Cibola County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

Cibola County, NM: USDA's soil survey calls 57.3% 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 57.3% of the county. The county spans 4,539.984 square miles, home to 26,686 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Nothing about Cibola County, NM's SSURGO figure applies to a specific address - it's a county-wide average. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Cibola County: conventional vs. engineered cost

57.3% of Cibola 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 Cibola County, NM compares

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Cibola County, NM ranks 2,776 most-constrained nationally, and 22 of 29 within New Mexico.

Before you act on this

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