Smith County, TX Septic Rating

Smith County, TX: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

Smith County, TX's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 70.7% of the county. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, covering that same share of Smith County's land. The county spans 921 square miles, home to 249,091 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Nothing about Smith County, TX'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.

Smith County: conventional vs. engineered cost

70.7% of Smith 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.

Smith County's rank among Texas counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Smith County, TX ranks 2,440 most-constrained nationally, and 196 of 253 within Texas.

Related guides

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