2018 has been one of the best years on record for Thompson Environmental! There have been multiple challenges along the way but these have been mitigated and success obtained at each and every turn. TEC has assisted with a record number of Engineered Option Permits (septic permits) and, since July, with quite a few Session Law 2018-114 septic permits - new tools for the consultant with critical thinking skills and property owners who want to explore every option available to

House Bill 374 has become Session Law 2018-114 and Section 11(c) is especially nice for the North Carolina Licensed Soil Scientist (LSS) and the property owners that we work with. In summary, the LSS can now submit a soil report along with design and construction features for a new system, or repair of an existing system, which shall be approved by the applicable permitting authorities under G.S. 130A-336 and G.S. 130A-336.1, provided certain conditions are met. You may not

Thompson Environmental just completed a start up on this 1,000 gallon-per-day Norweco Pre-Treated Drip Dispersal System. Large system? No problem! #NorwecoSingulairGreen #DripDispersal #ThompsonEnvironmental

Within the past week I have worked on two properties that were purchased without having soil and site evaluations for septic tank suitability performed prior to the closings. Guess what? Both properties were denied a septic system permit. In one situation the property owner informed me that it was "just too good of a deal to pass up". The other property owner "fell in love" with the view and was determined to purchase the property even if it required "living off the grid".

In 1990 I accepted a position with Union County Environmental Health as a "Sanitarian,” a position that is now known as an Environmental Health Specialist. I had no idea what I was getting into, only that it would not be remotely related to my long-held dream career, a wildlife biologist. It was a wild and crazy time to enter the profession as we were extremely busy, and the training program was nothing like what is offered today. It felt a bit like being thrown to the wolves

I have received a ton of requests for septic tank pump outs over the past two weeks... and I do not pump out septic tanks! It is that time of the year, and I will continue to receive these calls for help until late Spring. It is the wettest part of the year and older systems with thick clogging mats tend to fail when the ground is saturated. How can you prevent this? Maintain your septic system! Don't wait until there is a problem to have your tank pumped out, watch what

If you have a septic system and are looking to add a bedroom to your home, increase the number of employees in your business, or undertake a church expansion project, you might want to investigate the possibility of obtaining a flow reduction vs. a drainfield addition. Not only are drainfield additions more expensive it is not always possible to expand your existing septic system. There is more than one way to obtain a flow reduction, whether it be utilizing water conserving

If you have been turned down for a septic system approval due to shallow or expansive clay soils, you may have the option of installing a saprolite system. Saprolite is a chemically weathered rock. Saprolites form in the lower zones of soil profiles and represent deep weathering of the bedrock surface. If you see a reference to "sap" or saprolite in your soil report, contact Thompson Environmental Consulting for a free consultation. These systems are very similar to conven

Aerobic treatment units (ATUs) rely on air injection systems to create an oxygenated (aerated) environment, which is able to support bacterial populations that break down organic material. This aeration process produces an effluent that is lower in total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) than that of conventional systems. The injection of air into the ATU agitates the wastewater, so solids are readily mixed with the bacteria, facilitating digestion of