-year flood plain.

5. Changing Regulations
 Appeals Board
 Engineered Alternative System required
 Not every site has the space and porous soil needed
to support a septic system. If an alternative system is
required it will be:
 More Costly
 Ongoing Maintenance
 Yearly Inspections
 Engineered System

6. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Lack of Land Area
 Poor Soils
 Seasonal High Water Table (<24”)

7. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Lack of Land Area
 Potential Problems:
 Treatment (strength of waste)
 Hydraulic Issue (drain field size)
 Both

8. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Poor Soils
 Percolation: Soils drain too fast
 Problem: treatment leaving the septic tank
 Solution: treatment system in conjunction with septic tank
 Example: Re-Circulating Sand Filter

9. Sample Design Sand Filter
Advantex Treatment System
Re-Circulating Sand Filter

10. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Poor Soils
 Percolation: Soils drain too fast
 Problem: treatment leaving the septic tank
 Solution: treatment system in conjunction with septic tank
 Example: Re-Circulating Sand Filter
 Percolation: Soils drain too slow
 Problem: Hydraulic disposal of effluent leaving septic tank
 Treatment: System to reduce particles to soils would be
beneficial
 Solution: Larger drain field

11. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Seasonal High Water Table (<24”)
 Potential Problems:
 Treatment (strength of waste)
 Hydraulic Issue (drain field size)
 Both
 Must get oxygen into the treatment system (drain
field)
 Solution: Mound System

12. Sample Design Mound
Mound System for High Water Table

13. Denial of Permits: The Big 3
 Seasonal High Water Table (<24”)
 Potential Problems
 Must get oxygen into the treatment system (drain
field)
 Solution: Mound System
 “Pump and Dump”
 4” Laterals – Gravity Feed
 Pressure Distribution
 Small Laterals – Pressurized
 “Pump & Dump”
 Timed Dose

14. This is what we want to avoid!

15. COOPER TOWNSHIP
Case Study #1

16. Case Study: Cooper Township
 1st One Built, 2nd One Permitted
 Issue for Denial
 Water Table within 24” of Ground Surface
 Suitable Soils
 Solution: Pressure Distribution Mound with Timed
Dose

18. COOPER TOWNSHIP
Pre-Construction

19. Beginning construction of the house. The
septic tanks and pump chamber will be set on
the existing ground and the proposed grade
will be built around the system.

20. Another view of where the system will be
constructed, immediately in front of the house.
The bottom of the basement is basically at the
elevation of the existing ground.

21. Area in front of the house where the base of
the mound (absorption system) will be
installed upon.

22. COOPER TOWNSHIP
Construction

23. The site has been rough graded (area
around building is filled). Contractor is
excavating to install the septic tank.

24. Contractor installed the septic tank. Pipe
sticking out is the discharge to the pump
chamber.

25. Contractor is on the septic
tank and the installed pump
chamber is on the right.

26. The force main from the pump chamber
to the new drain field. Note since the
system is a pumped system it is very
flexible in the configuration and field
installation. The piping will go around the
tanks to avoid and other utility conflicts.

27. Continuation of the forcemain. Pump
chamber is on the left and the septic tank
is on the right.

28. 2NS sand fill for the soil absorption system.
This is the layer the stone will be placed
upon.

29. Looking at the 100’ long drainfield.
Standing at approximately where the
header pipe will be installed.

30. Rough grading around the drainfield prior
to placing the stone.

31. Very rough grading above tanks

32. Header pipe on top of the newly installed
stone.

33. Looking at the 100’ pressure distribution
laterals within the new drainbed. Pipe
about half way down is the observation
port.

34. Looking at the 100’ pressure distribution laterals within the new drainbed.
Pipe about half way down is the observation port. The orifice shield are
removed from the up-holes to testing of the system. There is a down-hole in
between each of the up-holes.

35. Looking at the 100’ pressure distribution laterals within the
new drainbed. Pipe about half way down is the observation
port. The orifice shield are removed from the up-holes to
testing of the system. There is a down-hole in between each of
the up-holes.

36. Contractor waiting for the pump chamber
to fill with water to test the system.

37. Pump is activated and “squirt” test is performed.

38. Health Department personnel verifying squirt test.

39. Orifice shield place back over the up-
holes.

40. Contractor installing the fabric prior to covering the system.

41. Contractor installed fabric prior to covering
the system and placing final fill over the
system

42. Contractor placing final cover over system

43. Contractor placing final cover over system

44. Existing site behind the new mound. Pipe is the downspout from
the roof that is directed away from the system.

45. Contractor placing final cover over system

46. Inside the new control panel

47. COOPER TOWNSHIP
Post-Construction

48. Post-Construction

49. Post-Construction

50. What did we learn?
 Pre-Construction meetings can answer a lot of
questions.
 The system can perform (squirt test) as the
math and calculations show should occur.
 Pump Systems are very flexible in design and
configuration.
 Multiple arrangement of float configurations
are possible (2 floats, 3 floats, 4 floats).
 Health Department is there to help and to
make sure it will be a “good” system.

51. ALAMO TOWNSHIP
Case Study #2

52. Case Study: Alamo Township
 1st One Permitted, 2nd One Built
 Issue for Denial
 Water Table within 24” of Ground Surface
 Suitable Soils
 Solution: Pressure Distribution Mound with Timed
Dose

53. Case Study: Alamo Township

54. Case Study: Alamo Township

55. Mound prior to seeding.

56. Squirt test being performed. No one was
present during construction, so the
contractor had to dig and expose the first
and last orifice to perform a squirt test.

57. Squirt Test being performed.

58. Rough grades around the
tanks (septic tank and
pump chamber). The open
lid is the pump chamber.

59. Looking inside the riser of the pump
chamber.

60. Some final site photos a few weeks after new system was installed.

61. Some final site photos a few weeks after new system was installed.

62. What did we learn?
 Contractor – have a preconstruction meeting
 Contractor – Follow what the KCHSD permitted for
the system
 Contractor – Follow what is specified (soils) per
the codes and drawings
 If Not – you will start over
 It will cost the Contractor $$$

63. THANK YOU.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
Mike Schwartz, P.E.
mschwartz@preinnewhof.com
(269) 372-1158