Can I install a septic system myself?

Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Arapahoe County health department before planning any work yourself.

What is a mound system?

A mound system raises the drain field above the natural soil using sand and fill. It is used where the soil is too shallow, too wet or too slow draining for a conventional field.

Do I need a soil test for a new septic system?

Yes, in nearly all cases. The soil evaluation decides what type of system and how large a field your lot can support.

Who approves septic installations in Aurora?

Septic permits are usually handled at the county or state level. Contact the Arapahoe County health department to confirm the requirements for your property.

Septic System Installation in Aurora, CO

Replacing a failed system or installing one for a new build in Aurora involves more than digging a hole for a tank. Soil testing, system design, permits and inspections all shape the final result.

A local installer can tell you which system types are likely to work on your lot and what the process looks like.

How septic installation works

Most projects follow the same steps. First comes a site evaluation and soil test, then a system design sized for the home and a permit application. After that the tank and drain field are installed, followed by a final inspection before the system is covered. Your installer coordinates much of this, but timelines depend on local review and weather.

Types of septic systems

Conventional systems use a tank and a gravity drain field and suit lots with good soil. Where soil is poor, shallow or wet, options include pressure distribution, mound systems, chamber systems, sand filters and aerobic treatment units. Your soil test and local rules decide which types are allowed on your lot.

Approvals you will need

Plan on a permit for any new or replacement system. Regulators typically want a site evaluation, a design that meets local code and an inspection before the system is covered. Your installer or designer often handles the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so keep copies.

Why installation prices vary

Installation price depends on the system type the soil allows, the size of the house, the distance from the house to the field, how easy the site is to reach with equipment, and design and permit fees. Engineered systems such as mounds and aerobic units cost more to build and maintain.

After installation

Ask your installer for records, maintenance instructions and warranty details. Mark the tank and field location so they are not damaged by future projects. Some systems require a service contract, so confirm what applies to yours.

Questions to ask an installer

Ask who performs the soil evaluation and design, whether they handle permits, what system types they recommend and why, and how long the project will take. Ask about warranty terms and what maintenance the system will need.

How long a new system takes near Aurora

Soil testing, design and permit review usually take longer than construction. In Arapahoe County, wet seasons and frozen ground can delay soil evaluations, and review times vary through the year. Once the permit is in hand, most installations take a few days to a couple of weeks.

What to avoid on a new system near Aurora

Avoid choosing an installer on price alone, starting before the permit is approved, or placing the field in a low spot that stays wet. Think about future plans for the yard, since a pool, addition or outbuilding cannot go over the field later.

Before the digging starts in Aurora

Installing a septic system in Aurora touches the whole yard, so plan access for the excavator and the tank delivery. Mark wells, water lines and property corners first. Ask the installer how they will restore the lawn afterward. A clear plan now avoids moving a driveway, a shed or a fence later.

What Aurora's soil means for a new system

The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Aurora as very limited for septic absorption fields. New systems here often need a mound, pressure distribution or another engineered design, which your soil test will confirm. Aurora gets about 17 inches of precipitation a year, so water table limits are less common, though your soil test still decides the design. About 3 months below freezing mean pipes and components must sit deep enough or be insulated, and installation is usually easiest outside winter.

Local conditions in Aurora that affect septic installation

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Aurora, the USDA soil survey rates 66% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 24% as somewhat limited and 10% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well drained. Soils like these often call for careful system design, such as a larger drain field, a mound or another engineered system, and a site evaluation before any new installation or replacement.

Aurora averages about 17 inches of precipitation a year, and July is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 3 months a year, with December averaging 28°F, so tank lids and shallow lines benefit from a layer of snow or mulch rather than being cleared bare.

Sources: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access; NASA POWER long-term climatology. Soil ratings describe mapped soil types near the city center and do not replace a site evaluation of your property.

What the soil around Aurora means for septic installation

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Aurora as 88% well drained, 9% somewhat excessively drained, 4% moderately well drained. Most of the soil here drains reasonably well, so a conventional trench field is often possible where the lot allows, but the soil test still decides.

Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access

Septic companies near Aurora

These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Aurora, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.

Plastics Inc, Commerce City, CO, 13.2 mi
Cinch Construction LLC, Bennett, CO, 15.1 mi
TBC Septic, Parker, CO, 18.4 mi
A1 Septic Service, Brighton, CO, 22.8 mi
Douglas County Septic, Littleton, CO, 22.9 mi
Colorado Pumping, Golden, CO, 23.8 mi

Septic Installation in nearby towns

We also cover septic installation in these towns near Aurora:

Denver, 9.5 mi
Centennial, 10.9 mi
Glendale, 11.5 mi
Greenwood Village, 11.9 mi
Cherry Hills Village, 12.9 mi
Commerce City, 13 mi

About Aurora, CO

Aurora is in Arapahoe County, Colorado. About 395,052 people live there, across 163.0 square miles of land (about 2,423 per square mile).

Septic Installation questions in Aurora

Can I install a septic system myself?: Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Arapahoe County health department before planning any work yourself.
What is a mound system?: A mound system raises the drain field above the natural soil using sand and fill. It is used where the soil is too shallow, too wet or too slow draining for a conventional field.
Do I need a soil test for a new septic system?: Yes, in nearly all cases. The soil evaluation decides what type of system and how large a field your lot can support.
Who approves septic installations in Aurora?: Septic permits are usually handled at the county or state level. Contact the Arapahoe County health department to confirm the requirements for your property.