Wayne County, NE: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

Wayne County, NE: USDA's soil survey calls 67.3% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. That reading means a conventional system is a poor bet here - 67.3% of Wayne County lands in the strictest "very limited" bucket USDA uses. The county spans 442.916 square miles, home to 9,870 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Nothing about Wayne County, NE'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.

Wayne County: conventional vs. engineered cost

67.3% of Wayne 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.

Wayne County's rank among Nebraska counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Wayne County, NE ranks 2,553 most-constrained nationally, and 67 of 93 within Nebraska.

Before you act on this

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