We pump Jericho tanks and service mound systems because the town still relies on individual and shared onsite systems. The proposed Riverside Village system remained a study in 2026. Its preliminary report covered 177 existing parcels, but it did not replace today’s maintenance needs.
Keep pumping the system you have now
Do not postpone pumping because a community project appears in meeting documents. Jericho has announced no connection date or mandate. Follow the existing permit, measure tank solids, keep the filter clear, and handle alarms or surfacing waste. If a future system advances, the Town will publish its boundary, financing, and connection requirements.
Older village lots need records and access
The Riverside study identified age and space constraints, not a universal failure. Older tanks may have buried covers, no risers, and permit records that require a land-file search. Locating and opening the tank can be a larger part of the visit than pumping. Install safe access only after confirming the tank opening and proposed repair scope.
Jericho terrain favors address-specific diagnosis
A wet area may follow local drainage, a high seasonal water table, or wastewater. Use tank level, odor, plumbing behavior, and the permit field location to separate them. On a mound, check the dosing chamber before blaming the raised field. Keep trucks and excavation equipment off soft treatment soil.
A pump-out and an alarm repair are separate jobs
Jericho has pump specialists as well as haulers. A pumper removes septage; a pump technician tests floats, controls, motor, check valve, and force main. Some contractors do both and some do not. Ask what the visit includes when an alarm is on.
Use the state permit path for replacement
DEC’s Essex office administers the 2023 wastewater rules for Chittenden County, and a Vermont designer prepares required application plans. The Town handles its zoning steps and the separate community-wastewater planning process. A service company can document condition but cannot approve a replacement or promise inclusion in a future system.