https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 06:54:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753981 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 21:15:10 +0000 yoursilverlining 1753981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: $11,500 for both?!?! Jesus, I'll take 3! Seriously though, I know costs can vary by region but that seems ridiculously low. When we were looking to build we had multiple quotes and the lowest was around $40k for both. Make sure he is putting in a decent well for that price and the right size septic - that will be especially important if you have any plan or thought of adding onto the home you're building in the future. If you're thinking you might enlarge it by a bed/bath; think about getting a larger system now.</p> <p>To answer your questions:</p> <p>1- can I flush tampons? I don't know - never have tried, sorry!<br /> 2- do I have to buy special toilet paper? No; not if it's a decent system of the correct size. We use the same Charmin we've always used.<br /> 3- what's the average cost for servicing? I can't remember what they said, but I'm guessing several hundred dollars.<br /> 4- if the water isn't drinkable, what do we do about drinking water? brushing our teeth? Do I have to buy filtered water for that? If the water wasn't drinkable; I wouldn't be interested in building there. I imagine you could try a heavy-duty filter, or could buy bottled. </p> <p>Oh, also: our septic guy said do not use all the special septic chemicals and crap; it's all just marketing. The systems are set up to regulate the bacteria and don't need you interfering by pouring chemicals down there. Just get it serviced every few years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753844 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:13:08 +0000 mrs. bird 1753844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: we had a septic tank and well when i was younger. as to your questions:</p> <p>1. some people say you should never flush tampons, even with a sewer, my mom always did &amp; never had a problem, she was horrified when i told her some people don't </p> <p>2. most toilet paper says right on the pkg septic safe </p> <p>3. the realtors around here told me it's a couple hundred dollars to have it pumped and that they come about every three years</p> <p>4. you can have a water filtration system put in, there are LOTS of different types, some have separate spouts, some do all the water in your home, but you won't have to buy bottled water for those things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753829 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:09:33 +0000 photojane 1753829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SleepyMonkey: ahhh.. the thought of putting a used tampon in the trash skeeves me out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753822 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:07:32 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1753822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@photojane: I only know the answers to the first two. You can't flush tampons. We didn't have to buy special tp, but the more easily it dissolves, the better. We bought Scott all the time. It's pretty thin. Like a Charmin strong probably wouldn't be so good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753817 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:03:47 +0000 photojane 1753817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: the builder actually quoted us $11,500 for both the well &amp; septic system! </p> <p>@Mrs. Sunshine: @Dandelion: @SleepyMonkey: @yoursilverlining: @Mrs. Jacks: @ShootingStar: @Ash: @T.H.O.U.: Thanks ladies! I really appreciate your input. I have a few questions for y'all (if these are dumb, I'm sorry!):</p> <p>1- can I flush tampons?<br /> 2- do I have to buy special toilet paper?<br /> 3- what's the average cost for servicing?<br /> 4- if the water isn't drinkable, what do we do about drinking water? brushing our teeth? Do I have to buy filtered water for that? </p> <p>@Ash: Can you ask him if there's anything important I should know before deciding? :) This will likely be our forever house &amp; I don't want to get into something I'll regret in the future! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753675 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:28:33 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1753675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are and love it. It's actually a community well so we don't have to maintain and test it. Most well water can be hard and require a softener. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753671 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:24:32 +0000 Ash 1753671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're on septic and well. I totally encourage you to keep with your plans :)</p> <p>Oh and I should add, my dh knows a lot about both if you have questions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753650 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:08:54 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1753650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: Oh I didn't know that about well water tasting bad! I've only ever had delicious well water. That is interesting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753645 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:06:31 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1753645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: Ah, a generator would definitely fix that problem! We didn't have one and lived out in the middle of nowhere so when bad storms came through and we lost power, we always had to strategically decide whether to flush or not! We actually just stayed at a house that had well water, and they also installed a big filter tank with softener so you are probably right. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753634 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:55:41 +0000 ShootingStar 1753634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We close on a house in 2 weeks that will have septic and well water. I've never had anything other than city/town utilities so it'll be different for us. But apparently in our area it's extremely common, even in really dense suburbs. </p> <p>@yoursilverlining: DH read that you can have a disposal, but you need to get the septic tank serviced once a year instead of every 3.</p> <p>@SleepyMonkey: We're having a generator hooked up to get around that. DH also thinks that because the house has a water softener, we would have access to the water in that tank since it's already been pumped from the well. Not 100% on that though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753633 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:55:35 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1753633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was growing up. Our septic backed up several times and I remember sitting outside in rainstorms with a sump pump trying to prevent the septic field from flooding our house.</p> <p>My partner was also on septic growing up and has had similar problems.</p> <p>As for our well water, we had it tested periodically. It was always within limits, but ours had a fairly metallic taste. You can never be sure what your particular well will hit with regard to water. At my partner's house the water tasted fine, but the neighbors had a sulfur taste that made it unusable. The whole neighborhood was like that-- completely hit and miss. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753629 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:49:58 +0000 yoursilverlining 1753629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are - they are expensive to install, so definitely add at least. $50-60k to the price of the land. And make sure you get a good water testing company! You can't have a garbage disposal with a septic system (don't know why, just what they said). So far there have been no issues or maintenance needed for either our well or septic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753602 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:35:02 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1753602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not now, but I grew up in a house with septic and well water. Well water tastes really good, better than any bottled water I could buy. It can be "hard" which means that there are minerals in the water and it can be harder to lather soap, but we never had that problem. We were more conscious of what toilet paper we used, but septic tanks are self sustaining so not a ton of maintenance. I think you probably have to get it inspected once in awhile, but I only remember it being truly serviced when there was a problem, which was rare.</p> <p>Oh also, well water runs is pumped with electricity so when the power goes out, you don't really have running water (which also means you can't flush toilets more than once since the tank won't fill back up). That's annoying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753586 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:20:30 +0000 Dandelion 1753586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are. Septic just takes a bit more conscientious thinking about goes down your drain, but as long as you take care of it, it can last well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753579 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:16:54 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1753579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are! We had city water growing up but still had our own septic system...we never had any issues. DH &amp; I have been in our house for over a year, with a septic system &amp; a well &amp; it's fine. We have an aerobic septic system which needs more care than the kind I grew up with but all I'm all we have no isses. It's expensive, but it's fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-on-septic-amp-well#post-1753570 Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:10:32 +0000 photojane 1753570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Anybody on a septic &amp; well? We're wanting to build a house in the next year or so, and we've been looking at land. We've got lots of farm land around, and none of it is on city utilities. Not to mention, the land not on city utilities is a lot cheaper. I've always had city utilities, so I'm not sure how they stack up against sewer/well. </p> <p>Should I consider it or run the other way? </p>