The houses will be rather large 4 to 6 bedrooms and between 4,000 and 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space. With houses this size the initial planning, soil/site evaluation, system design, system installation, and maintenance is crucial. Iredell County Environmental Health, Toney Jacobes & Assoc., Crescent Resources, and Tri-County Wastewater have worked together on this large project. All wastewater systems in this subdivision are under management by Tri-County.

Crescent Resources the developer of the property had Toney Jacobes & Associates (consultant) conduct a preliminary soil/site evaluation of the tract before any lots were created. Based on this work areas with soil or topographical problems were identified and the lots were designed accordingly.

Applications for an Improvement Permit (IP) were submitted to the local health dept. (LHD). A soil/site evaluation was performed on each lot by the consultant and the LHD. If there were no problems the lot was issued an IP. On lots with problems the consultant and LHD performed more soil evaluations until an agreement was reached, IP issued or denial. With the issuance of an IP the developer knows how many lots he can sell as long as the site is not altered or the proposed use changes. At this point, other work on the subdivision can begin.

After a lot is sold the buyer contacts the LHD with a request for a Authorization for Wastewater System Construction (CA). If no changes are requested the CA is issued. Where the buyer wants to make changes the LHD conducts a soil/site evaluation and issues a IP and CA or denies the property. The consultant and Tri-County Wastewater (ME) may become involved at this stage.

After the lot has a IP and CA the other permits are secured and the house is built. Before the system is installed the septic tank installer and the ME have a preconstruction meeting. The consultant and LHD are present as needed. The LHD makes an inspection of the system to be sure it is installed as designed. In most, if not all cases the ME makes an inspection of the system.

The ME makes yearly inspections of all systems, unless the Rules require more frequent inspections.

This page created by Roland O. Coburn
Reasearch Tech I
on 4/24/00.