What is the price for this? I found it helpful when you mentioned that homeowners will have to replace the filters and pressure tanks in a well pump over time.

I've frequently encountered subdivisions where there's a community water system and each home has it's own septic and this may be what you have. I'm surprised that your assemblyman and the town manger weren't more helpful. These expenses could easily exceed several years of water bills. The well will be opened up, to determine the static level of the water inside. My own experience is over time it's six of one half a dozen of the other in terms of overall cost. Since the management of sewer lines fall on local governments, people often assume that such systems will be better managed in the most well-financed and capable of hands. We are moving from Florida to Macon County North Carolina at the end of December and most of the homes we are looking at in Franklin/Otto do have a shared well and septic system.

If you do buy a home with septic be certain you have the tank pumped and a full inspection done as part of your diligence. Another issue that factors into the pricing comparison is the business surrounding sewage systems, which have become subject to an ever-growing set of complex, costly improvements. - Larry Tollen, We have a well and septic on the land but the previous owners switched to city waterWe are wanting to go back to the well water so how do we go about doing this? 2 - Up to you. Doc, Depends on where you live, I've lived in a number of spots around the country and have encountered wells going dry for any number of reasons. Now, we can put that cost into our budget and be able to prepare for it so that we can schedule the maintenance at the right times. Marc, We're Realtors, not septic engineers, so I'm not sure about what type of system your property might require. Do people tend to prefer having a tank or being hooked to the sewer? We also like the fact that we aren't drinking water that contains traces of chlorine, a mix of pharmaceuticals or fluoride.

We are planning to move to a home that has a water well in the backyard, so that will be important for us. There's a well being drilled in my town near where I live. I'll make sure that gets done. I'm thinking of a petition but the Attorney General's office can't tell me anything about the matter. Jalu We agree with you wholeheartedly, experience counts and often experienced well and or Septic noted nstallers make for great inspection resources. But does the latter really cost more and require frequent maintenance? Is it possible to have both a sewer connection AND a septic connection? We are thinking about getting one here soon. I believe that for people who want an uninterrupted supply of water and are not at the mercy of their supplier, well pumps are a great option. I'm looking at buying a home in a Florida beach town. We're pretty sure there is water around, so we'll have to find a service that could come out and dig a nice well for him to use. Larry, If you lose power with no back up generator you won't be able to get water with a well. I didn't know much about wells before so I decided to try to educate myself a little bit. If they don't you should have a qualified septic installer come out, inspect and pump your system and explain to you the required maintenance. What remediation can be done (reverse osmosis, filtration system) or, if you were her realtor, would you advise her to withdraw her offer? With each influx of wastewater, the tank empties earlier loads through distribution boxes that lead to drain fields. Bastrop Tx if it matters. 4. Jocelyn, Glad you found the article helpful, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Can you have municipal water and separate septic? It really put everything in perspective for me! If you don't mind the municipal obligations that can factor into your dependence on a centralized sewer system, then that might be the adequate option, especially if you're likely to change addresses every few years or less. Having grown up in the area 50 years ago I'm familiar with what we had for a well and septic, but I'm sure times have changed. While there are no monthly water bills, homeowners need to be prepared to replace the well pump, the pressure tank and filters (if any) over time. There are literally thousands of tests that could be done, all of which cost money. If they are experienced in doing inspections, I'm sure they'll do a great job. UMNE has also linked contaminated sewage to the appearance of hepatitis and dysentery pathogens in tap water. Occasionally a shared well may only be between a couple of neighbors in which case ideally there's a written maintenance agreement that addresses maintenance. An even bigger problem nowadays is contamination whether from Radon or chemicals from fracking, improper dumping or runoff from farms or golf courses, there's a lot more for homeowners to consider when dealing with wells. That is why I'm looking for a pump repair service to help me check and diagnose if there are any known issues in my pump. Since sewage systems are paid for and maintained by local governments, residents don't have to handle the maintenance and labor, but they do have to foot the fees. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. My sister is looking into installing a well on her property, so she'll have to consider the costs and benefits as well. I'm about to purchase my own home and I had no idea how a septic system works and where it is located. If you're having a home custom built on some remote hill, deep forest, or sparse rural environment, a septic system will likely be your only choice. You should plan on getting your own inspection including having the tank pumped. I'm in New York State a few miles from the Vermont border and am being charged $60 quarterly by the town for water and sewer because I'm in the water district. Lyla, while there's no water bills, there's the upfront cost of installing a well. I just moved into a new place with a new well and the water that comes out of our sink has not seemed very clean. It's a really good idea for a home. It takes 24 to 48 hours for this process. All useful info! Thanks a lot for the nice post. I like your post because it's a really informative and helpful. Well send a licensed plumber who is certified by Onondaga County for plumbing leak detection or any plumbing related project. in addition to what you've shared so far, what else should we consider? Zachary, Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I think it will be worth the occasional well and septic maintenance to live in a beautiful location and be fairly self-sufficient. If so I can assure you it's illegal and extremely dangerous to the health of anyone drinking the water. We have now found out that the buyer is out of country and purchased the and in order to flip the house. Karen, Larry @ My NC Homes, That's a good point that wells and sewer systems are often a necessity in more rural areas.

City water and sewer run past our house, who do we contact to tap into the lines. Certain municipalities have even gone so far as to impose liens on homes that haven't paid their fees. As someone who has lived with well and septic numerous times in the past, if your well is working properly there's no need to update the pump. (Sounds like I just talked myself out of a lot of work!) Definitely Wake, Nash or Johnston County.) Septic system are engineered systems and when properly installed and maintained can give many decades of trouble free use. While the most common situation is well and septic because the properties are located in an area where neither is available, it's possible to have well and sewer or septic and public water. Like you mentioned, there is a cost up front, but it's necessary to help you not have costs later on. It struck me as intriguing to know that septic tanks need to be pumped every few year with and upward cost of $200-$300 to pump it. I hope this helps. Depending on where you live however you may not have an option. Thanks for leaving a comment. Hope this helps, if you're not already working with a buyer broker, give us a call, there's no fee for our service and perhaps we can help you. If said home has well and septic(W&S) but also has tap water availability, would it be worth having the water source transitioned although we would have to keep the septic system? If the system was designed for two bedrooms this means it was designed for 4 people as you add people the tank fills with solids more quickly and will need to be pumped more often. Your article had some great information about septic systems, and I liked how you mentioned that septic systems have no monthly bills, but will need to be inspected and pumped every few years. I see no reason to shun well and septic but homewowners not familiar with these systems need to educate themselves so that they better understand how best to use them. Or make it less appealing to buyers when you want to sell? As revealed by Hopkinton Mass.-based realtor Bill Gassett, the recent Betterment fee in his town was $16,000.

Trust me, your article has really helped me in knowing that inspection is a must whether or not we have a well. I'm kind of surprised that the septic system size is determined by the number of bedrooms in the house. Larry @ My NC Homes. 5. I'll keep this in mind. It makes us wonder how repairs and maintenance are handled and what we should look for when reviewing a property that states it has a shared well. My current home has city water and a private sewer system. Having the tank pumped is important as there is no way an inspector can truly inspect the tank if it's filled with gray water and solids. It's nice to know that I'll need to be prepared to replace the well pump, pressure tank, and filters.

My goal is to be aware of how I can care for it because I don't want it to fail at any given time. I've heard that it does have a water well. I do feel this is something a seller needs to address, once they receive a copy of your daughter's report they are legally bound to disclose this information and lead in the water is a potentially very serious issue. This house was built in 1992 and he says it has never been pumped. This is something that I will make sure to remember because I'm interested in installing a water well soon. It's hard without my seeing the survey/plot map and septic permit to really comment on your septic field. You should definitely inquire as to who is maintaining the well, what fees are any are charged, and how often is the water checked. I find it helpful to know that even though there are no monthly water bills if you choose a water well system for your home, you would still need to be prepared to replace the well pump, the pressure tank, and the filters in the future. Concerns have developed over the impact this could have on rivers as the bacteria of sewage stream outward. I like the thought that a properly maintained well and septic system results, or could result in many years if not a decade or so of trouble-free use. I would think that it would be more about how many bathrooms there are.

We haven't had our tank pumped or inspected in over 6 years now, and I think we need to get it done soon. But, I don't seem to have a choice. I like how you mentioned that if we are comfortable with paying monthly bills then the cities water are the best for us. (Typically these are only used when the Flow Rate is low) Hope this helps. Jocelyn- Glad you found the article useful. Thank you again. A local construction company is doing the renovations.

Thanks in advance for any response!! I appreciate that you recommend to get the well inspected by a qualified company. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my article. It sure got my attention when you said that regular well pump maintenance is needed to ensure that it stays resilient and protected from natural elements and weather conditions. Anne- I've lived with well and septic many times over the years and my article isn't meant to promote or decry either, simply to offer a simple and hopefully clear explanation of them and things any home owner should consider. Yes, we may need to repair/replace the pump at some point, but a new well pump is only about $500. You got me when you said that it's important to be aware that you may need to replace the well pump and the pressure tank of your water well. My brother actually just purchased a ranch that has a few wells on it. Glad to hear you found the article helpful. Jessica, I definitely would think twice about septic with so many people. We'll have to find a company that could look at it for us. I like how you say that you want to weigh the benefits of having a water well. A sewer system connects whole communities to one centralized drain field. I have never had mine run dry, but only by the grace of God has that happened. If you're looking to buy or sell here in the Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham area give us a call. While septic systems are sometimes viewed as the more eco-friendly option, many people are apprehensive about the costs and maintenance involved. You don't have the worry-free mindset that you could have with being on city water and sewer, but you don't have to pay for this relief every month when you pay your water and sewer bills! I'll make sure to look for someone to get it checked out and let me know how it is. Larry @ My NC Homes, Thanks for explaining the difference between a well and a septic system. Kerri, Sewer hook up varies by locale. We just purchased a home that is listed as public water but having a septic tank. Larry. Wells can go dry, can become contaminated with various things and ultimately the well pump and pressure tank as well as any filtering equipment that may be there wears out and needs to be replaced. What happens when you find out that the actual well is being used as a septic tank itself? Sam, In addition it's possible for a well to go dry in which case homeowners will be faced with either having to have their well fracked to see if they can't get it flowing again (This was the original fracking and while similar in concept is not the same fracking done for gas drilling) or they may need to have a new well drilled. Pumps do have life spans (10+/- years is about average) and when it fails then go ahead and replace it. I know this very well from your post. Larry@My NC Homes My husband and I just moved onto a property that has a skeptic system, but we aren't sure how to care for it, as we've never had on before. It's great to know that one benefit of using a water well pump is that there are no water bills to worry about. If not the attorney who will be representing you at closing could prepare a simple one for the well users to sign. Our municipality approved water/force main lines up our road to feed a large new development. Used water is returned to the aquifer, which never overflows if properly maintained. I have been considering getting a well for my new property on the outskirts of town. Speaking only for myself if I had a choice I'd take municipal water over well but frequently there's no choice you take what's available. We just moved to a house with one of those and I wasn't considering giving it maintenance until now. Larry. After all, the purpose of having a septic tank is to enjoy good, clean, affordable, eco-friendly drainage for the full span of your time on a given property. Justin; Thank you for the compliment, really appreciate it and happy to hear you thought I did a good job explaining these systems. These include things like pumps, control panels, pressure tanks, septic alarms, lines etc. Thanks, This type of information very important for me. They mentioned that they'd love to find a professional who can install a water well for them. One of the most significant advantages of sewer is the ability to expand the number of bedrooms now or in the future if this is of interest to the seller/buyer.

Donna, We're Realtors and not septic specialists, this is actually not an uncommon situation and I don't beleive there's any impact on the septic systems performance. I like how this article mentioned how septic systems are designed based on the number of bedrooms in the home. Our contracts are "as-is" in that no seller ever has to do anything related to the condition of the house, however during the "due diligence" period the buyer has the right to terminate. I have just learned a world of information from this article. Other than this and perhaps having to change out water filters there shouldn't be any major expenses. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It would be nice to have the comfort of knowing I am self-sufficient in case of physical or financial emergency later down the road. It sure is nice to know that when choosing to have a well pump installed, one should consider the gallon per minute flow rate of the well, as this will determine the amount of water that can be used in a given amount of time.

Thank you so much! If a land has sewer, does it mean that it also has public potable water system? Do homeowners, sellers, ever get inspections prior to listing the home? If you want to buy a house with a well, how difficult would it be to fix one that doesn't meet these standards? Becca, glad you found the article worthwhile. Henry, Glad you found the article helpful. You've got a lot of questions, I'll try my best to answer them. I never knew that a tank needs to be pumped in order for septic tank specialists to do inspections of the tanks. This is one of the most informative articles I've yet to read. The idea of a septic system was scary to me, but no longer. Larry @ My NC Homes, I found it helpful when you explained that septic systems need to be inspected on a regular basis. I had no idea there was a difference between well water and city water, or the well water is more common and available. Think of water and sewer as separate; no reason to wait on sewer if you want to connect to municipal water or vise-versa. It's also good to know that the size of the tank will depend on the number of rooms.

Debates have been waged between municipal boards regarding the best possible ways to handle sewer development costs, which are known to rise as new pumping stations are constructed. I think you'd have to contact a local water filtration company to get these answers. Thank you! Here is our concern: Residents of our rural road have always been on wells and septic. LBNL: If you haven't already answered this along with one of the other questions: (NOT in connection with #4 but in regards to homes that DON'T have the tap water option) What obligations do sellers have as far as repairing W&S or lawfully does it have to be in certain standards before selling? For myself I'm comfortable with city water and sewer and the monthly bills that come along with them, but I'm also fine with well and septic if I'm living in a more rural area and encourage my buyers who my be considering such a property for the first time not to be fearful. I really want to search for the right company by their amount of experience because I think that would make a big difference in the kind of work that they do. Having owned properties with wells and with municipal water my own experience is that over time the overall cost is about the same, but there's no denying many people prefer wells so that they do have personal control of their water source. The house has been unoccupied for 2 years. Thank you for mentioning that you need to have septic systems inspected. I also appreciate your information on how to maintain a well or a septic system. Amy - You are welcome and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Thanks for the post! Ah, but I do! We recently built a house on acreage with no options for city water or sewer (although gas was available at the street). I understand the cost comparisons when the well is already in place. Furthermore, don't plant trees or other heavily rooted plants either on or near the area of soil in which the system lies, because roots and bulbs can grow stronger as time passes and ultimately damage drainage pipes. We just weren't sure.

If the seller HAS had a (seemingly recent) inspection, how much would you trust that inspection? Call your agent or the former owner and they can tell you. We are planning to have a custom built home and we want to have our own source of water. Depending on the actual system type there may be other parts that could need replacement over time. Thanks for taking the time to read my article and leave a comment. Here's some answers: Most tanks are capable of holding 1,000 gallons of water. Your article had some great information about septic systems and wells, and I liked how you said to keep in mind how the septic system is connected to the number of bedrooms. Karla - This is certainly not unheard of. I like that you mention how it's important to inspect septic tanks and field in order to keep it in good condition. There's no one right solution for everyone and often there's really no option for water or sewer in many rural areas. If you're buying a home that has a well it's critical that you have it inspected by a qualified company as part of your due diligence process. Keep us in mind if you're interested in buying in the Durham- Chapel Hill area.

(If it's not broke; don't fix it). Do we have any alternative options at all for this problem? Generally speaking installing a new one is likely to be more expensive than working with what's there. While the buyer can walk, the problems go nowhere and smart sellers and buyers should try to resolve the issues so that everyone feels it's fair. Is it possible to have a septic system and not have a well? Listing information last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 6:59am EDT. Larry Tollen, I'm glad you explained that homeowners that have a septic system need to have their tank inspected every couple of years. Hope this helps Larry T. It's good to know that we need to have the well of our new home inspected by a professional so that we can make sure everything is working properly. If there are any problems with its well pump, we will definitely contact a repair service as soon as possible to fix it. Thanking you in advance for any advice you can share. Basically, the two systems both offer reliable drainage of wastewater from houses and buildings with minimal problems the majority of the time. My NC Homes, It's nice to know that there are no monthly sewer bills with a septic system. I glad I found your blog. With sewer systems, energy and chemicals are needed to pump and treat the water. One thing buyers should understand however is that there are differing types of septic and some can be both expensive to install and maintain but depending on the soils may be required. All you need to do is wash something down a drain or flush it down a toilet and it's gone forever. I'll have to remind them of this when I go see them. Larry Tollen for My NC Homes. Sewer systems are more common because they're funded and maintained by local governments. Even a good system not cared for may become a neighborhood health hazard and an expensive problem. Nonetheless, sewer systems do have the power to handle large amounts of wastewater from the collective addresses of cities, towns, and suburbs. For a new house in a remote area, connecting to a sewer system is usually costly and difficult. Larry T, It's good to know that a septic tank inspection and pumping costs about $500. perhaps a call to your Congressman? Thanks for this information! Jacque, I would agree with you a new well and septic system should give a homeowner 8-10 years dependable use. Can you also tell me what would be the consequences of having additional person(s) in a house with a septic tank? There are a number of septic "systems" some have two tanks, some have pumps, etc etc. Thanks for reading the article and taking the time to leave a comment.

Sam- I've never heard of such a thing, are you certain this is true? If you're in need of maintenance or pumping on your septic system, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Syracuse. I also don't know when the last time the previous owner's had it inspected was, so I'd rather not take any risks by letting it go unchecked any longer. 2. (Immediate savings and estimated number of years before the two options balance out would be fantastic!) I want to make sure that I get the right well for my home. However, it's my first time to have a water well drilled, so I'll hire someone to install the well for me. Typically this was only done on very large homes where 10-12 people at any one time were common. Thank you Hello, Water will eventually be available to us for the hooking up costs of approx $15,000, but sewer is not available. In some cases, its even impossible due to the lack of nearby sewage lines. Thanks! Larry Tollen.

Read on to learn the benefits of sewer vs septic systems. If you wanted to have the septic connection as a back-up in case of emergency? James- as you point out knowing your wells flow rate is important. That's good to know that wells need to be inspected. Again, when a home has a septic system there are no monthly sewer bills, however homeowners need to expect to have the tank pumped every few years (average cost $200- $300) and depending on the type of septic system they have there may be additional annual costs as some types of systems require a licensed inspector to verify that the system is working properly. This would be an entirely new experience for my husband and me. I agree that even though you don't have to pay a water bill that you should be prepared for well maintenance costs. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than My NC Homes are marked with the Internet Data Exchange TM logo or the Internet Data ExchangeTM thumbnail logo (the TMLS logo) and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing firms. Well and Septic has been in use for much longer than I've been alive. With all these things taken into consideration, it's crucial to keep your septic system well maintained throughout the time that you own and reside at a given property. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Since such systems are evenly distributed, there's no single point at which treated outflows are run from large communities of houses and buildings. Thank you for explaining the whole water well testing process in such a detailed way. I never knew that this is so essential, but my husband and I are about to close on a home that has a water well in the yard, so we will need to do this. Some systems use filters which need to be cleaned off once a year. Everything that floats rises to the top, which is known as the scum layer. Provincial and local laws may impact the services this independently owned and operated franchise location may perform at this time. I've never had a septic tank before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Here's to a good new year to come for you and your parents. It wouldn't fun turning on the tap only to have nothing come out. Jeff we couldn't agree more, install a well or replacing a pump is for professionals. Septic systems, by contrast, only need minor touchups to work perfectly over lengthy spans of time. The reason for this shift in opinion is that septic tanks are reputed to be the green-friendly alternative to old fashioned sewer systems. As to cost, it varies depending on a variety of factors but you could be looking at between $10,000 - $20,000+. We have option here but startup cost is my main concern. Wells are the same, and I know many people who prefer well water, but again there are expenses and the risk that you're well could under certain conditions go dry. Septic systems are designed to be pumped generally every 2-3 years; which in the areas of the country I've lived tends to run about $300+/-. Chances are they haven't completely replaced or updated the W&S systems. I'm not a waste water engineer, and haven't ever seen anything like this but it seems like it could be done. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I sure didn't know that these could go dry. james, glad you found our article helpful. Thanks for reading and taking the time to leave a comment. I am in the process of buying a house with "well/septic tank". Site specific quotes would be needed. Bill, You should speak with a licensed well installer. When it comes to the sewer vs. septic system debate, a lot of half-truths and outright inaccuracies persist in the minds of many homeowners.

But if you move into a septic-based community where all the neighbors are lobbying to have a sewer line, the choice would likely be yours to either opt in or stick with a septic tank.