Septic installation and replacement in the Phoenix area

A licensed installer puts in new septic systems for new homes and additions, and replaces systems that have failed. The job covers the site and soils evaluation, the county permit and the install itself.

Call (480) 542-8315 Request service

When you need a new system

• You're building on a lot with no sewer connection available
• You're adding bedrooms, which can mean the system has to be resized
• The leach field has failed and can't be repaired
• The property still has a cesspool, which Maricopa County doesn't allow for sewage disposal

How it works in Maricopa County

1. Site and soils evaluation. The county's first phase looks at the lot and the soil to show what kind of system the site can support.
2. Design and plan review. The design goes to the county for review, and the permit is issued before work starts. Changes to an existing system go through the county's alteration process.
3. Installation by a licensed septic contractor.
4. Final approval. The system has to be approved before it's put into service.

Inside city or town limits, Maricopa County also asks for a sewer determination statement from the local sewer provider before it reviews the application. Under Arizona's rule R18-9-A309, a new or replacement system generally has to connect to sewer instead when a sewer line is available at the property line and the connection costs fall under the state's limits: for a home, up to $6,000 in connection fees and $3,000 for the building sewer.

In Pinal County, which includes San Tan Valley, Gold Canyon, most of Apache Junction and the Pinal side of Queen Creek, septic permits go through the Aquifer Protection Division of Community Development. Pinal's FAQ says a property with no sewer option needs a septic permit, which requires a site inspection by a qualified inspector.

Conventional or alternative system

A conventional system is a septic tank plus gravity-fed trenches in a leach field. When the soil, lot size or site conditions won't support that, the design may call for an alternative system, such as an aerobic treatment unit. Alternative systems have pumps and other mechanical parts, so the EPA recommends inspecting them about once a year. See aerobic and alternative septic systems in Arizona.

What affects the cost of a new septic system?

• Soil conditions and the results of the site evaluation
• Conventional versus alternative design
• Tank size, which follows the size of the house
• Access for equipment, and how much rock or caliche has to be dug through
• Removing or abandoning the old system

Get a written quote that says what's included: the evaluation, design, permit fees, the install and the final inspection.

Reviewed by August Heckmann. Last reviewed October 9, 2026. How we check our information.