Why get independent advice for a septic tank system?
Avoid expensive mistakes with an unbiased expert's advice
Most sewage systems are sold by installers, group builders, or agents who represent a particular brand. Their advice may be well-intentioned, but it’s rarely based on a full site assessment — and often leads to poor outcomes.
Dave is different. As an independent environmental engineer, he doesn’t sell or install systems. He works solely in your best interest — to make sure you get the most suitable system for your site, and the best value for your money.
What can go wrong when you haven't got a good septic system?
- Premature system failures (67% fail within 15 years)
- High maintenance costs (potentially thousands of dollars per year)
- Destroyed landscaping from system replacement
- Smells and health risks from poor-quality effluent
- Blocked emitters and pump burnout due to poor treatment quality
And the biggest risk? Thinking that “free advice” from a plumber or builder is all you needed.
"Dave Miller helped us assess and plan our septic system for a new lifestyle block build. We really appreciated his professionalism and his ready willingness to provide advice and guidance throughout the process. His advice has saved us money and helped us avoid making costly mistakes in decision making.
There were lots of complex issues for us to get our heads around in our project as our house is not a standard build and it was invaluable having access to Dave's independent advice and guidance and his willingness to be an ongoing advisor throughout so that we could come back to him as our thoughts developed and as questions arose.
It is very hard to find independent advice when building and we really appreciated all the knowledge Dave was able to bring to our project."
- Robert Inkpen (Manawatū)
Why talking to Dave can save you money
Dave's process includes:
- On-site soil testing and property assessment
- Advice on the most suitable system type for your site
- Written recommendations with estimated installation costs
- Designs that meet council requirements and long-term needs
If you already have a system that’s causing problems, Dave can also assess what’s gone wrong and recommend practical solutions — often avoiding the need for full replacement. Dave’s advice often pays for itself many times over.
Maybe - maybe not. There is nothing in the plumbers apprenticeship training that adequately covers sewage system operation and design and this knowledge is essential in evaluating sewage system effectiveness and reliability.
Many plumbers act as agents for a sewage system manufacturer and offer ‘advice’ which is no more than a sales pitch. It might sound convincing but is no more than a sales pitch. It is very risky to rely on the ‘advice’ of a plumber or sewage system agent. Dave has researched sewage system methodology and operation and has been invited to present papers to national wastewater conferences on this topic and is considered as an expert in this field and is well qualified to provide independent advice.
If you don’t want sewage system problems, don’t buy a low cost sewage system.
A low cost sewage system can cost over $30,000 over 20 years to keep it going and thousands of dollars to replace. It pays to get it right the first time.
Call Dave and get friendly, professional and independent advice - which will save you time and money in the long run.
The true cost is the installation cost + the operation + maintenance cost over the life of the system. Depreciation is a hidden cost. A $20,000 system that only last 10 years has a hidden depreciation cost of $2,000 per year. And that doesn’t include the cost of replacing the system or reinstating your nice section afterwords.
Usually the disposal field also needs replacing as well which can cover a large area of your section. Landscaped sections and sewage system repair or replacement do not go well together. So don’t be fooled by a low installation price - the true cost may be much greater.
Unfortunately this happens all too often and I receive numerous complaints from owners whose systems have failed and who are at a loss as to what to do. I would suggest you contact the installer first (preferably by email) laying out the situation accurately. Follow this up with a phone call and record the outcome. If this doesn’t result in a satisfactory outcome feel free to contact me and we can work through the process together.