Basic septic systems are gravity based. If you have slope and sandy/rocky soil, you will have a good septic system and probably no problems


Some septic systems are built in areas that don't drain very fast, and that can be a problem. Some newer septic systems have pumping systems to add to dispersal. Adds a lot to building it.


Keep cleaners and bleach out of the system, in fact it is best to go very light on bleach in the washing machine, or eliminate it. Because bacteria build up and break down the solids. Bleach kills them and the solids remain, clogging up the system.

I lived on both good and bad septic systems, as well as sewer. Other than the bleach and pumping (7 or 8 years) you would usually never tell.

We have been making our own Laundry Soap for almost 10 years now..........Were Amish

I don't know all the details but kitsap has been hitting septic systems pretty hard the past few years. Inspections and upgrade requirements.

I wouldn't be surprised if pierce starts doing this once they see the profit potential.


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Figures Mikey goes the city boy route. Septic is where its at. Cheaper, just mame sure and do a little maintenance and you will be golden. We flush a bacteria packet once a month. Works wonders.

Pay attention to the layout of the system --
gravity vs pumped,
flat field vs sloped,
if pumped does it go up grade?(bad if pump/valve fails),
look at state of field for wettness (If you are looking now with this weather, you should be able to see field)
check for a filter on the out flow of the tank to the field --- prevents field failure if you clean it 1-2 times yearly

Nothing but shit and tp down the drain - DO NOT USE THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL - lighten up on household chemicals (toilet bowel cleaner and shower cleaner especially). I've been somewhat concerned there isn't a lint trap on the clothes washer.... thats something I've been concerned could make thru to the field and cause problems....

My tank is 15 ft below lowest floor grade, gravity down onto a 20+ degree slope thru glacial till --- now worries here.... you don't even see any green in the lawn, just an even crispy brown...

Edit to add --- as long as the previous owners knew what they were doing and took good care of the system, there should be no worries. I you are looking in the Brightwater district, you are much better off being on septic....

If you saw how much i poop you'd understand

My septic system has worked flawlessly for the last twelve years that I have been shitting in it.

Food, shit, water and TP is all that ever goes down a pipe. EVER.

NO "wipes" either. If it wont dissolve under running water, dont flush it.

Aren't some municipalities working to eliminate septic and requiring hook-up to sewer (at some expense)? You might inquire if there has been scuttlebutt about that coming to the area where you buy.

In urban growth areas, yes. As cities grow, yes. But it's not a mandatory hookup unless/until your septic fails. In those cases, the municipality will usually make a sweet deal to the homeowner to connect.

What will (and is in some counties) happen, is that septic systems will be a licensed product, where you have to so it's been pumped/inspected every "X" years, and maintain a license at $XXX/year. The problem that is happening is people don't realize that septic systems have a shelf life, eventually the tanks will fail, eventually the drainfield will fail, just like everything else in your house. There are a LARGE # of people who have failing drainfields and don't know it. All that effluent isn't properly filtered and can enter the water table, local streams etc. You gotta take care of your shit, literally.

Just went from city water/sewer to well/septic. Already liking one fewer bill every month, plus the knowledge that no matter what, if I can run the generator I'll have water.

I have owned 3 houses, all on septic. Not even one issue. Don't be scared of Septic. Also when you buy a new house it is required that the septic be pumped and certified by a septic company before the deal can move on. So you can go back on them if there is a problem. The only benefit to sewer is you can throw junk down the toilet that you can't in a septic system. So if your on septic just don't throw garbage down the toilet. Easy.

Owned one house with septic. It was a nightmare. If it rained heavily (and this is the PNW) or you did a lot of laundry (we had young kids) the back yard would turn into a soggy mess. Just be sure you have the right kind of soil and a large enough drain field.

When going septic consider also going grey water. Laundry, bath, showers and sinks can drain into grey water and cut the volume of flow into septic.

If you do this though, then you need to design the septic system to have less effluent. Grey water helps the natural breakdown of solids in your tank and become the effluent which leaches into your drainfield. There are flow calculations that go into the tank, effluent and drainfield design criteria. There is such a thing as too big of a tank/field.

Another + on sewer is you can add more bedrooms to the home if you want. To add more rooms if you're on septic, the size of the tank will dictate the amount of people i.e. bedrooms it was designed to handle and thus limit the bedroom number of a home.