MA TITLE 5 SEPTIC INSPECTIONS

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NE Classic Engineering is licensed to perform Massachusetts Title 5 Inspections.

 

Inspection Procedure

Walk around the entire site to note general conditions and check for obvious signs of failure such as surface breakout or pond­ing. Look for signs of sewage, stains on the ground or saturated, spongy soils. The presence of sewage odors must be determined when first arriving at the site. Check pumping records for frequency of system pumping and verify that the system has not been pumped within two weeks prior to inspection.

Interview property owners concerning back-​up or break-​out or high ground water. Sewage backup into the house can be caused by:
1. clogged pipes
2. surcharged septic tank
3. failed leaching area
Locate and inspect all pipes existing the building.

 
Sep­tic Tank
  • Expose and remove manhole covers.
  • Determine material of construction.
  • Check inlet and outlet tees or baffles for damage.
  • Check liquid levels for evidence of leakage.
  • Ensure sludge depth and thickness and record on the inspection form.
  • Recommend pumping as part of the inspection if indicated by being within two inches of the outlet tee.
  • Check for evidence of backup (i.e. liquid level significantly higher than invert of outlet pipe)

 

Dis­tri­b­u­tion Box
  • Expose and remove cover.
  • Determine if d-​box is level and if flow is equal.
  • Check if there is evidence of solids carryover.
  • Check if static water level is at or higher than invert of outlet pipe.
  • Check the pump function if there is a dosing chamber instead of a dis­tri­b­u­tion box.

 

Soil Absorp­tion System
  • Locate the leaching system.
  • Approximate layout to be determined.
  • Determine condition of soil (e.g. clogged, hydrogen sulfide crust, etc.).
  • Determine level of pond­ing within disposal area (visual inspection).
  • Determine if leaching system is below the high ground water elevation.

 

Ground Water Determination


Location of the bottom of the leaching facility compared to the HIGH ground water elevation is the most common reason for the failure of systems inspected. It is also the most important reason that sewage is not adequately treated before it enters the ground water table.

 

Single Cesspools
  • Determine dimensions and materials of construction.
  • Measure liquid level distance to invert and evaluate compared to failure criteria.
  • Determine the distance below the bottom of the cesspool to high ground water.
  • Note depth of sludge and scum.
 
Set­backs


Measure setbacks from drinking water supplies (soil absorption systems, cesspools and privies), surface waters (cesspools and privies only) arid bordering vegetated wetlands or salt marshes (cesspools and privies only).

*Please contact us with any questions or concerns regarding pricing of services*

*A sample of the form used to complete the inspection is embedded below for more information regarding the inspection to be completed.*

 

 

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