Bucks County, PA: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

Bucks County, PA: USDA's soil survey calls 75.3% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 75.3% of the county. The county spans 604.436 square miles, home to 650,131 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Two lots a mile apart in Bucks 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.

Bucks County: conventional vs. engineered cost

75.3% of Bucks 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 Bucks County, PA compares

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Bucks County, PA ranks 2,261 most-constrained nationally, and 60 of 66 within Pennsylvania.

Before you act on this

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