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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-11-04 Letter, Septic System Inspection InformationCA - CITY of ORONO Post Office lion 66*Crystal Bay. Minnesota fi''► 'GI0Miinicipal Offices On fhsNord e4 Shor of Minnetonka lovem er , 6 Thompson Lumber Company 3220 West Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55416 Attn: Dave Ryerse Re: Septic Systems for Specific Residences on Countrysi�e Drive Dear Mr. Ryerse: I have been contacted by Carl Widmer of Widmer Brothers, Inc., an,.. Mimi Dennehy of Merrill Lynch Burnet Realty regarding properties which Thompson Lumber now controls at 2550, 2590 and 2615 Countryside Drive in Orono. Specifically, the request was to transmit all information the City has regarding the septic systems, and define what work on them has not yet been completed. As you are aware these houses have been under construction on and off for approximately 18 months. On October 31, 1986, I met with Duane Ritter of Duaae Ritter Excavating, Ince., the subcontractor who had been hired to inst,, 11 the septic systems for the above referenced houses. We inspected each of the systems in question in order to determine what condition the systems are in and what additionaX work is needed to make them functional ar. " -iceptable to the City. I will dincuss each system separately for clarity's sakes A) 2550 Countryside Drive This system was installed in September, 1985, by Ritter under permit 88036 dated 8/13/85. The system was inspected by City Inspector, Lyle Oman, on September 23, 1985, and he gave h tter the go-ahead to cover the trenches and tanks, with final inspection to be completed before issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. My inspection on 10/31/86 reveals -6 the following items either discrepant or remaining to be completed: 1. Pump is inside the pump tank, and wires have been run up to the house, but a) electrical connection to the house has not been made; and b) a pump failure alarm har, -..,t been installed in the tank nor has a connection/alarm boa peen placed in the house. Note: 812 wire should be for the pump, 114 wire for the alarm. Ritter's agreement with Points West was that Points West would subcontract out the eiectrical work. BUILDINi; & ZONING - 473.7337 • ADMINISTRATION R FINANCE - 473.7358 0 PURLIC WORKS -- 473.1339 ASSESSING Septic Systems For Specific Residences in Countryside Drive November 4, 1986 Page 2 of S 2. The drop boxes have beeli disturbed, covers removed, and boxes partially filled in with dirt. These need to Lie cleaned out, making sure all lines are clear, and cc vers re -installed. 3. The entire drainfield appears to have only 3"-4" of cover soil. This should be increased to 8"-12" total cover. Grading work was apparently done on the site after the system was installed. 4. There is a curtain drain paralleling the upper trench and outletting downhill, west r -f the drainfield. The drain tile outlet should be located, cleared and protected from disruption to maintain a positive outlet. A diagram of the system is attached for your convenience, along with copies of the inspection records to date for this system. I would also note that we have not yet received a copy of the State Water Well Record from Braunworth Well Company. B) 2590 Countryside Drive Permit #8038 was issued to Ritter on 8/13/85. Tanks were Imstalled 11/6/85, inspected by me on that date. This site was originally intended to have a trench drainfield in the front yard, but initial excavation and regrading of the lot destroyed the front yard drainfield sites. Testing was subsequently done in the rear yard by Steve Schermers, who indicated to me verbal'y that the rear yard would need a mound. I have never received a copy of the revised testing and design plans. A pump line was installed from the 3rd tank tc 1 -he rear yard. The drainfield has never been commenced. Items Outstandings 1. Drainfieid plans must be submitted. 2. Upon plan approval, drainfield (presumably mound) must be installed. 3. Pump and pump alarm must be provided and installed. The electrical wiring has been buried from the tanks up to the house. 4. Tanks are full of water which may be from surface runoff or may be from a sump pump in the basement. Any sump c;-Youndwater discharge must be eliminated from dischargin7 to the septic system. A diagram of the existing tanks is attached for your conveG_._ncc We have receiv,.,d a copy of the water Well Record from Ing] -side - Engineering. Septic Systems For Specific Residences in Countryside Drive November 4, 1986 Page 3 of 5 C) 2615 Countryside Drive Permit #8039 was issued to Ritter on 8/1'1/85. stem was apparently i-nstalled in August, 1985. Inspector, Lyle recalls seeing the installation occurring but there is no inspection slip on file. The system consists of 3 tanks to the southwest of the house, and 6 drainfield trenches with drop boxes located northwest of the house. We have 2 major problems with this system: 1. The well was installed in front of the house a distance 47' from the lowest drainfield trench (measured on 10/31/86). Orono Code requires a 75' separation distance here. The State Well Code requires a minimum of 50' separation. The well is directly downhill from the drainfield. Either the well or the drainfield must bL relocated. We have not been able to establish which went in first, the well or the drainfield; however, we do not have any record that the well contractor called for a site inspection prior to drilling (as is required) and we know that the Septic plan approval, given to the general contractor with the huilOi.ng permit, noted that the well must be located east of the house maintaining a 75' setback to the drainfield. Neither the well driller or the general contractor followed this requirement. Lyle Oman's well inspection slip of 8/21/85 documents the depth and pumping f low rate of the well as dri l led, but does not give any indication of final approval of the well. 2. After the drainfield was installed, NSP located a transformer at a point on the west line of the property and another in the cul-de-sac, and ran an electric cable between them. In the process, they cut through at least 3 and perhaps 4 of the 6 drainfield lines, as evidenced by shreds of PVC pipe and binder rock strewn about in the area they cut through. This has done an undetermined amount of damage to the drainfield which has not been repaired. They may have also severed the pump discharge line, this again is unknown. NSP didn't contact the City about the apparent damage, and did not stop when they first ran into the drainfield. In addition to damaging the drainfield, we now have a very hazardous situation with an electric cable buried in an area where an inspector might be expected to be probing to determine the condition of a drainfield. 3. The pump is in the 3rd tank but electrical connections into the house have not been made, nor has a tank alarm been provided or connected. 4. Small (6"-8") pine trees have been planted over the drain - field. These are a potential problem. Septic Systems For Specif.c Residences in Countryside Drive November 4, 1986 Page 4 of 5 It appears that enc-oachments into or near the drainfield by other utilities or systems have caused severe problems on this site, hence the City cannot issue a Certificate of Occupancy until these problems are resolved. Note that the alternate drainfield site on this property, to the rear of the house, will require a mound system. Given the proi,lems as stated above, we feel it would be most prudent to abandon the existing drainfield and construct a mound in the rear yard. A diagram of the existing situation is attached. To summarize, the following items must be resolved and completed before the City can consider issueing Occupancy Certificates for these homes: A) 2550 Countryside Drive 1) Provide and install pump failure alarm, make electrical connections from pump and alarm to house; 2) Repair drop boxes; 3) Place additional soil cover over drainfield lines; 4) Uncover and protect curtain drain outlet. B) 2590 Countryside Drive 1) Submit plans, soil testing for approval of drainfield in rear yard; 2) Install drainfieA per approved plans; 3) Provide and install pump and pump failure alarm. Make appropriate electrical connections to house; 4) Inspect basement sump pumps and permanently eliminate any groundwater sumo discharges away from septic system. C) 2615 Countryside Drive 1) Provide a_3 install pump failure alarm, make electrical connections from pump and alarm to house. 2) Option 1: a. Abandon existing well, install new well in approved location; b. Remove and relocate buried electric service cable from drainfield area; Septic Systems Fo.- Fpecific Residences in Countryside Drive November 4, 1986 Page 5 of 5 C. Uncover drainfield lines and pump line at points of electrical service excavation, replace/repair portions of drainfield as necessary; d. Remove trees that encroach on drainfield lines; or Option 2: a. Install a new mound -type drainfield at the alternate site in rear yard, usinq existing tanks and pump station. Abandon existing drainiield, pump line and curtain drain (leave in place - no need to dig all this up). This will allow you to use existing well and electrical service lines in place. I would note to you that if you hire Ritter to complete the work on these systems, no additional permits will be required. If you hire another contractor, new permits will have to be obtained for the work to be completed, because: 1. Use of a contractor not familiar with the existing system layouts will likely result in additional staff time being spent on the site to bring the new contractor "up to speed"; and 2. It is a long-standing City policy that general permits are non -transferable; and 3. In signing for the permit, the contractor assumes responsibility for the work he performs, hence the permit bacomes an important document if liability problems arise. Please feel free to contact me at 473-7357 if you have any questions or if I can be of further assistance. Sincerely, / _`l -� Michael P. Gaffr , Asst Planning & Zoning Administrator MPG/tln cc: Mimi Dennehy, Merrill Lynch Carl Widmer, Widmer Brothers Duane Ritter, Ritter Excavating, Inc. Jeanne A. Mabusth, Zoning Administrator Thomas J. Jacobs, Building Official Lyle Oman, Field Inspector Mark E. Berr.hardson, City Administrator Enclosure 00, dr, i 2�lS i x, gur Wq- yew -- �� Lf -*+'P WOLL S YST .