Septic System Repair
We find out why a septic system is failing and repair the part that failed. That covers septic tanks, distribution boxes, pipes and leach fields across Rhode Island.
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Septic system installation in Exeter starts with two facts. The town has no public sewer, and nearly every home drinks from a private well on its own lot. The well and the septic system have to share that land without wastewater reaching the drinking water. The town plan even reports that the town hall's own septic system was found too close to its well.
South County Septic and Excavation Services handles septic system installation across Exeter, as part of our Rhode Island service area. We build systems for new homes on raw land and for older houses that still have cesspools. Each septic system design goes to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for approval first. Call or text (401) 474-8926 about your Exeter property.
Tell us about the septic, sewer, drainage or excavation job and where the property is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.
Exeter is a rural Washington County town of about 6,500 people on 57 square miles of land. It was part of North Kingstown until 1742, and Ten Rod Road (Route 102) still links the two towns. In 1977 Exeter became the last town in Rhode Island to adopt zoning, the town plan says.
Zoning brought minimum lots of 2 to 5 acres, sized to fit a private well and a septic system. The plan notes that the state began encouraging large lots in the late 1970s to protect wells. Town subdivision rules let the planning board require bigger lots to protect the wells on and around them. Slopes over 12 percent and bedrock can push the lot size up too.
On every lot, the state's septic rules keep the system away from drinking water. For a house-sized system, a leach field needs 100 feet from a private well, and a tank needs 75. In loose sandy soil, which the rules rate as Category 1, a standard leach field needs 150 feet. Those distances count from the well on the lot next door too.
The water line from the well to the house has spacing rules too. It runs at least 25 feet from the leach field and 10 feet from the septic tank. On a new lot, we plan the water line and the septic system as one layout.
Soil maps from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service show two soils on about a third of Exeter. They are Canton and Charlton, well drained loamy soils formed in glacial till. Hinckley, an excessively drained sand and gravel, covers about 6 percent. The town plan says almost 40 percent of the land has soils that limit building, such as wetland soils.
The plan describes mostly granite bedrock that shows along ridges in the Arcadia Management Area and elsewhere. Under the state's rules, bedrock must sit at least 4 feet below the original ground at a leach field. The bottom of the leach field stone must stay 5 feet above it. Digging into bedrock to make room needs RIDEM's approval.
About 14 percent of Exeter has a seasonal water table 19 to 42 inches down, the plan says. A leach field needs that water at least 2 feet below the original ground. The bottom of its stone must also sit 3 feet above the water. On those soils, the leach field may have to rise on fill.
Test holes show where the water and the ledge sit on a given lot. When the water reading is unclear, the rules call for wet-season readings between January 1 and April 1. The rules also require pulling stumps and exposed boulders out of the leach field dig. On a wooded Exeter lot, that clearing is site work we handle along with the system.
Exeter has 30 rivers and streams, and 28 of them sit in the Upper Pawcatuck or Wood River watersheds. The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed is Rhode Island's only federally designated Wild and Scenic River area. The plan notes the Wood River is rated wild, and the Queen and Beaver rivers scenic. Boone Lake, at 54 acres, is the largest body of water entirely inside the town.
Along the Wood River and the Queen River, the plan maps groundwater rated GAA, the state's highest class. That rating means water fit to drink without treatment. The glacial outwash there lets rain soak in fast, and the plan warns that it lets pollution in too.
RIDEM's freshwater wetlands rules reach 200 feet from the edge of a river or stream. They reach 100 feet from other freshwater wetlands. A leach field inside that area needs approval from RIDEM's Freshwater Wetlands Program first.
FEMA's newest flood maps for Exeter were approved in June 2022, the town plan says. The plan flags roads and built-up areas near the Queen River and Queen's Fort Brook. It also points to a large flood-prone area at the junction of South County Trail and Exeter Road. Any Exeter lot can be checked on FEMA's online Flood Map Service Center.
Half of Exeter's homes were built in 1987 or later, Census Bureau estimates show. More than a quarter went up in the 1980s alone. About 15 percent were built before 1970, and about 6 percent in 1939 or earlier.
RIDEM notes that most home sewage systems installed after 1970 are not cesspools. So in Exeter, the older homes are the ones to check for a cesspool. State law requires a cesspool to be replaced within 12 months after the home is sold or transferred. A failed cesspool has to be abandoned within a year of discovery.
Renovations can force an upgrade too. That rule covers a cesspool or any system built before April 9, 1968. Adding living space or redoing half the house means that system must be upgraded. A newer system that fails may need septic system repair rather than a full replacement.
New homes now come on single lots or small road-frontage subdivisions. The town plan says no major subdivision has been proposed since the Great Recession. Census Bureau counts show 7 single-family homes permitted in 2024 and 9 in 2025. Each new lot gets its own soil evaluation and its own septic design.
Communities and areas we serve around Exeter: Ten Rod Road (Route 102), South County Trail (Route 2), Nooseneck Hill Road (Route 3), Victory Highway, Liberty, Fisherville, Hallville, Millville, Pine Hill, Tripps Corner, Yawgoo Pond, Boone Lake.
Exeter ZIP codes served: 02822, 02892, 02874.
Exeter is part of our service area. We look at the job first, then put the quote in writing.
(401) 474-8926 We find out why a septic system is failing and repair the part that failed. That covers septic tanks, distribution boxes, pipes and leach fields across Rhode Island.
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We dig the test holes and lay out a septic system that fits your lot's soil. The design package then goes to RIDEM for approval.
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We dig up and replace broken and root-filled sewer lines, from the house to the street or the septic tank. We also lay new sewer lines for homes that tie into town sewer.
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We find and fix leaking or broken water lines between the street or the well and your house. We also lay new water lines for new homes.
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We clear clogged drains and main lines, and we cut tree roots out of the pipe. A camera inspection then shows what caused the clog.
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Excavation for foundations, additions, utility trenches and pads across Rhode Island. The Dig Safe notice goes in first, and the hole is dug to the plan.
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We take a raw lot to a cleared, graded site that is ready to build on. Land clearing, grading, erosion control and gravel access roads are all part of the work.
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We build French drains, curtain drains, footing drains and dry wells for wet yards and basements across Rhode Island. Every job starts with where the water will go.
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Retaining walls in block and natural stone, plus walkways and outdoor stairs. We set each wall on a compacted base, with drainage stone behind it.
Learn MoreReal reviews of our septic and excavation work, 8 reviews on Google.
South County Septic did an excellent job replacing our old septic system and leach-field. Michael surveyed the property, designed a new system, installed and worked with the RI DEM with no issues. I highly recommend this business.
Michael was great! Picked up right away and was able to come within the hour to evaluate. Immediately got into motion additional resources we might need to come that day and solved the problem. Very informative and great to work with. Highly recommend.
Was referred out to Michael after an emergency waterline break that flooded our basement. He was there every step of the way and answered all the questions we had. Michael let us know what was happening during the process and could not have been happier with the outcome. Great price and great customer service! Highly recommend if anyone is in need of their services
Michael was excellent. He replaced a main water mine to my rental property. Prompt, on time and does great work. I am someone who is extremely picky when hiring contractors for anything. He checked a lot of boxes when we first met answering questions and demonstrating his knowledge. Highly recommend!
Great professionalism! Kept to expected deadlines
Excellent service! Did very good and highly recommended!
A few of the questions we hear most around Exeter. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Tell us what the job is and which town the property is in. Call or text (401) 474-8926 or use the form, and photos by text help.
Tell us about the septic, sewer, drainage or excavation job and where the property is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.