HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-05-07 Letter, Replacement of Septic SystemTelephone 473.7357
CITY of ORONO
Post Office Box 66oCrystal Bay, Minnesota 55323•Municipal Offices
On the North Shore of Lake Minnetonka
May 7, 1980
James L. Stott, Jr.
1850 Fox Ridge Road
Long Lake, MN 55356
Dear Mr. Stott:
I have reviewed your septic system situation with Ed Sullivan
of Sullivan's Services and with Frank Coolbroth who holds the
patent on the sewage -osmosis treatment system. I have also
contacted Elmer Peterson of Spring Park who has pumped your
septic tanks in the past. Mr. Peterson tells me that when he
was last out he pumped both tanks and cleaned the line between
them. He thinks there is no distribution box in the drain -
field and that the tanks need new baffles.
Mr. Sullivan called me in to review your problem after finding
little or no area for replacement of your existing drainfield.
We met on the site and came to no real conclusion. I contacted
Mr. Coolbroth specifically to find out whether the sewage
osmosis system was an alternative for your lot, and upon insp-
ection of the site, he believes it is.
Below I have listed what I feel are sume possible options for
your lot, listed in order from best to worst in terms of
feasibility and chance for successful and convenient operation:
1) Obtain an easement or purchase land from neighbor to the
south. Would possibly require a lot line rearrangement.
Install new drainfield in natural soils in this area.
2) Retrofit Ath an osmosis -type system as per Frank Coolbroth
design. Would require pump to higher ground east of drive-
way. I consider this an alternative which is in an exper-
imental stage (few existing installations over 10 years old)
but would allow it on your site.
May 7, 1980
Page 2
3) Dig up existing field, remove rock, allow to dry out, then
replace with a larger rock bed. This method has a high risk
of failure due to a probably existing clogged soil condition
and the probability of soil compaction from the equipment
doing the work. This could make quite a mess due to the need
to remove the existing field.
4) Add drainfield at bottom of hill; use existing field first,
then overflow with drop box to lower level. would need a
site evaluation to dtermine depth to water table and perc-
olation rate of the soil. May not be feasible if water table
is too high.
5) Abandon existing well, replace well on north side of drive-
way, add drainfield in front yard, pump up to it from back
yard. Probably could not fit an adequately sized drainfield
in the front yard.
6) Continue with existing system and regular pumpouts.
I will be glad to meet with you to discuss any or all of these
alternatives and the specific requirements for each. Please
call if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Gaf on
on -Site Systems Manager
MPG :mpg