Septic vs Sewer: The History

The biggest building boom in American history began immediately following the second World War. This boom, epitomized by William Levitt at his Levittowns on Long Island and in southeastern Pennsylvania, provided a first home to millions of homecoming GI’s. Many of these subdivisions in all parts of America were carved out of raw land adjacent to existing cities and towns. Most provided only streets, electricity and telephones. Such niceties as curbs and gutters, street lights, fire protection, and especially public sewers and water supply were notable by their absence. Into this breach was thrown an old technology, developed early in the 20th century by agricultural engineers for use on the farm; namely, septic tanks and soil absorption systems.

Out in the country land was abundant. So long as the well was prudently located up hill and on the other side of the house there was no problem. A little odor or a soft spot in the middle of a field far from habitation was no cause for concern. Limited use of such septic systems had also been made in some city neighborhoods with large lots, prime soil conditions and careful operation (limited loading and frequent pump outs). In retrospect, septic tanks when brought to town were a very poor choice on these small “postage stamp sized” lots. Nonetheless, in the rush to provide critically needed homes, millions of septic tanks were built.

By the late 50’s the Public Health Service, who were conducting on behalf of FHA serious studies in the field and in labs at the Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, reported that over 24 million septic systems were in service. Further that they were failing on average in 11 years — far less than the twenty or thirty year term of the typical VA or FHA mortgage loan.

These same USPHS studies showed that over 50 percent of the available building land in the U. S. was unsuitable for septic tank systems. Despite these facts, and because of continuing tremendous pressure from the public and the home building and real estate industries, several million more septic tanks were installed. Even today the stock is growing, albeit at a drastically lower rate. The sad fact that failing septic tanks are a ubiquitous feature of many, many American suburbs today makes it clear that they have been grossly misused.

Happily, there are several alternative solutions to this need for affordable, dependable, safe sewers in the places where Americans live. One of the most successful and widely used systems is pressure sewers powered by grinder pumps. Most public health officials, developers, consulting engineers, contractors, and public works personnel have had at least some experience with pressure sewers during the thirty years since their introduction.

Hundreds of thousands of homes that once suffered from marshy, odorous children’s play yards, river water quality degradation, and even hepatitis and E-coli epidemics caused by septic tank failures are today the proud owners of successful grinder pump pressure sewer systems. These are in everyday use in subdivisions or other neighborhoods all over the country.

What it Means to You

As Baldwin County residents, we are fortunate to live in an area with so many diverse water systems. Our bays, rivers, streams, and the Gulf of Mexico provide important financial and recreational benefits to all of us. The quality of the water we swim and fish in, the water we drink is crucial to our property values and to our quality of life.

South Baldwin County is a flat Coastal Plain that slopes gently lower to the south end of the county. The surface of the ground is soggy and doesn’t drain well. The land closest to the water is least suitable for septic tank systems. There’s not enough space between septic field lines and the groundwater for the earth to cleanse the discharge. Untreated effluent leaches directly into the ground water and into our rivers and streams.

Baldwin County Sewer Service incorporates a low pressure grinder pump system that moves wastewater from your home to one of our treatment facilities, away from pristine shorelines, underground aquifers and other sensitive natural areas. BCSS uses Environment One (E/One) pumps exclusively.

Each E/One grinder pump station is a complete unit, including grinder pump, check valve, and all necessary controls packaged into a single unit. A tough, corrosion-resistant tank of high-density polyethylene provides optimum holding capacity.

The grinder pump is buried next to your house. If the pump is replacing the septic tank, the sewer pipe is disconnected from the tank and connected to the pump. The septic tank is then capped off. When you flush your toilet, the sewage travels down your pipes by gravity into the pump basin. The pump is activated by a pressure switch turning on, grinding and pumping out through a 1 ¼ inch line (the lateral) to the sewer main running along the right of way by the street.

This system is connected to other pumps to create a reliable system that terminates ultimately at the treatment facility. Among the many benefits of this system are lower cost, less disruption to the landscape, greater reliability and the protection of the environment.

The E/One low pressure system allows homes to be sited in delicate environments, such as high water tables, without compromising surrounding water quality. Painstakingly engineered to do one job perfectly, E/One grinder pumps set the standard for reliability in the industry. Built from heavy-duty components, these pumps us a minimum of moving parts and are designed in a modular fashion, so that repairs can be quickly and easily achieved –if necessary. With an outstanding record of reliability and the lowest downtime for repairs, you can take comfort in knowing you’ve chosen the best system.