CLASS 4 SYSTEM DESIGN CALCULATIONS

“Classic” Absorption Trench or Filter Bed

To be submitted with application package

DAILY SEWAGE FLOW CALCULATION

Based on Hydraulic Loads for Number of Bedrooms and the greater of Fixtures or Floor Area.
FIXTURES
Total # of Total # of
Plumbing Fixture FLOOR AREA
Fixtures in Final Unit Fixture
Description
Project Design Units
Bathroom Group
(includes toilet, sink and x6= Proposed m2
bathtub and/or shower)
Toilet (alone) x4= Existing m2
Washbasin x 1.5 = Total Finished
m2
Bathtub or Shower x 1.5 = Footprint:
Kitchen Sink x 1.5 = To convert ft2 to m2
Bar Sink x 1.5 = multiply ft2 by 0.093
Dishwasher x 1.5 =
Washing Machine x 1.5 =
Bidet x1=
Laundry Tub x 1.5 =
Other
Add units in last column
Total Fixture Units =

Residential Occupancy Final Project Design (Q) in L Total

1 Bedroom 750
2 Bedrooms 1100
3 Bedrooms 1600
4 Bedrooms 2000
5 Bedrooms 2500
PLUS Additional Flow For:
Each Bedroom over 5 500
OR *
Floor Space for each 10m2 over 200 m2 up to 400 m2 100
Floor Space for each 10m2 over 400 m2 up to 600 m2 75
Floor Space for each 10m2 over 600 m2 50
OR *
Each fixture unit over 20 fixture units 50
Add units in last column *
Total Daily Design Flow (Q) =
*NOTE: Where you need to do multiple calculations, signified by the “OR” in the table, do the calculation for daily sewage
flow based on bedrooms first, then use the largest additional flow calculation added to the bedroom calculation to
determine the Total Daily Sewage Flow (Q)

TOTAL DAILY DESIGN SEWAGE FLOW (Q) = ______________ Litres

SEPTIC TANK SIZE CALCULATION

To calculate the minimum capacity of your septic tank, use one of the following formulas.
Minimum tank size is 3600 Litres.

Residential: (Q) X2= Litres

Other Occupancies: (Q) X3= Litres

PROPERTY SOIL PROFILE AND PERCOLATION RATE (T) DESCRIPTION

Please refer to the APH website pages titled Property Soil Profile & Percolation Rate to find how to
determine the percolation rate of the soil on your site. Percolation rate (T) is measured as minutes per
centimetre, and measures the rate at which water drains into the soil. Please indicate the (T) of your
site, and/or imported fill below.

Gravel- Sand, Clay.

Gravel, Silty-
Coarse sand fairly Smears
some Sandy- loam,
Soil Type Gravel, mix, uniform, well, rolls
small loam mix almost
no fines some some into
rocks clay
fines fines ribbons
Percolation
0 to 1 1 to 5 5 to 10 10 to 15 15 to 25 25 to 50 >50
Rate (T)

ON-SITE PROFILE

Soil Soil Type Depth of

Percolation Topsoil to be removed:
Depth (See Rock/Impervious
Rate (T)
(metres) Above) Soil/Groundwater Table Depth _______m
0.2 Usable Existing Soil:
0.4 Depth _______m

0.6 Excavation of Existing Soil:

0.8 Depth _______m

1.0 Imported Fill:

1.2 Depth _______m

1.4 Percolation Rate (T):

1.6 _______min/cm
 LEACHING BED CALCULATIONS

Choose EITHER Absorption Trenches OR Filter Bed

ABSORPTION TRENCHES

Length of Distribution Pipe = (Q) _________ x (T) ___________ = __________ metres

200

Note:
 Absorption Trenches shall not be installed in soils with (T) less than 1 or greater than 50.
 The total length of Distribution Pipe shall not be less than 40 metres.
 The pipes shall be laid in multiple runs, each the same length not exceeding 30 metres.
 If native soils have a (T) of greater than 15, any imported soils must have a (T) not less than
75% of the native soils unless the native soil (T) is used in the above calculation or the system
is fully raised with imported soil used for the contact area (mantle).

OR

FILTER BED

BASE OF FILTER MEDIUM

Shall extend to a thickness of 250mm over the following area:

Base Filter Area = (Q) _________ x (T) ___________ = __________ m2

850

but shall not be smaller than the Surface Loading Area.

Note:
 (T) is the lesser of 50 or the (T) of underlying native soil.
 Soil in the Filter Bed Area must be engineered filter sand meeting the requirements of Section
8.7.5.2 of Part 8 of the Building Code.

SURFACE LOADING AREA

If (Q) is 3000 L or less: (Q) ___________ ÷ 75 = m2

If (Q) is more than 3000 L: (Q) ___________ ÷ 50 = m2
Note:
 The effective area of the Surface Loading Area in each filter bed shall be at least 10 m 2 and
not more than 50 m2.
 If more than 1 Filter Bed is required, they shall each be separated by at least 5 m between the
distribution pipes of each bed.
 The lines of distribution pipe shall be evenly spaced over the Surface Loading Area.
CONTACT AREA CALCULATION (Mantle)

The Mantle must be at least 250 mm deep and extend a minimum of 15 metres beyond the outer
Distribution Pipes in any direction in which the effluent will move horizontally (i.e. drain away from
Distribution Pipes).

Choose (T) range from the provided chart. Divide (Q) by Loading Rate (LR) for the minimum Contact
Area.

Percolation Time Loading

Contact Area (Q) ________ ÷ (LR) _______ = m2
(T) of Native Soil Rate (LR)
1 < T ≤ 20 10
20 < T ≤ 35 8 To convert to square feet multiply m2 by 10.76
35 < T ≤ 50 6
T > 50 4

If you do not have a minimum of 250 mm of useable soil on the property (unsaturated soil with a (T)
between 1 and 50) that extends 15 m beyond the end of the Distribution Pipe in any direction in which
the effluent will move horizontally you will need to import a Contact Area (Mantle) that meets these
requirements.

PUMP CHAMBER SIZE CALCULATION (if required)

If you must pump effluent uphill or over a long distance, there is no minimum size required, however,
consider the volume of effluent that may back into the system should the pump fail and size the
chamber accordingly.

If the length of Distribution Pipe to be used is 150 metres or more, the minimum size of the pump
chamber shall be no less than 75% of the total volume of the Distribution Pipe. This is the minimum
volume your pump must deliver within 15 minutes each time it cycles.

Distribution
Pipe Calculate based on design pipe length: Minimum Volume of Pump Chamber:
Diameter
3” 3.4 x __________m of distribution pipe = Litres

4” 6.0 x __________m of distribution pipe = Litres

TRANSFER THE ABOVE CALCULATIONS TO THE APPROPRIATE PLACES ON THE “DESIGN

LAYOUT ON-SITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS AND BUILDING PERMITS” FORM

YOU MUST STILL SUBMIT THESE PAGES WITH YOUR APPLICATION

 DESIGN LAYOUT Application Number
ON-SITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS AND BUILDING PERMITS

ROLL NUMBER: OWNER:

PROPERTY ADDRESS: DESIGNER: EF/WBF#:

LEGAL DESCRIPTION: INSTALLER: BCIN:

FROM YOUR WORKSHEET NO. OF BEDROOMS OR SIZE OF FINISHED TOTAL DAILY DESIGN SEWAGE
PROPOSED WATER SUPPLY
STATE NO. OF FIXTURE UNITS OCCUPANCY FLOOR AREA FLOW IN LITRES
MUNICIPAL PRIVATE
Q=
CLASS 1,2,3 SEWAGE SYSTEM PROPOSAL DETAILS DUG/BORED WELL DRILL WELL
WELL DEPTH / CASING SIZE
DIMENSIONS OF SYSTEM

CLASS 4,5 SEWAGE SYSTEM PROPOSAL DETAILS SURFACE WATER SUPPLY

WORKING CAPACITY OF SIZE OF PUMP LINEAL METRES OF FILTER BED SIZE CONTACT AREA SIZE DEPTH OF FILL PERCOLATION TIME OF SOIL
SEPTIC OR HOLDING TANK CHAMBER LEACHING PIPE NATIVE IMPORTED

LITRES SQUARE METRES SQUARE METRES T=

Directions to Lot - Hwy No., Secondary Roads, Signs to Follow, etc.

THE SITE PLAN SHALL SHOW

The location of existing buildings, proposed buildings, water supply, existing sewage systems, property lines, surface water (lake, river, etc.), and any neighbours
wells, etc.
INSPECTOR COMMENTS

SIDE PROFILE
Indicate foundation depth in relation to all components of the sewage system, including clearances to the groundwater table, bedrock, or soil with a percolation
rate greater than 50 min/cm. If additional fill is required, please indicate the height above existing grade.

INSPECTION REPORT
INSPECTION SUB-SURFACE CONDITIONS OBSERVED
ROCK & GWT M FT SOIL TYPE
DATE ______________________ TIME _____________ AM / PM 0.3 1
REPRESENTING OWNER / INSTALLER
0.6 2

0.9 3

1.2 4

1.5 5

PROPOSAL MEETS ONTARIO BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS YES NO

INSPECTORS SIGNATURE DATE

PRINT NAME
In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act the information is collected under the authority of the Building Code Act for the purposes
of processing permit applications.