4.16.2015 - Septic Tank Delivery

Today is the one-year anniversary of Jim's knee operation - he sure has accomplished a lot since then!  We are so blessed that the surgery went so well and he has no pain or issues doing what he wants to do.

Today was the septic tank delivery!  I'm still amazed that the ground is dry enough for this huge truck to make it up the hill with no issue.  Our tank is the back one on the truck and it weighs 4.1 tons - so imagine the weight of the truck along with all of those tanks!  You can see the dust being kicked up - it's actually a little dry in some places.

Jim had the driver back up the driveway so he would be in a good position to unload.
 

Here's the driver using his remote to lift the tank up off the truck...

...and move it down near the hole...

...and lowering it...

...until finally setting it down.

However, that wasn't quite the end.  Jim had the gravel perfectly flat and level.  The tank, however, isn't that precise.  And the only thing that will matter come inspection time is that the tank is totally level in the hole.  So Jim got out his big level - it was close but not quite perfect.

So the driver lifted it back up, Jim used the trowel and leveled off the gravel, and then Jim helped guide it into a slightly different position.

Took a couple attempts before Jim was satisfied.

And there it is!

Then the driver moved the distribution tank into place...

...and Jim set it into place.  This one only weighs about 100 pounds so it could easily be moved if necessary.

Success!  After just a couple of days of working, our septic tanks are in place.

Jim had to take a peek inside...he'll have to figure out pipe fittings.  There is a concrete plug that fits in the hole and then a locking cap on top of that.

Then it was back to work on finishing the rest of the sewer pipe run.  Here Jim is putting the last 6" collar on.

All done!

Then Jim turned his attention to the infiltrator lines.  The first one already has the infiltrators set in place from last year so that line is in good shape.  There were quite a few cave-ins in the second line which required hand shoveling.

Then it was time to dig the last line!

With of course some more hand shoveling.

These shallow trenches are really hard to dig.  First, the excavator is sitting on a slanted grade and the trench has to be flat.  Then, the grade has to go down 1/32" of an inch every foot - try doing that with a big machine!  Required lots of hand shoveling and measuring to get it right.

Third trench is done!

Here's the view of all three lines...

 

Another good day's work!  Weather has been perfect - there's a chance for rain tomorrow so having all of this done now is amazing.

High 68/Low 46