Florida Administrative Code › 62 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › 62 - Departmental › Chapter 62-6 - STANDARDS FOR ONSITE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS › Part I - General Provisions except those specific to Parts II and IV › Section 62-6.009 - Alternative Systems

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
When approved by the Department, alternative systems may,
					 at the discretion of the applicant, be utilized in circumstances where standard
					 subsurface systems are not suitable or where alternative systems are more
					 feasible. Unless otherwise noted, all rules pertaining to siting, construction,
					 and maintenance of standard subsurface systems must apply to alternative
					 systems. In addition, the Department may, using the criteria in subsection
					  62-6.004(4),
					 F.A.C., require the submission of plans prepared by an engineer licensed in the
					 State of Florida, prior to considering the use of any alternative
					 system.
(1) Waterless, incinerating or
				  organic waste composting toilets - may be approved for use if found in
				  compliance with standards for Wastewater Recycle/Reuse and Water Conservation
				  Systems as defined by ANSI/NSF International Standard Number 41-2018
				  "Non-liquid Saturated Treatment Systems" (September 2018) or NSF International
				  Protocol P157-2019 "Incinerating Toilet Systems-Health and Sanitation" (January
				  2019) hereby adopted and incorporated by reference, and provided that graywater
				  and any other liquid and solid waste is properly collected and disposed of in
				  accordance with standards established in this chapter. These standards have
				  been deemed copyright protected and are available from the publisher at NSF
				  International, 789 North Dixboro Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, or at
				  publisher's website at
www.nsf.org
, and are
				  available for inspection as provided in subsection (11) below. For residences,
				  the required drainfield absorption surface and unobstructed area of the system
				  treating the remaining sewage flow must be reduced by 25% when waterless,
				  incinerating or organic waste composting toilets are used exclusively for all
				  toilet wastes. Solids removed from waterless, incinerating or organic waste
				  composting toilets must be mixed with lime, containerized, and disposed of with
				  the solid waste from the establishment. Liquids discharging from waterless,
				  incinerating or organic waste composting toilets must be plumbed into the
				  onsite system serving the establishment.
(2) Sanitary pit privy - shall not be
				  permitted except at remote locations where electrical service is unavailable.
				  In no case shall such installations be permitted for permanent
				  residences.
(3) Mound systems - are
				  used to overcome certain limiting site conditions such as an elevated seasonal
				  high water table, shallow permeable soil overlying slowly permeable soil and
				  shallow permeable soil located over creviced or porous bedrock. Special
				  installation instructions or design techniques to suit a particular site shall,
				  using the criteria in subsection
				   62-6.004(4),
				  F.A.C., be specified on the construction permit in addition to the following
				  general requirements.
(a) Site preparation
				  must render the site in compliance with requirements of subsections
				   62-6.006(1) 
				  -(6), F.A.C.
(b) Prior to the
				  construction of a mound system, the applicant may fill all or a portion of a
				  lot utilizing slightly limited soil.
(c) The O horizon of original topsoil and
				  vegetation must be removed from beneath the drainfield, shoulder and slope area
				  and the exposed underlying soil plowed or roughened to prevent formation of an
				  impervious barrier between the fill and natural soil. Moderately limited soil
				  material may be used in the construction of mound systems, but shall only be
				  used in the construction of mound slopes and the soil cap. If moderately or
				  severely limited soil is to be replaced beneath the mound, Rule
				   62-6.008, F.A.C., Table III,
				  footnote 3. shall be followed.
(d)
				  Where the soil material underlying a mound system is of a similar textural
				  material as that used in system construction, the mound drainfield size shall
				  be based on estimated sewage flows as specified in Rule
				   62-6.008, F.A.C., Table I and
				  upon the quality of fill material utilized in the mound system. When estimated
				  sewage flows are calculated to be less than 200 gallons per day, specifications
				  for system design shall be based on a minimum flow of 200 gallons per day.
				  Maximum sewage loading rates for soils used in mound construction shall be in
				  compliance with the following:
Fill Material
Maximum Sewage Loading Rate to
								Mound Drain Trench Bottom Surface in gallons per square foot per
								day
Maximum Sewage Loading Rate to
								Mound Absorption Bed Bottom Surface in gallons per square foot per
								day
Sand; Coarse Sand; and Loamy Coarse Sand
0.80
0.60
Fine Sand;
0.80
0.60
Sandy Loam; Coarse Sandy Loam; and Loamy
								Sand
0.65
0.40
Fine Sandy Loam; Very Fine Sand; Loamy Fine Sand;
								and Loamy Very Fine Sand
0.35
0.25
(e)
				  Where moderately limited soils underlie the mound within 36'' inches of the
				  bottom of the drainfield, drainfield sizing shall be based on the most
				  restrictive soil texture existing in the profile to a depth of 36'' inches
				  below the bottom of the drainfield, using Table III for soil loading
				  rates.
(f) There shall be a minimum
				  4' feet separation between the shoulder of the fill and the nearest trench or
				  absorption bed sidewall. Where a portion of the mound slope will be placed
				  adjacent to building foundations, pilings or supports for elevated structures,
				  mobile home walls, swimming pool walls, retaining walls, or similar
				  obstructions there shall be a minimum 5' foot separation between the sidewall
				  of the absorption area and the obstruction. Such obstructions shall impact the
				  slope on no more than 50 percent of the shoulder perimeter. Retaining walls
				  must be designed by a professional engineer licensed in the State of Florida to
				  withstand the lateral earth forces under saturated conditions and to prevent
				  seepage. Where mounds are placed on slopes exceeding 2 percent, the toe of the
				  slope on the downslope side of the mound shall extend an additional 4'' inches
				  for each additional 1 percent of slope. To taper the maximum elevation of the
				  mound at the outer perimeter of the shoulder down to the toe of the slope,
				  additional moderately or slightly limited fill shall be placed at a minimum 2'
				  foot horizontal to 1' foot vertical grade where mound height does not exceed
				  36'' inches. Mound heights which exceed 36'' inches shall have a slope not
				  steeper than 3' foot horizontal to 1' foot vertical. The entire mound including
				  slopes, shoulders and the soil cap shall be stabilized with vegetation. Slopes
				  steeper than 5:1 shall be sodded or hydroseeded. Soil caps and unsodded slopes
				  must, at a minimum, be hydroseeded or seeded with grass and a layer of hay or
				  similar cover. Where fill material is present in the amount so as to provide a
				  level surface from the top of the required cover over the system over the area
				  where the slopes would normally be located, no slopes shall be required. For
				  example, if the neighboring lot has been permanently filled to the same level
				  as the applicant's lot, a five-foot separation from the property line to the
				  system will be required, as opposed to requiring the slope area. Stabilization
				  of a mound shall be the responsibility of the septic tank contractor who
				  constructed the mound system unless the written agreement for system
				  construction clearly states the system owner is responsible. Mound slopes which
				  do not conform to permit requirements shall at a minimum be restored to permit
				  specifications prior to stabilizing. Other synthetic or vegetative covers
				  providing protection from mound erosion equal to or better than sod shall be
				  approved by the Department. Final installation approval shall not be granted
				  until sodding, hydroseeding, seeding and haying or other approved stabilization
				  of the mound has occurred. No portion of the drainfield or shoulder area shall
				  be covered with asphalt or a concrete driveway or be subject to vehicular
				  traffic. Landscaping features such as boulders or trees which obstruct
				  drainfield or fill shoulder area shall not be used. Hydroseeding shall be
				  performed in accordance with the product manufacturer's instructions and
				  Section 7.5, Permanent Seeding, of the Florida Erosion and Sedimentation
				  Control Inspector's Manual, July 2008, herein incorporated by
				  reference.
(g) There shall be a
				  soil cap of slightly or moderately limited soil material over the drainfield
				  and shoulder area. The soil cap shall be no less than 6'' inches thick at the
				  outer perimeter of the shoulder. Additional soil cap material shall be placed
				  over the mound and graded to provide drainage off and away from the mound. The
				  maximum depth from the bottom of the drainfield to the finished ground surface
				  shall not exceed 30 inches after natural settling.
(h) The site shall be landscaped according to
				  permit specifications and shall be protected from automotive traffic or other
				  activity that could damage the system. Swales or other surface drainage
				  structures shall be utilized to prevent water shed from mounds draining onto
				  neighboring property.
(i) All fill
				  material used in the construction of systems shall be free of extraneous
				  non-soil material such as grass, roots and any other debris. Shell fragments
				  less than 2.0 mm in diameter are excluded from the classification of extraneous
				  non-soil materials and are considered to be soil particles. Severely limited
				  soil material shall not be used in system construction. Fill material
				  consisting of mechanically crushed and sieved rock shall not be used in system
				  construction.
(j) Where moderately
				  limited soil is used to construct a mound system, a low pressure distribution
				  network is required.