Cost of a New Septic System

The cost of a new septic system will vary around the country according to local labor and material rates. There are three kinds of costs associated with a new septic system: the original installation costs, the maintenance and repair costs, and the replacement costs if things go wrong. Proper steps taken in the installation and maintenance will prevent many of the replacement costs.

Septic System Installation Costs:

In the mid-west where materials and labor rates are reasonably priced, a standard, gravity-fed tank and trench system will run $3,000 to $5,000. In certain parts of the country these figures can increase by 50-100%.
A cluster system, where each home has their own septic tank but empty into a community drain field will generally cost $5,000 to $8,000 for the initial install.
Engineered systems, like mounds, sand/peat filters, aerobic systems and constructed wetlands will run $6,000 to $10,000. Occasionally they can run in the $15,000 dollar range or more.

Septic System Maintenance Costs:

The typical annual costs of a new septic system drain field or mound system range from $30 up to $500 with the high end including replacement costs of pumps in mound systems. Standard, gravity-fed tank and trench systems typically only need to be pumped/inspected every 1-3 years and will cost $75 to $150 per pumping. The annual costs with systems including constructed wetlands or sand and peat filters are often $50 to $1,700, depending on the discharge method and monitoring requirements. Annual costs for multiple-household systems are typically $200 to $1500 per household.