Buying Property? What You Should Know About Wells and Septic Systems
Are you planning on purchasing vacant land to build your next home? Learn what you need to know about wells and septic systems by reading below.
Before You Buy
There are parcels of land for sale to build private residential homes on. Many of these parcels may not be served by a public sewer or water system. Homes developed in these areas are served by a private septic tank/ absorption field system or septic system and a private well water supply.
When thinking about purchasing property to build on, call your local environmental health representative in your county or district health department.
Health Department of Northwest Michigan (Emmet)
District Health Department No. 4 (Cheboygan)
Some Well and Septic Concerns
Private Water Supply
- Adequate Volume: A private water supply, properly designed and constructed, should provide enough water to meet your family’s needs. In some areas, a test well may be required before the construction of a dwelling to ensure an adequate supply. Your health department has records of wells and can help determine if enough volume is available in your area. The State of Michigan has a well record lookup tool that can be found here.
- Quality: The quality of Michigan’s groundwater varies throughout the state. The water should have low amounts of minerals that cause hardness, staining, corrosion, undesirable taste, odors, or health concerns.
Your well must not be located where it could become polluted and contaminated. After the well is completed, a bacteriological analysis of your well water must be done to determine if it meets public health standards. The presence of certain bacteria may mean that your drinking water is not properly protected from contamination or that the well was not properly disinfected after construction. Your health department can provide help with water sampling.
Private Septic System
A site evaluation by your health department will determine how the following items will affect the operation of your septic system.
- Soil Suitability: Not all soils are alike, some cannot be approved for a septic system. The soil in the area of a septic system must be able to absorb and filter the daily amount of sewage flow that is expected from your home.
- Ground Water: Seasonal high groundwater can interfere with the operation of your septic system and may cause failure.
- Surface Water: Your septic system must not be located in areas that may be seasonable wet or subject to flooding. Standing water may be a warning sign to you of possible poor soil drainage conditions.
- Location of Sewage System: To help protect from pollution and contamination safe distances from water supplies, lakes, ponds, and streams are required by state and local regulations. An area must also be set aside for a replacement system should the septic system fail.
- Slopes: Steep slopes, such as drop-offs, ravines, and hills may make it difficult or impossible to install a septic system. Care must be taken to prevent the sewage from seeping onto the ground surface.
- Filled Land: The type of the fill material, as well as the original soils, must be checked to determine if it can be approved for a septic system.
Check Before You Buy
___Your Health Department
___Septic System
___Water Supply
___Natural Drainage
___Zoning Requirements
___Special Assessments
___Deed Restrictions
___Utility Availability
___Building Requirements
Want to Learn More About Well and Septic Systems?
The EPA has a great FAQ page regarding caring for septic systems found here.
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