Columbus County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

Columbus County, NC: USDA's soil survey calls 84.5% 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 84.5% of Columbus County's land. The county spans 938.197 square miles, home to 50,054 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Nothing about Columbus County, NC'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.

Columbus County: conventional vs. engineered cost

84.5% of Columbus 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.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Columbus County, NC ranks 1,732 most-constrained nationally, and 34 of 97 within North Carolina.

Further reading

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