Septic suitability in Bergen County, NJ

Very limited

Bergen County, NJ: USDA's soil survey calls 63.3% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, and it covers 63.3% of Bergen County's land. The county spans 232.797 square miles, home to 978,641 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Two lots a mile apart in Bergen County can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide rating. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Bergen County: conventional vs. engineered cost

63.3% of Bergen 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.

How Bergen County, NJ compares

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Bergen County, NJ ranks 2,649 most-constrained nationally, and 19 of 21 within New Jersey.

Further reading

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