New Septic Systems for Ordway Properties
Replacing a failed system or installing one for a new build in Ordway 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.
The installation process step by step
It starts with testing the soil to see how well it absorbs water. A designer or engineer then sizes the tank and dispersal area for the number of bedrooms. After the permit is approved, the crew excavates, sets the tank, installs the pipes and field, and schedules an inspection before backfilling.
Choosing the right system
The best system is the one your soil and lot can support. Good, deep soil often allows a conventional system. Clay, high groundwater or shallow bedrock may call for a mound, pressure distribution or an aerobic unit. Each has different costs and maintenance needs, so ask your installer to explain them.
What the permit process involves
Most permit processes include a site and soil evaluation, a system design, plan approval and final inspection. Fees and timelines vary. Starting the process early, especially for new construction, keeps the project on schedule.
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.
The first years with a new system
Keep the design drawing and the final inspection report somewhere safe. Pump on the schedule your installer recommends, use water steadily rather than all at once, and keep vehicles and new structures off the tank and field. Let grass establish over the field before heavy use of the yard.
Before you sign
Make sure the contract lists the system type, the scope of work, permit responsibilities, the timeline, cleanup and warranty. Ask how weather or unexpected site conditions will be handled.
How long a new system takes near Ordway
Soil testing, design and permit review usually take longer than construction. In Crowley 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.
Common installation mistakes
The costliest mistakes are skipping the soil test, undersizing the system to save money, and building the field where water collects or where you later want a driveway or garage. Hiring an installer who does not handle permits can also delay the job or force rework after a failed inspection.
New septic systems in Crowley County
New and replacement systems in Crowley County go through the Crowley County health department, which reviews designs and inspects the work. Soil conditions change from one part of the county to another, so a design that suits a lot in Ordway may differ from one in Rocky Ford, Fowler. A local installer knows those differences.
What Ordway's soil means for a new system
The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Ordway 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. Ordway gets about 13 inches of precipitation a year, so water table limits are less common, though your soil test still decides the design.
Local conditions in Ordway that affect septic installation
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Ordway, the USDA soil survey rates 77% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 17% as somewhat limited and 6% 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.
Ordway averages about 13 inches of precipitation a year, and July is usually the wettest month. December is the coldest month at about 34°F on average, so freezing is rarely the main concern here. Heavy rain and saturated ground are the bigger factors for drain fields.
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 Ordway means for septic installation
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Ordway as 76% well drained, 12% somewhat poorly drained, 6% moderately well drained, 6% poorly 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 Ordway
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Ordway, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- All American Septic Service, Fowler, CO, 18.5 mi
- American Septic & Sewer, Pueblo, CO, 39.1 mi
- Cut-Rate Sewer & Drain Service Inc, Pueblo, CO, 44.0 mi
- On The Move Septic LLC, Pueblo West, CO, 51.3 mi
Septic Installation in nearby towns
We also cover septic installation in these towns near Ordway:
- Rocky Ford, 12 mi
- Fowler, 15.9 mi
About Ordway, CO
Ordway is in Crowley County, Colorado. About 1,074 people live there, across 0.8 square miles of land (about 1,393 per square mile).
Septic Installation questions in Ordway
- Can I install a septic system myself?
- Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Crowley 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.
- Is SepticTank.com the installer?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Ordway. That company designs, installs and prices the system.