J & H Soil Testing & Septic Systems, Inc

In response to your letter dated 4/4/2017 regarding Jerry
[redacted]'s new mound system:I was contacted by
Jerry later last summer that he had a problem with the mound system. I stopped
over to the residence and observed that he did have a problem. My observation
was that the mound was very...

saturated. I contacted Jerry and told him he must have
a leak to the mound system, such as a toilet or faucet. Jerry told me he would
check all of the options I suggested and contacted me back stating that there
was no leak. I spoke to him and asked him how many people were living in the
home and he told me nine people, I was in shock because the new mound system
was only sized for eight people full time and four bedrooms. I then told him he
should start pumping his tank to relieve the mound of all the water and told
him to keep his kids and everyone away from that area.Jerry then provided me with some
information from his water softener that he was using between 700 and 800
gallons of water a per day. This four-bedroom mound system is designed for 600
gallons per day but the estimated flow for the mound system should be around
400 gallons per day as per the Wisconsin State Code. Which he is using double
the amount of water that the mound system can handle. I was still in shock at
how a single-family home could use that much water. I tried going over where all
this water was coming from and I was told he did three loads of laundry a day,
ran the dishwasher twice a day and then we got to the showers he told me on
average that six people in the house take twenty minute showers or more a day.
So now we know where most of the water is coming from (shower use). As we spoke
again I told Jerry that he needed to conserve on water and his exact words to
me were "that is not an option". I then expressed again that he
needed to start pumping the tank to relieve the mound of this water. In the
meantime, I was in contact with several State & County Sanitarian's to get
their opinion on which is the best way to resolve this problem, generally when
we have this type of problem we establish the main water source, then we can figure
out a resolution and the septic system will rehab itself. This being a unique
situation due to Jerry telling me that it was not an option I wanted to get other opinions, as this
is why I contacted several State & County Sanitarians.Also upon inspection of the site the yard was graded so all
the water would run over to the mound system, his sump pump discharge and
downspouts for the gutters all were running right at the mound and he told me
he recently pumped out his pool and all the water ran that way as well.Once I received some information from all of the
Sanitarian's I told Jerry that it would be best to install another mound system
on the property and that we could alternate between the mounds, when the pump
kicks on it puts the water to one mound and the next time it runs. it goes to
the other mound.Jerry sent me over his original soil test on September
28th 2016 after are conversation. With mound system's the soil has to be dry
and not frozen down eight inches to install, which makes these systems very
seasonal. With it being this late in the year I told Jerry that there was not a
chance that we would be able to install another mound system due to the soil
conditions and permitting process which we would have needed to conduct another
soil test, then design the new mound, send the design to the State for approval
and then get County approval. I told him we would have to install a new mound
in the spring and I told him he would need to pump his tank to let the existing
mound dry out throughout the winter. It is my understanding that the tank was
never pumped to get rid of the health hazard as well as give the existing mound
a break so when the new mound is installed all the water would not be going to
the new system.We size septic systems on bedroom's, the State figures two
people per bedroom and requires us to size these septic systems with a design
rate of 150 gallons per bedroom per day (not a flow rate) and an estimated flow
rate of 100 gallons per bedroom per day. I have been in contact with the County
and they sent me over a copy of the zoning permit which has nothing to do with
the mound system it is about the house. It clearly states on two pages that the
house was a fourbedroom residence. The County also told me Jerry himself was
the one who filled out, signed, dated and obtained the zoning permit. The
County told me that when Jerry spoke to them earlier this year about the sizing
of the house he told them that it had seven bedrooms. As far as sizing the
mound system I don't need to look at a set of prints to determine the sizing,
the homeowner knows how many bedrooms will be in the house that they are
building. In my opinion a 7-bedroom mound system would have done the same thing
as the 4-bedroom did, due to the heavy volumes of water this system received.I have also attached a copy of the Zoning Permit signed and
dated by Jerry and a copy of the final inspection report for the mound system
from the County stating it was up to code and inspected.Please contact me with any further information needed.