Monroe County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

Monroe County, AL's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 82.5% of the county. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, and it covers 82.5% of Monroe County's land. The county spans 1,025.669 square miles, home to 19,057 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

USDA's survey covers the whole of Monroe County, AL at once, not any single address. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Monroe County: conventional vs. engineered cost

82.5% of Monroe 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, Monroe County, AL ranks 1,892 most-constrained nationally, and 28 of 67 within Alabama.

Further reading

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