The ground in Lebanon
Lebanon is known for its cedar glades, the open, rocky places where flat limestone sits at or near the surface and only cedars and tough plants grow. Cedars of Lebanon State Park is named for them. Away from the glades the soil gets deeper, but shallow rock is never far off in much of Wilson County.
Shallow rock is the hardest thing a septic system has to deal with. Effluent needs enough soil to be treated before it reaches rock and the cracks in it. That’s why sites here often need careful layouts or alternative designs, and why an existing field is worth protecting.
Permits and records
Septic permits in Wilson County come from TDEC’s Division of Water Resources, through the Nashville Environmental Field Office.
Calls we get from Lebanon
- Pumping for rural homes outside Lebanon and Mt. Juliet
- Inspections for buyers new to septic
- Systems on shallow, rocky lots
- Pump and alarm problems on alternative systems
Lebanon septic questions
Questions from Lebanon.
Why is septic tricky on Lebanon’s rocky ground?
A drain field needs soil to treat effluent. Where limestone is shallow, as it is in and near the cedar glades, there’s less soil to do that work, and cracks in the rock can carry water away quickly. Sites like that often need special designs and careful maintenance.
Our Lebanon system has a pump and an alarm. What does the alarm mean?
It means the water in the pump tank is higher than it should be: the pump may have failed, a float may be stuck or the breaker may have tripped. Use as little water as possible and call. Don’t open the pump tank or work on its wiring yourself.
Does ABC Septic serve Mt. Juliet too?
Yes. Mt. Juliet and Lebanon are both on ABC Septic’s service list in Wilson County.
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