RV Park & Campground Wastewater Systems
Planning an RV park, campground or rural recreational property without public sewer? The wastewater system needs to be part of the project from the beginning.
Digger Dave works with commercial onsite wastewater projects throughout Northwest Missouri, helping property owners move from site planning and design coordination through installation, repair, expansion and replacement.
Wastewater Planning for RV Parks & Campgrounds
An RV park or campground can put very different demands on an onsite wastewater system than a single home.
The number of sites, occupancy, seasonal use, individual sewer connections, bathhouses, laundry facilities, offices, restaurants and other amenities can all affect the wastewater project.
The system needs to be planned around the actual development—not treated like an oversized residential septic system.
Planning a New RV Park?
Get the wastewater system involved while the property layout is still flexible.
Roads, RV sites, buildings, utilities, ponds, drainage and other improvements all compete for space on the property.
Waiting until the park layout is finished before figuring out wastewater can create expensive conflicts with the areas needed for treatment, tanks, piping and dispersal.
Digger Dave can help get the wastewater planning process moving before the project is locked into a layout that is difficult to serve.
What Affects an RV Park Wastewater System?
- Number of RV or camping sites
- Expected occupancy
- Seasonal or year-round operation
- Individual site sewer connections
- Bathhouses and restrooms
- Showers and laundry facilities
- Food service or other amenities
- Soil and site conditions
- Available treatment and dispersal area
- Property layout and elevations
- Wastewater collection layout
- Applicable design and permitting requirements
RV Park & Campground Wastewater Design
Commercial campground and RV park projects may require professional wastewater design or engineering depending on the size, use, system and applicable requirements.
Digger Dave can help coordinate the additional professionals needed for the project and then construct the onsite wastewater system according to the approved plans.
If you already have an engineered wastewater design, send it to us and we can discuss the installation scope.
More Than Just a Septic Tank
A commercial onsite wastewater system may involve much more than a tank and a few gravity laterals.
Depending on the approved design, the project may include collection piping, multiple tanks, pumps, controls, alarms, treatment components, pressure distribution and advanced dispersal.
Digger Dave installs conventional and advanced onsite wastewater systems and has the equipment to handle substantial excavation and site work associated with these projects.
RV Site Sewer Collection
For an RV park, getting wastewater from the individual sites to the treatment system is part of the overall project.
Site layout, elevations, piping routes and the location of wastewater facilities need to work together.
Planning the collection system early can help avoid unnecessary conflicts with roads, utilities and future expansion areas.
Expanding an Existing RV Park or Campground?
Adding sites can change the wastewater demands on an existing system.
Before adding RV pads, cabins, bathhouses or other facilities, determine whether the existing wastewater infrastructure can support the planned expansion or whether modifications will be needed.
It is much easier to address wastewater capacity during the expansion planning stage than after the additional sites are already built.
Existing Campground Septic System Failing?
A failing wastewater system can affect the entire operation.
- Recurring backups
- High-water alarms
- Pump failures
- Wet or saturated disposal areas
- Sewage surfacing
- Septic odors
- Damaged tanks or collection piping
- Frequent pumping with no lasting improvement
- An existing system that can no longer handle the property
Digger Dave can help determine whether the issue is a repairable component, a collection problem, a failing dispersal area or a system that needs more extensive replacement or redesign.
RV Park Wastewater Repair
Not every wastewater problem means replacing the entire system.
Depending on the failure, repairs may involve pumps, floats, controls, alarms, tanks, collection piping or other components.
If the treatment or dispersal portion of the system is failing, additional evaluation may be necessary before deciding whether repair, modification, restoration or replacement is appropriate.
RV Park Wastewater System Replacement
If an existing system has reached the point where repair is no longer practical, the replacement should be planned around the property as it operates today.
The park may have more sites, different amenities or substantially different wastewater demands than when the original system was installed.
A replacement project may require updated site information and professional wastewater design before construction.
Digger Dave can help move the project from the existing failure through the required planning and into installation.
Buying an Existing Campground or RV Park?
Understand the wastewater system before buying the business and property.
Find out what system is installed, what areas it serves, whether records or designs are available, what maintenance has been performed and whether there is a history of wastewater problems.
If you plan to add sites or amenities after the purchase, include those plans when evaluating the wastewater side of the property.
Plan for Future Expansion
If the property may eventually grow, discuss that before the initial wastewater system is built.
Future RV sites, cabins, bathhouses, laundry facilities or other improvements can affect wastewater demand and available property area.
Even when the first phase is smaller, knowing the long-term plan can help avoid placing infrastructure where it interferes with later development.
From Raw Property to Installed Wastewater System
- Tell us about the project. Property location, number of sites, planned amenities and development concept.
- Review the property. Site layout and available wastewater information establish the starting point.
- Obtain needed site information. Soil and site evaluation may be required.
- Complete wastewater design or engineering. Digger Dave can help coordinate the appropriate professionals when needed.
- Address permits and approvals. Requirements depend on the size, design and jurisdiction.
- Build the system. Digger Dave installs the approved onsite wastewater infrastructure.
Already Have an Engineered Design?
Send it to Digger Dave.
If the wastewater design and engineering are already complete, we can review the construction documents and discuss the installation.
You don’t need to restart the planning process simply because another professional completed the design.
One Call for the Wastewater Side of Your Development
Developing an RV park or campground already involves enough moving pieces.
Start with Digger Dave for the onsite wastewater side. We can help identify what needs to happen next, coordinate additional qualified professionals when required and carry the project into construction.
That gives you one place to start whether you’re working with raw land, expanding an existing park or trying to solve a wastewater problem at an operating facility.
RV Park & Campground Wastewater Systems Throughout Northwest Missouri
Digger Dave works with commercial onsite wastewater projects throughout Northwest Missouri and the Kansas City area, including the Kansas City Northland and communities throughout our broader service area.
If you’re planning a campground or RV park, expanding an existing property or dealing with a wastewater problem, send us the property address and a description of the project.
RV Park & Campground Wastewater FAQs
Can an RV park use a septic system?
RV parks and campgrounds can use onsite wastewater systems where appropriate, but the system needs to be planned for the development, expected wastewater use, site conditions and applicable requirements.
How big of a septic system does an RV park need?
There isn’t one size that fits every RV park. The wastewater design depends on factors such as the development size, expected use, amenities, site conditions and applicable design requirements.
Can I add more RV sites to my existing septic system?
Additional sites can increase wastewater demand. The existing system and proposed expansion should be evaluated before assuming it can serve the added development.
Can you replace a failed campground septic system?
Yes. A replacement commercial system may require updated site information and professional design before construction. Digger Dave can help coordinate the process and install the approved system.
Can you repair RV park pumps and wastewater components?
Digger Dave handles onsite wastewater repair work including pumps, floats, controls, alarms, tanks and piping. The appropriate repair depends on the actual cause of the problem.
Do you design RV park wastewater systems?
Commercial wastewater projects may require professional design or engineering. Digger Dave can coordinate the appropriate design work when needed and install the system according to the approved plans.
When should I start planning wastewater for a new RV park?
As early as practical. Wastewater infrastructure can require significant property area and can affect roads, RV sites, buildings, utilities and future expansion plans.
Planning an RV Park or Campground?
Bring Digger Dave into the project early. We’ll help get the wastewater side moving from site planning and design through construction.