Section 960. Elevated sand mound

A. An elevated sand mound is a soil absorption system that incorporates low pressure distribution and sand filtration to produce treated sewage prior to absorption in the natural underlying soil. The elevated sand mound utilizes less gross soil area than most other soil absorption systems.

B. Mound systems are considered Type III systems (see 12VAC5-610-250 C).

C. Mound systems shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Wisconsin Mound Soil Absorption System Siting, Design and Construction Manual prepared by the Small Scale Waste Management Project, School of Natural Resources, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison dated January 1990.

D. The manual referred to in subsection C of this section shall be used for the designated construction of elevated sand mounds. The following criteria are required for all elevated sand mound systems in addition to the requirements found in the manual.

1. The construction permit shall require permanent water saving devices; however, there shall be no corresponding reduction in the basal area. The construction permit shall be recorded and indexed in the grantor index under the holder's name in the land records of the clerk of the circuit court having jurisdiction over the site of the sewage disposal system pursuant to 12VAC5-610-250 J.

2. The proposed mound site shall be fenced, roped or otherwise secured, and marked, to prevent damage by vehicular traffic. Activities on the mound site shall be severely limited in order to protect it to the greatest extent possible.

3. Formal plans and specifications, prepared by a licensed professional engineer in accordance with 12VAC5-610-250 G, shall be required and must be approved by the health department prior to any site-disturbing activities.

4. The local health department shall be notified at least 48 hours before any work begins on the site, including delivery of materials. The mound must be constructed during dry weather and soil conditions. The contractor shall schedule a conference with the local health department to review the plans and specifications prior to beginning any phase of construction, including delivery of materials.

5. Wooded sites shall not be used unless it is shown by the applicant that the wooded site is the only site available, and if the applicant can demonstrate that the site can be properly prepared (plowed). If a wooded site is used, trees shall be removed by cutting them off at ground level, leaving the stumps in place. The cut trees shall be removed using methods that do not require driving equipment over the mound site and that do not result in the removal of any soil from the site. Larger basal areas may be required on wooded sites.

6. When the depth to a restriction, shrink-swell soils or a water table is less than 24 inches, pretreatment sufficient to produce a secondary quality effluent may be used to reduce these distances as shown in Table 4.4.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR355-34-02 § 4.31, eff. February 5, 1986; amended, eff. May 11, 1988; Volume 16, Issue 16, eff. July 1, 2000.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-164 of the Code of Virginia.