In-Depth Septic Planning and Design

True Wastewater is a small business specializing in planning Septic Systems on mid-Vancouver Island. We focus on those parts we love and do best.  We have no conflict of interest. We design what is best for your site. Period. We do not profit from installation.

Designing and certifying your CUSTOM Septic System typically takes between 28-45 hours including site visits. Complex and difficult sites usually take more time to complete and will fall on the higher side of that range.

 This is the new term for what was previously called a “septic system.” Provincial regulations define it as “a system for treating domestic sewage that uses one or more treatment methods and a discharge area but does not include a holding tank or privy.” The terms “wastewater” and “sewage” mean the same thing.

Most B.C. other than in urban areas do not have access to a sanitary sewer system (city sewer hook-up). It falls to the homeowner to treat and disperse wastewater on their property following Provincial Regulations.

Systems are designed considering the intended use of the building, the number of occupants, and the size of the proposed or existing building, along with the limitations of the property and soil type. The goal is to treat and disperse wastewater so that it does not create, or contribute to, a health hazard, and minimizes environmental risk. 

A system typically includes a septic tank for the physical separation of solids from liquids, it might have a treatment plant or a process for promoting additional biological treatment. (Type 2 Treatment) 

From the septic tank or treatment plant/process, the effluent is directed to a soil dispersal area (septic field), the field arrangement is based on soil type and topography of the site. There could be an at-grade bed, trenches, or a sand mound. Soil is an excellent treatment medium.

When performing as designed and properly maintained, an onsite sewerage system will provide effective treatment and minimize risks to human health and the environment. It will treat water to recreational water quality before returning it to the environment.

It is recommended to have your septic system pumped every 3-5 years, depending on the size of your tank and the number of occupants in your household. Good Pumper Truck operators carry a "Sludge Judge" and do not pump if it's unnecessary. Each Septic System in BC  comes with an INDIVIDUAL Maintenance plan which needs to be followed.  Homeowners are legally required by the Provincial Government under the SSR to maintain their systems.  Maintenance however is MORE than just pumping. 

Your Maintenance Plan, provided when your system is installed and Certified will specify what components your system has, and when they need to be checked.  ROWP-MP are the people who do the inspections and maintenance. They will check and clean the pipes, recommend pumping when needed, inspect for settling, pipe breakage, baffle performance, the pump counter, that the transducers (if applicable) are working to dose correctly. Maintaining your system is critical (and required by law) and will prolong the life of the investment you made in your system.

Signs that your septic system needs to be serviced include slow-draining sinks or toilets, foul odours, sewage backups or soggy spots on your field.

The short answer?  Regulations and standards have changed.  In yesteryear, they were simply disposing of waste with little regard for what pollution was occurring.  Now, we are treating effluent before it returns to the water supply.  We want to protect health and the environment.  Systems today are much longer to properly treat effluent, and a system functioning as it was designed returns water to recreational quality.  Chances are your neighbour's old system is not. 

Please look at our "In Depth Septic System Planning and Design" each section tells you approximately how long each of the 9 steps to designing your system takes.  Of course, challenges, re-designs and construction concerns can change that.  

We would be happy to.  We have several installers we like working with.  We know they do the job right, and install according to our drawings and design.  We have ROWP-IN we can recommend and some ROWP Students who are working with their Authorized Person (AP) that we do not hesitate to work with as well.  Additionally, you can check out the ASTTBC website for a qualified ROWP-IN independently of us. 

Yes, legally in BC installers must be qualified to do so. Or they can be students in training and working under their AP (Authorised Person) who must be a qualified professional or a ROWP with the installer certification. They are certifying the work to be correct and sealing the document that is was performed satisfactorily.   We will not certify systems not installed under the supervision of a ROWP-IN. Even small install errors can create system malfunction and health hazards. It's criticallyIn British Columbia, it is a legal requirement for installers to be qualified to install septic systems. If they are students in training, they must work under the supervision of an Authorized Person (AP) who is a qualified professional or a Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner (ROWP) with an installer certification. These authorized persons certify that the work has been done correctly and seal the document as evidence of satisfactory performance. We cannot certify systems that have not been installed under the supervision of a ROWP-IN. Even small installation errors can lead to system malfunction and create health hazards, which is why it is critically important to ensure that the installation is done correctly. important.