MORE Pool Stuff

While I was waiting for the well guy this morning the entire Health Department showed up : ) The original inspector from the sale in May, the inspector from the pool permit and 3 other guys. They poked and prodded around the yard and verified that the long line runs all the way to the well head and they found a second line. In addition, they found a third line that runs under the footings of the deck.

The inspector is not sure how he missed all this on the inspection in May. But he said it wouldn't have affected the sale of the house anyway. He would have just advised us that no further permits would be issued until the problems were corrected. I told him it sure would have affected the sale of the house because we would have asked that they tear down the deck and provide assurance that the septic drains were not damaged. In addition, we would have either asked them to kill and replace the well or sell at a lower price because the property didn't have a irrigation system that met code. The inspector assured me that the well company would take care of the issue but if they didn't I should let him know and he would talk to enforcement with the Water Management District to ensure it is taken care of. I think maybe they are trying to cover their a**.

So fast forward a few hours and the well guy shows up with his wife and daughter. (The well guy bought the company from his father-in-law, so the guy who originally drilled the well was her dad. ) The well guy verified that yes the well is within 50 ft of the septic line but suggested that the drain lines must have been finished after the well. I pointed out that the septic permit is dated 10/94 and the well was drilled 6/95. He suggested that they might have been working on the septic installation when the well was drilled and then moved the lines after the well was done. He asked to see a receipt for the well from his company. I told him I didn't have a receipt what I had was the instructions with the installation date, serial number of the tank, and the installers name and number written on it. He confirmed that his father-in-law usually did that when he put in a well, but that maybe the home owner had written it. I brought the paper work out and his wife said that was her dad's handwriting. After a couple phone calls the well guy got the permit number for the well and confirmed that his father-in-law had put in the well. But the responsibility for a well goes to the driller not the company. So he says since his father-in-law no longer works for the company and is no longer licensed there is nothing that can be done. He did offer to kill the well and drill us a new one at cost- $1500. So now he is trying to cover his a**.

So I called the HD inspector back and told him the scoop. He said the septic lines had to have gone in before the well. First, you can't get a well permit without and occupancy permit and you can't get in occupancy permit without a septic system. Second, if on the off chance they some how did get a well permit before the septic was done then the septic system wouldn't have passed inspection because the well would have been to close.

So we are back to it being the well driller's fault that the well is in the wrong place and we need to kill and drill.

I did talk to a septic guy. He said I should plan on $7,000-$8,000 to dig up the old drain lines and excavate a new 700 sqft drain field. He said as much as he wanted the work if the system is working we shouldn't mess with it.