Septic systems are designed to dispose of household biological waste. The amount of waste to be handled depends on a number of factors. Among these are the number of people living in the house and their lifestyle. After many years of experience, a major guideline in determining the size and capability of a septic system has been correlated to the number of bedrooms in a house. The number of bedrooms typically determines the number of people generating waste and hence the amount of waste that must be handled. If your family is growing and a new bedroom is needed, then the load on the septic system is also increased. If the septic system capability does not keep up with the increased demand, system failure may occur.
So, how do you determine the septic system needs for your growing family? The following sections deal mainly with sizing a septic system so that it can adequately perform the desired function. Your design professional can handle the actual testing and number-crunching – but we have provided some standard guidelines developed by New York State to aid you in discussing your options with your contractor. You may not need all this information, but it could help in making your decisions.