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Directional Drilling

Posts: 130

Location: Coastal Maine

posted 2 months ago

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Does anyone have experience with Directional Drilling?
I have to replace the leach field and it needs to be in a different location.
The approved site is 150 feet away from the septic tank and about 30 higher.
Between the leach field and the pump tank is heavily wooded. The ground is ledge.
Straight line is (obviously) best, but that would entail a lot of foliage clearing and possible ledge blasting.
I suspect that hiring a company to install a pipe directly from tank to field would be expensive.
I'm comfortable with mid-size construction equipment, so I'm wondering if I can rent the gear and do it myself.
Thoughts? Insights?
Thanks.

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4148

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

328

posted 2 months ago

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Up? So you are pumping? Then maybe. I doubt you can find a machine rental that will handle rock or bigger than 2” pipe. I haven’t seen a machine to rent to a consumer in years, most require you have commercial insurance and whatever state license(s) apply.

There is a big learning curve, it is probably cheaper to hire a pro to do it because they are SO MUCH FASTER.

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Randy Butler

Posts: 130

Location: Coastal Maine

posted 2 months ago

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Yes, I am glad to have an answer - just not THAT answer!
I sorta figured that would be the result, but hoped that the cumulative knowledge of Permies might give me a better option!
I REALLY don't want to go the brute force route of stripping the vegetation and bringing in heavy equipment to drill or hammer ledge, but the alternatives don't seem much better.
Guess I'm back to the contractor route and see who can be more surgical about it. Ah well.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

Anne Miller

steward

Posts: 17665

Location: USDA Zone 8a

4526

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posted 2 months ago

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Trenchless construction allows our crews to install pipe deep underground. It also reduces impacts on the surface compared to open cut trenching.

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R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4148

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

328

posted 2 months ago

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You might get lucky, Maine is still a DIY friendly area as far as I know and should have plenty of equipment for dealing with rock.

Research your potential costs carefully, and consider alternate routes if you can avoid rock. I’d rather dig fifty feet of dirt trench to avoid a couple feet of rock.

How big of line do you have to run? Do they care what kind?

Randy Butler

Posts: 130

Location: Coastal Maine

posted 2 months ago

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Yes, many areas of Maine are very open for homeowners.
You can do all your own construction, plumbing, wiring, etc.
But they don't let you do your own blasting without a license

!
And the permitting varies from town to town and some are very restrictive when you get close to the water (like I am).
As far as digging dirt - IF i search for a while, I can find pockets of dirt maybe 36" deep. Two feet away I can get 2 inches before ledge.
There is no path from pump to field where I won't hit a ton of rock.
One contractor that did come to look (for the septic itself) said they install a 3 inch "conduit" for the pump line.
And their "conduit" is heavy wall black poly pipe.

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5520

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

1519

posted 2 months ago

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Utility companies use "rat hole" drilling a lot to install or replace lines because it's easier and less disruptive than trenching. I would bet that it's also cheaper as a result.

It may be a long shot, but if you notice a truck working in the area, chat them up. They're usually contractors, and if there's a job close by and the foreman is a reasonable guy, you may get a good deal. Utility guys know that building goodwill with country folks makes their lives easier.

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4148

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

328

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How deep do you have to go?

You can get a rock saw/trencher for a bobcat as a rental in my area. Rent the bobcat with a forestry mulcher to clear the path in a day, then switch to the rock saw for a day or two.

Randy Butler

Posts: 130

Location: Coastal Maine

posted 2 months ago

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If I tried to make a straight line shot I'd be a foot deep on either end and 10 to 20 foot deep for much of the rest of it.
Tank is down at the nearly the lowest point of the property, then there's a ledge incline varying from 30 to 60 degree slope.
Not unlike the ground contour shown in the link in Anne's video clip.

Hadn't thought about talking to utility crew. They might have contacts.
But power company doesn't bury anything here except intown or private underground installation.

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