§ 73.16. Absorption and spray field area requirements.
(a) General. Absorption areas and spray fields for single family dwellings not served by a community sewage system shall be designed based on a minimum flow of 400 gpd for all dwellings having three bedrooms or less. The minimum flow of 400 gpd shall be increased by 100 gpd for each bedroom over three.
(b) Absorption areas.
(1) Only the bottom of the aggregate area of the bed or trench shall be used in calculating absorption area requirements.
(2) Absorption area requirements for single family dwellings served by a community sewage system and for apartments or nonresidential establishments served by an individual onlot or community onlot sewage system shall be designed based on flows listed in § 73.17 (relating to sewage flows) for the type of facility to be served.
(3) For nonresidential establishments, a volume of 200 gpd shall be the minimum volume used in calculating the size of the absorption area.
(c) Required absorption area. Table A shall be used in calculating the square footage of absorption area required based on flows determined in subsections (a) and (b). Table A includes allowances for garbage grinders, automatic washing machines or dishwashers and water softeners.
(d) Substitute. When a substitute for aggregate, such as a leaching chamber, large diameter pipe, or other material or device, is used in the absorption area, subsection (b)(1) applies.
TABLE A
Minimum Aggregate Absorption Area Requirements for Treatment Tank Effluent:
Square Feet of Aggregate Area Per Gallon Per Day Average Percolation Rate All Systems Except Subsurface Sand Expressed as Elevated Sand Mounds Filters and Minute Per Inch and Subsurface Sand Filters Elevated Sand Mounds Less than 3.0D Unsuitable Unsuitable 3 - 5C Unsuitable 1.50AB 6 - 15C 1.19B 1.50AB 16 - 30C (Avg. Perc Rate - 15) x (0.040) + 1.19B 1.50AB 31 - 45C (Avg. Perc Rate - 30) x (0.030) + 1.79B (Avg. Perc Rate - 30) x (0.026) + 1.50AB 46 - 60C (Avg. Perc Rate - 45) x (0.028) + 2.24B (Avg. Perc Rate - 45) x (0.022) + 1.89A 61 - 90C (Avg. Perc Rate - 60) x (0.023) + 2.66A (Avg. Perc Rate - 60) x (0.020) + 2.22A 91 - 120ACD Unsuitable (Avg. Perc Rate - 90) x (0.017) + 2.82A 121 - 150CD Unsuitable ((Avg. Perc Rate - 120) x (0.015) + 3.33) (1.05)A 151 - 180CD Unsuitable ((Avg. Perc Rate - 150) x (0.014) + 3.78) (1.10)A Greater than 181CD Unsuitable Unsuitable A Pressure dosing required.
B One third reduction may be permitted for use of an aerobic tank.
C May be considered for experimental or alternate proposals.
D Unsuitable for subsurface sand filters.
(e) Spray fields. Table B shall be used in calculating the square footage of spray fields based on flows determined in Subsection (a). Table B includes allowances for garbage grinders, automatic washing machines, dishwashers and water softeners.
TABLE B
Soil Characteristics Slope Required Spray Field Area (Ft 2) Depth To Rock Depth To Water Table 3 Bedroom Home Additional Area Per Bedroom 16 to 20 inches 10 to 40 inches ‹=12% 40,000 10,000 ›12% 80,000 20,000 ›40 inches ‹=12% 15,000 3,750 ›12% 30,000 7,500 ›20 inches 10 to 20 inches ‹=12% 20,000 5,000 ›12% 40,000 10,000 ›20 inches ‹=12% 10,000 2,500 ›12% 20,000 5,000
Authority The provisions of this § 73.16 amended under section 9 of the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P. S. § 750.9); The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § § 691.1—691.1001); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 73.16 adopted January 21, 1983, effective January 22, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 508; amended November 7, 1997, effective November 8, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 5877; corrected November 21, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 6079. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (221915) to (221916) and (217317) to (217318).
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 71.52 (relating to content requirements—new land development revisions); 25 Pa. Code § 71.63 (relating to retaining tanks); 25 Pa. Code § 72.22 (relating to permit issue); 25 Pa. Code § 73.14 (relating to site investigation); 25 Pa. Code § 73.15 (relating to percolation tests); 25 Pa. Code § 73.54 (relating to subsurface sand filters); 25 Pa. Code § 73.161 (relating to general); and 25 Pa. Code § 73.163 (relating to spray fields).
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.
This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Code full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
