Can I install a septic system myself?

Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Taos 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 Taos. That company designs, installs and prices the system.

Septic System Installation in Taos, NM

Replacing a failed system or installing one for a new build in Taos 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 steps of a new septic installation

Expect five stages: site and soil evaluation, system design, permit approval, construction, and inspection before the trenches are covered. Weather and permit review times affect the schedule more than the digging itself, which often takes only a few days once everything is approved.

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.

Working with local regulators

Septic rules exist to protect groundwater and neighbors' wells. Before installation, plans are reviewed for setbacks from wells, property lines and water. Inspectors typically check the work before it is covered. Ask your installer what approvals are needed in Taos and how long review usually takes.

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.

Choosing an installation company

Look for experience with the soils and systems common around Taos and Angel Fire, clear written quotes and a plan for permits and inspections. A good installer explains tradeoffs between system types rather than pushing one option.

How long a new system takes near Taos

Soil testing, design and permit review usually take longer than construction. In Taos 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.

Mistakes to avoid on a Taos installation

The most expensive mistakes happen before the digging starts. Skipping the soil evaluation, choosing a system on price alone, or placing the drain field where future driveways, pools or additions will go all lead to trouble later. Undersizing the tank for the number of bedrooms is another common one. Ask your Taos installer to walk you through the site plan and explain why each part sits where it does.

Planning a new system near Taos

A new septic system near Taos starts with a site visit and a soil evaluation. Those results decide the system type, the tank size and where the drain field can go. Taos County reviews the design before work begins and inspects it before it is covered. Planning early keeps the project from holding up a closing or a build.

What Taos's soil means for a new system

The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Taos 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. Taos 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 Taos that affect septic installation

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Taos, the USDA soil survey rates 81% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 7% as somewhat limited and 12% 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.

Taos 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 26°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 Taos means for septic installation

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Taos as 82% well drained, 12% poorly drained, 6% somewhat 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 Taos

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

Whitten Construction, Cimarron, NM, 38.3 mi
Richardson's Excavating LLC, Santa Fe, NM, 43.8 mi
Drainworks Heating & Cooling, Santa Fe, NM, 54.4 mi
AAA Allied Septic, Santa Fe, NM, 55.4 mi
Water Management Associates LLC, Santa Fe, NM, 55.4 mi
Medina Septic Service, Santa Fe, NM, 57.1 mi

Septic Installation in nearby towns

We also cover septic installation in these towns near Taos:

Angel Fire, 17.9 mi

About Taos, NM

Taos is in Taos County, New Mexico. About 6,427 people live there, across 6.0 square miles of land (about 1,064 per square mile).

Septic Installation questions in Taos

Can I install a septic system myself?: Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Taos 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 Taos. That company designs, installs and prices the system.