Amherst County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

Amherst County, VA's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 66.3% of the county. That reading means a conventional system is a poor bet here - 66.3% of Amherst County lands in the strictest "very limited" bucket USDA uses. The county spans 473.962 square miles, home to 31,650 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

USDA's survey covers the whole of Amherst County, VA at once, not any single address. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Amherst County: conventional vs. engineered cost

66.3% of Amherst County carrying a "Very limited" reading changes the realistic budget here. Conventional systems run $3,000-$8,000 where they pass; where they don't, engineered alternatives (mound or aerobic treatment, whichever the health department requires) run $10,000-$40,000 - budget toward the higher figure until a perc test says otherwise.

Amherst County's rank among Virginia counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Amherst County, VA ranks 2,577 most-constrained nationally, and 78 of 110 within Virginia.

Further reading

How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems