Chemung Septic Plans Start With the Soil

A Chemung County septic plan starts before the building site looks like a building site. For an undeveloped property, the owner process begins with Environmental Health Services and a Public Health Sanitarian. The site evaluation is an inspection of the proposed parcel to decide whether it is suitable for an onsite wastewater treatment system. If it is suitable, specifications can be made for the type and location of the OWTS.

The town name belongs in the opening call. Different sanitarians cover different towns, so saying Elmira, Horseheads, Southport, Big Flats, Van Etten, or another municipality is not small talk; it helps route the question.

The owner also needs to involve a contractor with a backhoe or excavator before scheduling the site evaluation, because test holes are required. Soil conditions decide how deep those holes need to be and whether a percolation test is needed. That order is the whole point: town, sanitarian, contractor, test holes, soil, then design. For a buyer or owner, keep the tax map, proposed house location, driveway idea, well question, contractor contact, and Environmental Health reply together before anyone starts pricing the final yard.