Guide Me Home to North Jersey

If you are looking to buy a home in areas within Somerset, Morris or Hunterdon County you may find that the home you love uses a septic system instead of a sewer line. If you are selling in these areas, your buyer has the right to conduct an inspection of the system and the results can have an impact on the sale.

A septic system is located on your property and you are responsible for it. The rules concerning allowable size, design, and construction are governed by the Standards for Individual Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems, N.J.A.C. 7:9A (aka Chapter 199). The Department of Health is responsible for enforcement of this in each township.

The typical septic system is made up of 4 main components: the pipe from the home, a septic tank, a distribution box and the drainage field. Its design and positioning will depend on your property’s characteristics.

The tank can range between 1000 and 2000 gallons, and is typically made up of 1 or 2 chambers with1 or 2 manhole covers. Townships and municipalities will have specific regulations regarding the size and layouts. The overall size is mandated by the number of bedrooms in the house.

The initial reduction of waste happens in the tank. The solids settle and should be anaerobically digested creating sludge, and the liquid ferments flowing out of baffles into the distribution box. This box evenly distributes the flow of the liquid throughout the drainage field.

The next component is the leach or drainage field. The liquid flowing to the field passes through pipes that are perforated and then is eliminated by physical, chemical and biological processes into the soil.  At that point, the water is purified.

An extensive explanation of the entire process can be found at: http://www.nj.gov/dep/dwq/pdf/septicmn.pdf or http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq/owm_home.htm#works.

Whether you are buying or selling, it’s best to know about the components and their importance to the overall function of the system. Next time, we will talk about the maintenance of your system and why it’s important.

Posted by:Mary Jane Benedetto

On the northern edge of Hunterdon county, lies the Township of Tewksbury, comprised of several villages surrounded by a rural landscape of farms and wooded hillsides. Nestled in the heart of Tewksbury is the village of Mountainville, so named because it is located in a valley at the confluence of four mountain streams.

In the early 1800’s the village was established with a sawmill, a general store, school, post office and distillery. The latter part of the century saw the growth of the community and hunting became a popular pastime. However, as commercial activity declined, with the development of railroads and highways, Mountainville became a small summer resort. Families purchased some of the old homes and discreetly renovated them, or built new homes on large pieces of property, hence the village maintains its Currier & Ives atmosphere. Social activity now centers around the old general store, now called Gourmet Expressions, which has become a popular local eatery and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner six nights of the week. Weekends see bicyclists and walkers enjoying the quaint ambiance and quiet country roads, bordered by meandering streams.

One of the earliest homesteads in Mountainville is believed to have been the home of Jenny Alpaugh, a local family. Belle Glade is thought to have been originally built in 1803, with several later additions, and over the past few years the property has been lovingly and tastefully restored and renovated. With its rocking chair front porch overlooking the babbling stream on Guinea Hollow Road , this charming antique home is currently one of the best values in Tewksbury . Recognizing the decline in real estate values over the past two years since they first purchased the property, the current owners have priced it at 20% under their purchase price. To view listings in the Tewksbury area, please click here.

Posted by: Valerie Fraser