New septic system installation

When a new system is the right answer

New construction without access to a municipal sewer line needs a septic system. An existing home whose drain field has failed beyond repair needs a replacement. In both cases the job starts with the soil and the lot, not with a catalogue. Rankin County's blackland prairie clay drains differently than the sandy loam found closer to the reservoir, and the system type, size and field layout all follow from what the soil test and the site evaluation show.

Conventional vs aerobic systems

A conventional system uses gravity. Wastewater flows into the tank, separates, and the effluent moves into a drain field of perforated pipe laid in gravel trenches. The soil does the final treatment. This works well on properties with enough room and soil that drains at a reasonable rate.

An aerobic system adds a treatment stage. A blower introduces oxygen into a chamber where bacteria break down the waste more aggressively, and the treated effluent can be sprayed across a smaller area because it is cleaner when it leaves the tank. It needs electricity, a control panel, and a sprinkler pump, all of which require periodic maintenance. AAA Septic Systems installs both types and services the aerobic equipment afterward, so the crew that built the system is the same crew that maintains it.

What the installation involves

The site is evaluated and a soil test determines the percolation rate. The county reviews the plan and issues a permit. The crew excavates, sets the tank, lays the field lines or installs the spray heads, backfills and grades the disturbed area. On an aerobic system the control box and alarm are wired and tested before the crew leaves. The tank is filled with water to anchor it against the clay, and the county inspects the finished work before the system goes live.

Sizing the system to the household

Mississippi sizes residential systems by the number of bedrooms, not the number of people. A three-bedroom home gets a minimum 1,000-gallon tank. A four-bedroom home gets 1,250. The drain field size follows from the soil's percolation rate and the daily flow. Undersizing causes early failure. Oversizing wastes money on excavation that adds no protection. AAA Septic Systems will tell you what your property needs and why after the soil test, the same customer-driven approach their maintenance work is known for.

After the installation

A new system needs its first pump-out at three to five years, depending on the tank size and household water use. AAA Septic Systems can set that schedule at the time of installation. Adding risers during the install saves a callback later. The crew already has the access open and the ground disturbed, so the risers go on before backfill at a fraction of the effort a standalone riser job would take.