Aerobic Septic Installation for Hill Country Lots

How an Aerobic System Works

A conventional septic tank breaks down waste without oxygen and depends on a deep layer of soil to finish the treatment. An aerobic treatment unit completes much more of that work inside the tanks, so the soil has far less to do.

1. Trash Tank. Solids settle out and begin to break down, as they would in a standard septic tank.
2. Aeration Chamber. An air pump delivers oxygen to the water. Aerobic bacteria break down the waste faster and more completely.
3. Clarifier. The water settles once more, leaving it clear.
4. Disinfection and Pump Tank. The water passes through a chlorinator, collects in a pump tank and is dispersed on a timer through drip lines or spray heads.

The result is treated water clean enough to apply on or just below the surface of a lawn. That is why aerobic systems work where the soil is too thin, too rocky or too close to water for a conventional field.

Why Many Canyon Lake Homes Need One

Road cuts around the lake show the typical profile: a few inches of dark soil over white limestone. A conventional drainfield needs adequate soil depth to filter water before it reaches rock and groundwater. Where that depth is missing, the design calls for aerobic treatment. Steep lots, homes near the water and the Edwards Aquifer contributing zone over parts of Comal County make aerobic the standard design across much of the area.

The site evaluation determines the right system for your lot. That evaluation and the system design are done by an engineer, and we will put you in contact with one we have a great relationship with. Learn more on our septic design and engineer referral page. If you are still shopping for land, see how aerobic and conventional systems compare.

What We Handle on an Aerobic Installation

• Referral to an engineer we trust for the site evaluation and system design
• Rock excavation for the treatment and pump tanks
• Setting the treatment tanks and pump tank level and at the correct depth
• Sewer line from the house at the proper slope
• Air pump, effluent pump, float switches and control panel
• Alarm and chlorinator
• Drip field or spray heads installed to the design
• Scheduling county inspections and meeting the inspector on site
• Backfill, grading and cleanup

Owning an Aerobic System

An aerobic system requires a little more attention than a conventional tank. None of it is complicated, but it is worth understanding before you build:

• Maintenance Contract. Texas requires new aerobic systems to carry an initial two-year maintenance contract with a licensed maintenance provider, who inspects the system several times a year. After that period, the contract is renewed or, where the county allows it, the owner may maintain the system with the proper training.
• Chlorine. Systems that discharge at or near the surface use a tablet chlorinator. Use tablets made for septic systems, not pool tablets.
• Power. The air pump runs most of the time, and the effluent pump runs as needed. If the alarm light comes on, contact your maintenance provider.
• What Goes Down the Drain. Grease, wipes, harsh cleaners and large amounts of bleach slow the bacteria. Normal household use is fine.

Aerobic Systems for Commercial Properties

Shops, offices and warehouses outside sewer service need larger systems, often several treatment tanks working in parallel with a large drip field. We have built a number of them, and the process is the same: site evaluation and design by the engineer, permit, then our installation and inspection.