General

3. General

3.1. Design Standards

1. a large 3 bedroom house will have a greater sewage volume than from a small 3 bedroom house,
2. possible additional volumes of sewage (liquids as well as solids) per day caused by the installation of Jaccuzzi type bath tubs, garburators, water conditioning equipment, life styles , etc.
3. all aspects of the effluent disposal system to treat and dispose of all effluent effectively and efficiently including the ability and rate the soil is able to accept the effluent when absorption into the soil is used as the method of treatment and disposal of effluent.

See also Pg. 26, Article 3.2.3. regarding Operations and Maintenance Manuals.

1. is maintained,
2. is operated within the design parameters of the system, and
3. effectively treats and disposes of the sewage and effluent.

The owner must know and understand what maintenance is required on the system as a whole and any specific components that require maintenance, In addition, what intervals maintenance should be provided, and instruction on what needs to be done to provide that maintenance. To instruct the owner on the maintenance the installer provides an operation and maintenance manual to the owner.

The owner of the system also has an obligation to know and understand the capacity and capability of the private sewage system serving his property and to ensure the system is not abused by being overloaded beyond its designed capacity and that if the system should fail, it is the owner's responsibility to see that it is repaired to a proper operating condition.

See Pg. 22, Article 3.1.11

See also Pg. 26, Article 3.2.3. regarding Operations and Maintenance Manuals.

See Pg. 101, Use of the Septic Tank in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 112, Package Sewage Treatment Plants in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 97, Alberta Building Code in Appendix "B:

3.1.3. Except for a sewage lagoon or a sewage holding tank, a private sewage system shall include an effluent chamber and a method to supply effluent to an effluent disposal component, in a unit volume per flush, adequate to provide distribution of effluent throughout the effluent disposal system.

Intent: The system should discharge effluent intermittently to an effluent disposal system with sufficient volume to encourage distribution of effluent throughout the system and to reduce the incidence of freezing problems that are inherent to "Trickle Type" systems. Required volumes are determined by the effluent treatment and disposal system size and the method of distribution. Refer to Articles 7A.1.6., 7A.1.7., 8.1.6., and 9.1.11.

To enable more effective distribution of the effluent every system must have the ability to flush a volume dose of effluent to the treatment and disposal system. This also assists with frost prevention by flushing it rapidly past cold sections. A trickle system has proven to be far more likely to freeze and ineffective at distributing effluent.

See Pg. 104, Single Chamber (Trickle Type) Septic Tanks in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 166, Fig. Tanks 1 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 167, Fig. Tanks 1a septic tank components in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 104, Effluent Chamber - (Siphon Or Pump) - Purpose, in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 191, Fig. DF 13 in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 135, Split Disposal Fields in Appendix "B"

1. storm water,
2. surface water,
3. abattoir waste,
4. subsurface seepage water,
5. waste water from a hot tub, spa or hydro massage bath exceeding a 2-person capacity,
6. wastes from a swimming pool,
7. commercial or industrial process wastes,
8. waste from a water filter or other commercial water treatment device,
9. wastes from an iron filter, or
10. other wastes not considered in the design of the system.

Warning: The use of Sodium salts in a water softener may be harmful to a sewage disposal system. The increased Sodium levels in the water can reduce the effectiveness of the septic tank or other means of treatment and disposal used in a system.

Sodium occurring naturally in the water or introduced by a water softener using Sodium salts as a regeneration agent, may affect the ability of the soil to absorb the effluent. High Sodium Adsorption Ratio effluent and the presence of expansive clays, such as Montmorillonite clay, (refer to Appendix A.3.B. and Appendix A.3.C.) in the soil may cause an effluent disposal system to fail. Additional considerations from those set out in this Standard may be required.

Note: The use of Potassium salts as a regeneration agent in a water softener may not have the same affect on expansive clays as the use of Sodium salts.

Warning: The discharge of wastes in large volumes that cannot be accurately predicted or that include substances that are difficult to treat can harm the system and cause a failure.

Intent: The treatment and disposal methods identified in this Standard are intended for treating and disposing of domestic waste (waste normally expected from a dwelling). Waste from facilities other than a dwelling may require special consideration.

A private sewage system is designed to accommodate an expected volume of sewage from a building under "normally expected" conditions of use.

Items such as the volumes of storm water, surface water, subsurface seepage water, etc, cannot be estimated therefore, the disposal system cannot be sized to accommodate this type of waste.

Abattoir wastes or industrial process wastes may contain elements that are harmful to the system.

See Pg. 15, Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) in the definitions.

See Pg. 125, Water Softeners in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 32, Article 5.1.4

See Pg. 33, Article 5.2.4

See Pg. 36, Article 6.2.4

See Pg. 169, Fig. Tanks 3 in Appendix "B"

1. subsurface seepage water, or
2. wastes from an iron filter.

An open discharge system or a sewage lagoon are open systems that are not subject to the limited liquid volume storage capacity that is found in closed systems such as disposal fields, treatment mounds, etc.

See Pg. 207, Fig. Typical OD 1 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 208, Fig. Typical OD 2 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 209, Fig. Typical OD 3 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 212, Fig. Typical L 1 in Appendix "B"

3.1.6. Surface water and runoff water shall be directed away from the disposal area.

Intent: To prevent saturation of the effluent disposal site and/or system caused by surface or runoff water.

See Pg. 54, Article 8.2.2
See Pg. 57, Article 9.1.5
See Pg. 62, Article 9.2.9
See Pg. 133, Location Of Disposal Fields in Appendix "B".
See Pg. 112, Effluent Pumps in Appendix "B"

Laundry or kitchen wastes, for example, shall not bypass the sewage treatment system.

See Pg. 100, Freezing of Systems in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 101, Use of the Septic Tank in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 112, Packaged Sewage Treatment Plants in Appendix "B"

See Pg. 59, Article 9.2.4
See Pg. 52, Article 8.1.7.
See Pg. 98, Pressure Distribution Lateral in Appendix "B"

1. a treatment mound,
2. an intermittent sand filter,
3. a subsurface disposal system,
4. an open discharge system, or
5. any other system designed for use with residential strength effluent.

Restaurants, laundries, hospitals, large public kitchens, etc., may be expected to contribute types and volumes of wastes which would be better handled by a separate system and require specialized treatment. An engineer should be consulted in these or any other unusual cases.

Systems serving facilities that produce significant amounts of grease in the sewage are difficult to design and must pre-treat the sewage to remove the grease or otherwise take the amount of grease into account in the design.

3.1.10. Sewage shall not bypass any treatment phase of the private sewage system.

Intent: To prevent damage to an effluent disposal system caused by wastewater water which bypasses a septic tank or a packaged sewage treatment plant and is discharged directly into an effluent disposal system.

Self explanatory.

See Pg. 100, Freezing of Systems in Appendix "B"

3.1.11. A private sewage system shall operate to its design standard under the climatic conditions recorded by Environment Canada for the specific location where the system is installed.

Intent: Temperature design data varies in different locations in Alberta and may effect the system performance. While all locations in Alberta are subject to freezing some locations are more severe. Appendix C of the Alberta Building Code provides climatic data for various locations in Alberta and may be used to satisfy design criteria. A Section of Appendix C is reprinted in Appendix A.3.A. of this Standard for reference.

A private sewage system designed for use in the Province of Alberta must be capable of operating satisfactorily in a wide range of temperatures as well as a wide range of precipitation/evaporation rates that vary from area to area throughout the province.

The designer must consider all environmental conditions in the design as well as potable water qualities, soil types and textures, percolation rates, expected water usage and any special conditions specific to that site.

See Pg. 19, Article 3.1.2

1. into a well, an abandoned well, an aquifer, a water supply,
2. into any surface body of water such as, but not limited to, a lake, river or stream,
3. onto any vegetable garden, or
4. into any other system not consistent with the design provided under this Standard.

Sewage contains chemical and biological constituents that can cause environmental and public health problems or nuisances if the waste is not safely treated and disposed of. Of particular importance is the treatment and safe disposal of sewage to prevent the contamination of food or water and prevent the incidence and transmission of disease. The discharge of sewage into a system that is not consistent with a design provided under this Standard is not acceptable.

See Water Course and Water Source in the definitions

3.1.13. Sewage or effluent on the surface of the ground shall be contained within the property.

Intent: The focus of this Article is an open discharge system. However, a subsurface disposal system has failed when effluent ponds on the surface, not just when the effluent leaves the property.

Property means the land described in the Certificate of Title issued under the Land Titles Act.

In very general terms, Sewage may not cross a property line. All sewage generated on a property must be treated and disposed of on the same property

3.1.14. The minimum expected volume of sewage per day shall be determined by Table 3.1.14.A., or by actual documented usage.

Intent: The expected volumes of sewage listed in Table 3.1.14.A. are for uses reasonably expected in the corresponding type of occupancy. The load may change considerably, especially in the case of dwellings. Additional fixtures, high capacity fixtures, or frequent entertaining will increase the load substantially. The designer and or installer must consider additional load factors when determining the expected sewage per day. The expected volume of sewage for occupancies that may require operational personnel include an allowance for a reasonable number of personnel.

Pg. 22, Table 3.1.14.A. provides a suggested minimum expected volume of sewage per day for uses in the corresponding types of occupancy.

In some applications water saving devices may be used that can considerably reduce the amount of sewage. However, this will increase the strength of the sewage which must be considered in the design. Generally designing the system for sewage flows expected before water use reduction is adequate.

The actual volume of sewage generated in many cases, may exceed the volumes indicated in the Table.

The designer and or installer must consider additional load factors when determining the expected sewage per day.

See Pg. 31, Article 5.1.1
See Pg. 35, Article 6.1.2
See Pg. 102, To Select The Size of the Septic Tank in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 112, Packaged Sewage Treatment Plants in Appendix "B". See Pg. 127, Weeping Lateral Trenches in Appendix "B"

1. fixtures located below grade are subject to backflow, and
2. the movement of sewage or effluent is achieved by a mechanical device.

Intent: If the backup of sewage will spill into the building before escaping the system outside, a warning device needs to be installed. Although this Article does not require an alarm device for systems serving single family dwellings, it should be considered by the owner of the building. Alarms are not required for single family dwellings since additional sewage that may back up in a dwelling can be prevented by the occupants of the home not using additional water.

Self explanatory.

See Pg. 59, Article 9.1.13
See Pg. 111, Pumping of Sewage in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 112, Effluent Pumps in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 171, Fig. Pumps 1 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 172, Fig. Pumps 2 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 173, Fig. Pumps 3 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 174, Fig. Pumps 4 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 175, Fig. Pumps 5 in Appendix "B"

3.2 Installation Standards

1. that is less than 1800 sq. metres (19,500 sq. ft.) unless the lot was created prior to July 1,1992,
2. that is not of sufficient size to meet all minimum distance requirements of this Standard for the intended system, and
3. where site conditions on the property are not able to support a self sustaining private sewage system.

Note: A site evaluation to determine the suitability of a site for a sewage system includes confirming that the characteristics of the site meet the requirements as set out in this Standard. This evaluation includes, but is not limited to, the determination of:

1. the existence and distance to limiting barriers in the soil such as an impervious layer or high water table,
2. the location and size of bodies of water,
3. surface water drainage characteristics,
4. volume and strength of the sewage generated by the facility being served,
5. classifications and percolation rates of soils to establish the types and sizes of systems that may be used for treatment and disposal, and
6. the area available for the sewage system and distance requirements to property lines, bodies of water, and water sources.

(2) Notwithstanding (1), a holding tank system may be installed with the permission of the Local Municipal Government and shall conform with this Standard.

Intent: Sewage holding tanks are not a self sustainable method of private sewage disposal for an individual owner due to the ongoing direct costs of removing the sewage on an individual basis and limited approved locations for sewage disposal.

When considering the use of holding tanks, the need to provide for approved disposal in a sewage lagoon or other safe location and the increased traffic on road systems in the area must be part of the considerations.

There are many existing subdivided lots that were subdivided prior to July of 1990 of a size less than 1800 sq. metres (19,000 sq. ft.). A private sewage system may be installed on these smaller lots provided the installation can comply with 3.2.1. (1)(b), (c), and 3.2.1.(2).

The local municipality may have specific requirements prohibiting the installation of sewage holding tanks. If sewage holding tanks are allowed by the municipality, the municipality may also have specific requirements to control the final disposal of sewage from the sewage holding tanks in that municipality.

Contact the municipality for any information regarding the proposed installation of sewage holding tanks.

See Pg. 31, Article 5.1.2

See Pg. 32, Article 5.1.3

See Pg. 111, Sewage Holding Tanks in Appendix "B"

1. not less than 90 m (300 ft.) from the shore of the body of water, or
2. where a principal building is located between the system and a body of water, the distance may be reduced to the minimum distance requirements for that method of treatment and disposal.

Intent: The intent of this Article is to position the disposal component of a system far enough from the body of water that upon a failure of the disposal component, effluent that surfaces should not reach the body of water. The positioning of the disposal component of a system to the front of the lot will make a failure more easily noticed and encourage repair of the system. A water tight septic tank or similar component need not meet the requirements of this Article.

The overall intent of the Article is to prevent discharge of sewage or effluent into a lake, river, stream or creek. It is important to apply the intent of this article in a system near these bodies of water. The end effect is to locate the system where a failure will result in an inconvenience the owner resulting in the system being fixed.

This article specifically names lake, river, stream or creek as permanent bodies of water and does not refer to a water course which is a defined term and has a much broader meaning. By specifically naming these bodies of water it does not, and is not meant to, apply to other bodies of water included in the broad term of water course.

In applying this article to a disposal field, if there is a main building between the disposal field and the lake the required clearance distance is 50 feet. If the building is not between the system and lake the required distance is 300 feet. The building does not have to be directly between the body of water and disposal system. The intent and purpose is not to have the building stop the movement of water but to ensure that in the case of failure the owner is inconvenienced.

1. the capacity in litres (gallons) of sewage per day the system is designed to treat and dispose of,
2. Identification, function and location of main components in the system,
3. maintenance requirements and maintenance interval of each component that requires periodic maintenance,
4. warnings regarding the personal safety of the owner/operator in regards to the operation or maintenance of the system,
5. warnings regarding improper use including substances the should not be discharged into the system, excessive volumes of sewage, etc.
6. a site plan showing the location of all parts of the system requiring maintenance measured from fixed points to aid in the location of all components in the future.

See Pg. 19, Article 3.1.2

3.3 Requirements for Materials

There are many products used in the construction of a private sewage system that are not tested and/or "Certified" by a recognized testing agency for use in a private sewage system. Some common items include gravel, straw, effluent pumps, polyethylene piping, PVC pressure rated piping, etc.

In many cases components are rated by the manufacturer for specific uses such as a pump being used for sewage effluent. Ensure that components used are rated and designed by the manufacturer for the intended purpose.

See Pg. 29, Article 4.3.1
See Pg. 58, Article 9.1.12
See Pg. 62, Article 9.3.3
See Pg. 65, Article 10.3.1
See Pg. 93, Table A.5.A Piping Materials in Appendix "A"
See Pg. 97, Piping in Appendix "B"

The designer/installer may have to obtain verification from the pump manufacturer, for example, to ensure the effluent pump is suitable for pumping effluent.

See Pg. 171, Fig. Pumps 1 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 172, Fig. Pumps 2 in Appendix "B"
See Pg. 173, Fig. Pumps 3 in Appendix "B"