Caroline County Health Department, Maryland

Caroline County Health Department
Division of Environmental Health Hours 8-5p.m., M-F; Phone: 410/479-8045
403 S 7th Street, P.O. Box 10, Denton, MD 21629

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SITE PREPARATION FOR PERC TESTS

Clear an access to the test site. Please keep access clear until written results have been received.

Applicant is responsible for acquiring necessary permits and approvals to clear and or access properties.

There are 4 ways to prepare a site depending on which type of test you are requesting. (see application instructions)

1. Soil Test Pits (2 pits per site). This is generally the starting point. After you apply for this test, an appointment will be scheduled for the pits to be excavated and profiled. The owners/applicants are required to dig a minimum of 2 backhoe test pits per site. These pits must be 75 to 100 feet apart from each other and representative of typical soils and topography in the proposed SRA. The setbacks mentioned under “Site Selection” must be considered. Additionally, the pits must be no closer than 50’ from a road, property line and proposed property line(s). The pits must be a maximum 5’ deep and 3’wide. See diagram below (for cross section of a test pit and piezometer). It is the owner’s responsibility to contact the health department and fill in the test pits upon completion of the soil test.

2. Wet Season (3 piezometers per site). Most sites in Caroline County need to be wet season tested. Place the pipes in an augured hole within 10’of the test pits and 100’ apart. If a high water table is encountered set the pipe 2’ below the water table and saw the pipe off 1’ above the ground surface. The annular space between the pipe wall and soil must be backfilled with excavated sandy backfill. Surface water should not be allowed to enter into the annular space. The owner is responsible for maintaining the pipes so that we may accurately measure the water table throughout the wet season. Piezometers must be maintained after testing in order for the surveyor to identify piezometers on a plat for satisfactory site evaluations. Note: December 1^st is deadline for wet season applications. See following sketch for piezometer and site plan example.

3. Transferable Development Right (TDR’s). Procedure is the same as Wet Season. (Pits are not required). Only 2 pipes are installed as described above, 100’ apart, per site.

4. Sand Mound. You must have authorization from Caroline County Health Department in order to proceed with Sand Mound Testing. We perform the mound test but ask that you leave 10 gallons of water at the authorized site. Keep in mind that Sand Mounds cannot be installed in wet weather or when the ground is frozen.

Note: Failure to prepare the site properly will be considered an incomplete application and will not be processed.