Septic suitability in Kootenai County, ID

Very limited

Kootenai County, ID's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 89.5% of the county. Practically, that rules out a simple gravity system for most of the county - 89.5% of it sits in USDA's most-constrained bucket. The county spans 1,237.793 square miles, home to 188,323 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Two lots a mile apart in Kootenai 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.

Kootenai County: conventional vs. engineered cost

89.5% of Kootenai 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 Kootenai County, ID compares

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Kootenai County, ID ranks 1,319 most-constrained nationally, and 18 of 44 within Idaho.

Further reading

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