HomeMy WebLinkAboutOWTS ReportJune 17, 2021
502 Main Street • Suite A3 • Carbondale, CO 81623 • (970) 704 -0311 • Fax (970) 704 -0313
S OPRIS E NGINEERING • LLC civil consultants
Seth Kirby & Kasandralynn Horvath
710 Cedar Hills Road
Silt CO 81652
"seth horvath" <seth.horvath@yahoo.com>
RE: Design Report, On-site Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS), 710 Cedar Hills Road
Silt, Garfield County, CO, Cedar Hills Ranch subdivision, Lot: 10
SE Job No. 30243 , Parcel No: 217901108010 . Previous EHD Permit #3879. 9-27-04
Dear Seth:
This letter report presents the applicable findings in regard to the design and construction of an
upgrade/replacement Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) at the above referenced Site, A new
OWTS construction permit is required for the proposed OWTS component upgrades, replacement soil
treatment area (STA) with respect to current usage on the subject property.
The OWTS upgrade design is based on our evaluation of the site conditions for use in obtaining a County
OWTS construction permit. We have evaluated the existing and proposed site conditions with respect to the
operation and installation of a upgrade/replacement OWTS in accordance with County OWTS Regulations
and State of Colorado Regulation 43. The upgraded system meets all required setback requirements and
operational demands for the current usage. Based on the physical site features, soils, and existing building
layout, we have prepared a civil OWTS design plan with construction details for permit approval that was
prepared with GIS, Survey Plat information and aerial mapping. The design criteria and system sizing information
is summarized below. T he design and construction recommendations with specifications are delineated on the
civil design plans, C1-OWTS Plan dated 07-05-20 22, by Sopris Engineering.
OWTS Conditions and Design Criteria
Existing OWTS Components:
The current OWTS system serves the existing residential dwelling that currently has four bedrooms. The OWTS
components consist of gravity service pipe, a 1,25 0-gallon septic tank, that gravity discharges septic tank effluent
to 4 chamber trenches in a serial distribution configuration, providing approximately 530 S.F. absorption area
consisting of 4 trenches approximately 50’' long by 3' wide with inspection ports installed on the ends and the
middle of each trench.. The absorption field was installed in 2004; under County EHD permit no. 3879.
The previous design was based on a regulatory design flow of 900 gpd. The existing absorption field was sized
based on an average tested percolation rate of 24 minutes per inch that is equivalent to a soil type 2 silt loam. The
absorption field sizing was calculated to require 882 S.F. with an applied 40% reduction for 530 S.F. of total
absorption area required at the time of permitting. The existing trenches will be abandoned in place or removed as
needed to install the new proposed OWTS Geomat beds in the general vicinity.
Proposed OWTS System Replacement
No increase over current usage for a 4-bedroom residence is proposed. The system will be constructed to provide
for demand dosing of septic tank effluent to an engineered enhanced media soil treatment area (STA) pursuant to
Regulation 43 design criteria. The OWTS will maintain the existing gravity sewer service pipe from the existing
dwelling to the existing 1,250-gallon plastic 2-compartment septic tank. The tank lids risers and lids will be
OWTS Upgrade Design and Construction
710 Cedar Hills Road
SE Job No. 32159.01
July 12, 2022
Page 2
extended to the finish surface. A new 500 gallon plastic dosing tank will be installed equipped with a Highhead
pump assembly to provide full pressure dosing of the replacement field.
The upgraded STA system is designed based the current design criteria approved, on February 19, 2020, by
CDPHE for the use of a pressure dosed geotextile sand filter (GSF) type system. Specifically the preferred
treatment technology is Geomatrix System, LLC “Geomat” system approved by CDPHE for use as a proprietary
distribution product for use in Colorado OWTS’s utilizing applicable multiplier loading rates for enhanced
manufactured media. . The design is in compliance with area calculations based on the LTAR loading rate for the
in-situ soils utilizing Geomat material installed over a 6-inch layer of ASTM-33 filter sand in shallow pressure
dosed beds per the estimated design flow capacities
The replacement system will include the installation of an Orenco System bio tube simplex effluent pump assembly
for pressure distribution of septic tank effluent to a new Geotextile Sand filter (GSF) bed system consisting of
Geomat enhanced manufactured media, filter sand and custom perforated distribution laterals. The existing septic
tank will be maintained with a new outlet effluent pipe connection to the new dosing tank. The effluent discharge
piping from the pump assembly will be installed to connect to an automatic distribution valve that will have
individual distribution pipes connecting to a manifold pipes at the head of each Geomat treatment zoned bed each
containing a pair of rows with custom perforated distribution laterals. Each paired bed row will have appropriate
inspection port cleanouts and appurtenances.
Design Calculations OWTS
The existing residential structure has 4 bedrooms with a design flow based on residential usage. The upgrade design
maintains the equivalent 4-bedroom single family residence design flow. The total peak residential population is 7
persons.
From County adopted State Regulation 43,Design Flow Criteria: Minimum population based on 2 person per
bedroom for the first 3 bedrooms = 6 persons and 1 person per bedroom for each additional bedrooms = 1 person for
a total of 7 persons. 75 gal/person/day, No PF
Equivalent 4-bedroom Design capacity = 7 x 2 = 14 persons @ 75 gal/person/day,
Max. Design flow (Qd)gallons/day = (# of people) x (avg. flow)gal/person/day.
Design flow Qd = 7 X 75 = 525 gpd
Septic Tank Design: 2-Day detention time = 525 x 2 = 1,050 gallons required.
Continue use of the existing 1,250 gallon, two-compartment primary septic tank and install a new 500 gallon,
single compartment dosing basin with a bio-tube dosing pump assembly.
Sub Surface Conditions and Testing
Based on site observations, review of previous permit documentation and geotechnical evaluations the soils below
nil to 4" of topsoil consist of sandy silt loam texture soils . A site assessment, OWTS inspection and Subsurface soil
investigations were performed by SE on June 23, 2022. A shallow test pit was excavated to characterize the in situ
soils along with investigation and sampling of soil conditions below the multiple inspection ports installed on the
existing chamber trenches. The soils encountered in the pit and absorptive surface of the existing field consist of silt
loam and scattered gravels and small boulders. Previous percolation testing at the time of permit resulted in an
average percolation rate of 24 minutes per inch that is consistent with a soil type 2. The previous and recent soils
evaluation did not indicate the presence of any limiting soil or hydrological conditions.
OWTS Upgrade Design and Construction
710 Cedar Hills Road
SE Job No. 32159.01
July 12, 2022
Page 3
This soil type 2 has an effective loading rate for conventional soil treatment of 0.6 gal/S.F./day for a level 1
conventional treatment system. Therefore for design purposes the soil underlying the proposed soil treatment area
(STA) will be considered type 2. In order to provide optimal treatment a shallow pressure dosed STA utilizing
enhanced manufactured media will be installed to provide for a treatment level TL-1 system. No free water is
expected to be encountered within the field excavations.
Additional observations and soil evaluation will be performed during construction, by Sopris Engineering in the
area of the proposed absorption field and tank to confirm the previous soil evaluation and design criteria. Sopris
Engineering will observe new profile pits in the area of the proposed absorption field. The soils will be sampled and
characterized by application of the USDA soil texture methods. The soils will be further evaluated to determine the
presence of any limiting soil or hydrological conditions, appropriate hydraulic loading rate, absorptive surface
level capacity and to verify treatment level design for the in-situ native soils. If soil conditions encountered require
adjustments to design criteria or the design plan notice will be made to County EHD and applicable revisions to
design/construction plans and report will be submitted. The results of the additional soil evaluation and soil
characterization will be included in the As-Constructed documentation. Normal Groundwater levels are expected to
be below 10 feet from the existing surface grades.
GeoMat™ Treatment Unit/ Absorption System Design
The treatment/absorption fields are designed based on utilizing the effective Long Term Acceptance Rate (LTAR)
for a geotextile sand filter (GSF) treatment system utilizing pressure dosed distribution laterals. The new treatment
systems will consist of pressure dosed GeoMat sand filter treatment beds with 6-inches of washed filter sand
(ASTM-C33, "Concrete sand") below 2 rows of 39-inch wide GeoMat model 3900 manufactured
treatment/distribution media, in accordance with Regulation 42 sections (43.10(C), 43.13.E.1.d, Table 10-2 and
Table 10-3 as approved by CDPHE for this technology.
Long Term Acceptance Rate (LTAR)
Considering the allowable application of the OWTS regulation 43 and CDPHE approved proprietary Distribution
Product for Geomatrix Systems, GeoMat product:
Receiving septic tank effluent, the treatment level-1 for GeoMat requires a minimum 6" depth of filter sand med ia
with the bottom of the sand layer defined as the infiltrative surface being at least 4-feet above a limiting layer
(43.8, Table 7-2.4); Maximum hydraulic loading rate for TL1 effluent is the long term acceptance rate of the
receiving soil Type 2 is 0.6gal./S.F./day) (Table 10-1 &10-1A.).
A(sf) = Qd x L.F.1 x L.F.2 .: A = Area;
LTAR LTAR = 0.6 gal/S.F./day for silt loam
Qd = flow (gal/day) for OWTS = 525gpd
L.F.1=1.0 pressure dosed bed application
L.F.2=0.7 Enhanced Manufactured Media
OWTS: A(sf) = 525 gpd x 1.0 x 0.7 = 613 S.F.
0.6 Gal/S.F./day
Excavate each bed to a minimum 20” depth below finish grade. Scarify surface, remove any unsuitable materials
and backfill with 6-inches of ASTM-C33, "Concrete sand". Install the specified length of GeoMat rows with the
specified custom perforated distribution laterals and manufacturer supplied orifice shields below the specified
orifices on top of the GeoMat material. The distribution laterals to be installed per manufacturer’s
recommendations below the top geofabric cover. Backfill the completed geo mat beds with suitable excavated
OWTS Upgrade Design and Construction
710 Cedar Hills Road
SE Job No. 32159.01
July 12, 2022
Page 4
materials to finish top of bed grade slightly mounded approximately 3 to 6 inches above the surrounding surface
grades.
A piezometer monitoring well pipe riser with threaded cap will be installed at the southwest corner of each field
and be extended down to the excavated surface depth at the bottom of the placed sand.
The treatment field will consist of three 32 feet long by 6.5 feet wide pressure dosed Geomat sand filter beds each
with of 6208 square feet of absorption treatment area. The 1624 S.F. treatment field will be installed with 3 zones
that will be alternately pressured dosed by use of an automatic distribution valve (ADV). Each zone will be
constructed with 6-inches of washed filter sand below 2 rows of 39 -inch wide GeoMat model 3900 manufactured
treatment/distribution media. An ADV assembly will be installed at a high point between the septic/dosing tank
and the field provide for equal pressure distribution of effluent across each treatment/absorption bed zone. The
septic tank effluent will be dosed across each zone via 2 individual 1.5” custom perforated pressure distribution
pipes running the length of each bed zone centered on each 39” GeoMat material row.
Effluent Distribution System
Filtered effluent will discharge to the Geomat field laterals via a high head pump biotube discharge assembly to an
automatic distribution valve between the septic/dosing tank and the head of the STU beds.
The distribution system will be installed to allow for effluent to be alternately and equally distributed across the
absorption surface in each pair of bed rows via individual custom perforated full pressure distribution laterals
connected to the manifold pipe at the head of each pair of geo mat rows installed on the enhanced manufactured
media surface along the entire length of the individual beds. A ball valve will be installed on the terminal end of
each distribution lateral centered below and housed in a 10" valve box with lid set 2" above surface grades.
The minimum slope of the transport pipe from the tank's dosing compartment to the ADV shall be installed at a
minimum 2.5% upward slope to allow for drain back to the tank. The individual distribution pipes from the ADV
shall be installed at a minimum 1% downward slope and will connect to the distribution lateral manifold at the
head of each paired Geomat row.
Construction and Inspections
Prior to construction of the permitted system, the engineer should be contacted by the contractor and construction
project manager well in advance to provide adequate time to discuss the system components with the contractor,
answer questions, resolve any conflict issues and schedule inspection site visits based on construction progress. A
pre-OWTS construction meeting and calls are essential and required prior to installation of the OWTS.
The engineer, prior to excavation shall inspect the staked location, of the proposed treatment/absorption bed and
dosing tank. All system components shall be staked in the field for approval by the Engineer prior to excavation.
During initial construction the engineer will evaluate the soils in the location of the absorption treatment field to
confirm design assumptions made and existing conditions. The engineer will provide construction recommendations
and make adjustments to the field layout and sizing if needed with discussion of construction procedures.
As necessary a revised Construction document drawing will be submitted to the County as needed if changes are
required. All installations shall be inspected, surveyed, documented and reported/delineated in the Certification
letter and As-Constructed drawing.