Kern County, CA
Home Public Health MenuSeptic System Setbacks
Typical Sewage Disposal Design Setbacks
| Minimum Horizontal Distance in Clear Required From | Building Sewer | Septic Tank | Disposal Field | Seepage Pit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings or structures | 2 Feet | 5 Feet | 8 Feet | 8 Feet |
| Property line adjoining private property | Clear | 5 Feet | 5 Feet | 8 Feet |
| Water Supply Wells | 50 Feet | 100 Feet | 100 Feet | 150 Feet |
| Streams | 50 Feet | 50 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
100 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
100 Feet |
| Non-classified Streams | 25 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
25 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
25 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
25 Feet (per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division) |
| Large Trees | 10 Feet | 10 Feet | ||
| Seepage Pits or Cesspools | 5 Feet | 5 Feet | 12 Feet | |
| Disposal Field | 5 Feet | 4 Feet | 5 Feet | |
| Domestic Water Line | 1 Foot | 5 Feet | 5 Feet | 5 Feet |
| Distribution Box | 5 Feet | 5 Feet | ||
| Pressure Public Water Main | 25 Feet | 25 Feet | 25 Feet | 25 Feet |
Per County Ordinance and Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division.
Table 11-4: Area of Disposal Field
Required absorption area on square feet per one hundred (100) gallons of septic tank liquid capacity for five (5) types of soil
| Type of Soil | Square feet per 100 gallons |
|---|---|
| Coarse sand or gravel | 20 |
| Fine sand | 25 |
| Sandy loam or sandy clay | 40 |
| Clay with considerable sand or gravel | 90 |
| Clay with small amount of sand or gravel | 120 |
Minimum Absorption Area is 150 Square Feet. Maximum Leach Line Length is 100 Feet.