I'm told my house being high above the septic system may cause problems because liquid moves faster than solids. I really don't have room for another tank near the house. Is it possible to stair-step the sewer pipe in a way that will slow down the flow?

You'll have to be more specific about the slope of your hill.
How long can you maintain 1/8" to the foot fall before you're out of the ground?
Not having a hill problem living next to the Gulf I can only tell you how we do it here.
If the sewer connection's so deep that running directly to it would cause solids to drop then we maintain 1/8th to the foot and 45 down the last few feet to the connection. Good luck, Tom

If u use 1/4 inch per foot, u will drop 81.25 feet. If this is possible without coming out of ground should be fine.

Chuck

You can "zig-zag" the sewer across your property. It will break the fall...

Question: Do you actually experience problem with sewer or somebody just told you "...this may happen..."?

SpeedBall,

The company who installed the original septic system a few years ago say I could have a problem and should add a tank near the house, and that zig-zaging would cost more and may cause more problems at the returns. I can't find anyone who has actually had a problem unless it was old clay or cast iron that was probably the real problem.
I'm thinking my problem in using the 'straight shot' approach would be from not having enough 'back to back' use therefore allowing dried solids to lodge.
One comment was that being a buried plastic pipe, there will always be condensation, regardless of light use.
A cleanout will be required every 100' in any case.
Thanks for your help.
Johan

Johan, if you don't have problems with it now, leave it the way it is. As far as the slope and elevation goes - you are very close to the required slope anyway.

In any case, I think it will be cheaper to snake occasional sewer blockage than redoing such a long run.

In my area of operation, Code mandates that Clean Outs are installed 75' apart. Check with your Code and/or Inspector.

Btw: I don't understand one detail: the same company that installed the septic system is now telling you it is not installed correctly ? Why didn't they deal with it at the time of the installation ?

I had the system installed 3 yrs ago when I built my shop, with a bathroom. I had the system designed big enough for a 3 br house. The plan shows the future location of house and nothing was ever mentioned about the slope being too much.
Of the 325' run, the first 100' is a 6" pitch, the second 100' is 2 1/2" pitch and the last 125' is 1/2" pitch.
Milo, I like your dwg. Have you ever done this before?
I will suggest this to the excavator. We have some pretty big boulders that could be a problem.
Johan

Quote:

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Of the 325' run, the first 100' is a 6" pitch, the second 100' is 2 1/2" pitch and the last 125' is 1/2" pitch.

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So much for 1/8th to the foot and
45ing down to then tank.
While the zig-zag idea will add to the length and allow you a less drastic slope I can see a blockage problem with the zig-sag layout with blockage with all those bends.

Quote:

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Of the 325' run, the first 100' is a 6" pitch, the second 100' is 2 1/2" pitch and the last 125' is 1/2" pitch

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Had this been my call I would have run it a little different .
I would have run as far as I could at 1/8th or 1/4" to the foot until I started to rub out of ground then I would 45 down to the next level and so on until you connected to the tank,
My code also mandates a two way clean out every 75 feet.
Good luck, Tom

Thanks guys for all your input. Gives me more to think about. PreCon meeting is Monday.
Johan