Feedback from Readers
(page 3)

Good morning Lloyd,

I want to first say how much my husband and I love your books. The pictures in Home Work: Handbuildt Shelter were inspirational and fun. Because of the Fantasy chapter I have started having fun with cement, glass, rocks and anything that I can use to build. We also have Shelter and Wonderful Houses Around the World. I am going to build my shed with earthbags and see were it goes from there. Any-who enough about how much we enjoy your work.

I am sending you this e-mail because of the "Dear Mother" you wrote about "Septic Skeptic" and just how widespread the government is getting into my poop. Washington State, in it's infinite wisdom, has gone ballistic starting in 2007 with On-site Sewage Systems, see WAC Chapter 246-272. When it comes to septic systems, Thurston county gets the opportunity of pleasing and paying  Washington State Department of Health, Thurston County Environmental Health, Henderson Shellfish Project, Advisory Committees, monitoring and reporting programs, permits, inspections, certified pumpers, and licensed sewage system designers. If just one of them says, "Your system has failed because of a outdated drainpit, because it's old" BINGO, you get to be the prode owner of a hole new system at your cost. I am going thru this nightmare now. So, I hope this will help you with your article.   

FYI: The system has not failed.  
NO sewage on the surface of the ground.
NO sewage backing up into any structure
NO  sewage leaks from tank, pipes
NO soggy ground, or beautiful green lawn on drainpit.
NO  smells
NO dye-trace
NO  preliminary soil investigation on human pathogens
NO 2007
YES  old
YES drains


This type of enforcing is going to be catastrophic when the public starts getting hit. 

Nancie Doyle
Olympia WA

Mr. Kahn,

I live in Tn and my occupation is septic design, lot and property approval for the state of Tn. I am assigned to a local county. I design individual septic systems for homes, apts, and have done mound design in the past.

Tenn Septic regs can be accessed from the state website … www.mytennesseeanytime.com … or whatever our official site is for the state. Go to departments, choose environment and conservation, then opt for the division of groundwater protection. The regs including design criteria for our state should be in a column on the left for you to click on. A mound for a home in this area should be under 15/18K. The graded sand and labor used to the only big costs but as we require grid percs under the basal area, percs have gone to apx.$100/hole so now we also have an additional large ticket.

Hope this helps. Let me know if this was what you are looking for.

Sincerely,
(name withheld by request)

Dear Sir,

Read your Skeptic Septic article in Mother Earth News. I live on a 120 acre farm in northern Minnesota, I am retired and age 82.

I was planning a new small house for myself, 2 bedroom on the east side of the farm, and was told I would have to put in a $35,000 mound system – OUCH!! I have no close neighbors as far as environmental is concerned. What's going on !?! My house would have cost about $85,000 with a well and all – something has completely gone haywire with the government in the USA.

My septic on the farm is a 1000 gal tank and 2 drainfields. It has been in for 50-60 years and have had it pumped out every 2-3 years no problem.

I finally gave up on the house but still own the farm (no livestock). I have a Xmas tree farm now. The taxes on the small new house would be almost the same as I was paying on the whole farm.

Yours truly,
WWII D.A.V. Vet
Bob Lamminen
Cloquet, MN

In response to your letter "Septic Skeptic" in the Dec.-Jan. 2007 issue of Mother Earth News, we are in the process of selling a 2.5 acre property with a 2 bedroom house on it, well and septic included.

It has been mandated that we replace both well and septic, creating additional expenses in conveying the property.

We have complied with the local authorities in every respect, but when we attempted to apply for a permit to have the new septic installed, the manipulation began. It was Dec. 18, 2006, when we were informed all applications were cut off on the 15th of Dec. 2006. That meant starting anew Jan. 1 2007 with newer, more stringent regulations, higher fees for a labyrinth of inspections to determine size and location on site.

We are upset because the new rates for septic systems are anywhere from $11,000 to $25,000. You must wait until someone from the Health Department comes to inspect and tell you what kind of system you need.

Like you, we feel we are being shortchanged.

Connie Rinaldi

PS - The house just sold for $67,000, and the septic system will cost anywhere from $22,000 to $25,000. I just gave away a house I worked on for 30 years, cleaning and maintaining, and FOR WHAT?

Dear Mr. Kahn,

I am responding to your request for information on how widespread these septic issues extend. First let me say that I do not have a septic system. I dwell in the city limits, but several friends live outside of town and we have been looking at small farms or land to eventually build on. Our state and county are very expensive to live in as far as taxation go verses average wages. The only reason I am stating that is because so many people here are mad, angry or upset with the local government that this septic system has been a very controversial issue in this area. People feel it is another way to be taxed on your property instead of being used to improve your way of life or property value. That being said I will get on with my information for you.

We live in Venango County, Pa.. This is in the NW corner of the state. The properties that we have looked into to build on have become out of our reach and most people we know because of the cost for a "modern" septic system or sand mound. If you do find property you are interested in the local government will not allow a conventional septic system to be installed. They use several reasons why not. The most used of these being that the conventional system does not meet code or perk to there standards. I know that there are rules set up for our safety and the well being of our resources but the average person cannot afford this.

The other thing I wanted to let you know is concerning one large area here. It is rural, i would not call it a community. Cranberry Township is between Franklin and Oil City, PA. As I look out the window of my home I can see where the township starts on Rt. 322 across the river and extends several miles out to Seneca, PA. The township came in in the last year and required everyone to hook up to there sewage. I do not know all the cost other than what I have been told. The grinder cost $2,500, you buy the grinder, that included the installation of the grinder only. You as the property owner were required to pay for all connections from the dwelling to the grinder and then to the sewer pipe. They say the grinder is only good for about 5 years and then you would be required to install another. If you could not afford this they would get you in touch with a company that would provide you with a low interest loan.

This affected several people we are acquainted with. Many of the homes have been there longer than the township itself. They were self sufficient with well water and septic. Now are they not only out several thousand dollars initial cost but also a monthly cost for services. There was one individual that had a mobile home court on route 322 that had to close because they could not afford the cost for all the units. There had to be 20 to 30 families evicted in the name of sewage. I am sure there are many more issues that abound in this area that I have no record of. Here is the information I have for these localities that may be helpful to you. I would not want to misinform you but also do not know how much they will help you if they find out you are writing an article on this issue.

I hope this helps you,
God Bless
Lee Polk
Franklin, PA

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