Tulare County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

Tulare County, CA: USDA's soil survey calls 83.1% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. Practically, that rules out a simple gravity system for most of the county - 83.1% of it sits in USDA's most-constrained bucket. The county spans 4,823.9 square miles, home to 483,546 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Tulare County's rating is an average across the whole county, not a promise about any one lot inside it. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Tulare County: conventional vs. engineered cost

83.1% of Tulare 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.

Tulare County's rank among California counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Tulare County, CA ranks 1,844 most-constrained nationally, and 47 of 57 within California.

Further reading

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