Septic system design and installation around Calgary

Most acreages outside serviced communities run on a private, on-site septic system. When it is time for a new system, a replacement or a field repair, you need an installer who knows local soils and the provincial rules.

Foothills County
Rocky View County
Around Calgary

Local providers

Dig It Excavating & Contracting Ltd
- Foothills County
- Around Calgary
Communities: Based in Okotoks. Okotoks, Turner Valley, Foothills County and the Calgary area

Okotoks-based excavation and contracting company run by owner Colton Short. Septic installation, acreage development, excavation and trenching, road and driveway construction, final grading and drainage, foundations and backfill, demolition, landscaping and retaining walls, bush removal and some snow removal. Colton is on Alberta's Private Sewage Certified Installer List. Licensed and insured.

Call 403-200-3498 Website: digitexcavate.com

Offer septic design & installation? List your business free.

While we add listings: read the local guide below, or see the Foothills County and Rocky View County pages for county rules and contacts.

Common services

New system design and install
Tank and field replacement
Field repairs and upgrades
Systems for new builds and shops

Local guide · Foothills & Rocky View

Septic permits and installers in Foothills and Rocky View

Every private sewage system in Alberta has to meet the Alberta Private Sewage Systems Standard of Practice, which sets the design and installation rules and the setbacks from wells, buildings and property lines. A permit is needed before any work starts on your property, and a safety codes officer inspects the system once it's in.

Who can install. The province says contractors must hold a current certificate of competency to get permits for private sewage design and installation, and it publishes a list of certified contractors. Rocky View County requires that every private sewage system installation be done by a certified installer. Ask for the installer's certificate number and check it against the provincial list.

Inspection before backfill. Foothills County requires the private sewage inspection before backfill is complete. The inspector has to see the lateral lengths, the bedding depth, the type of field and the gravel cover, with the tank in place and connected. Cover it too early and you may be asked to dig parts of it back up. Inspections are booked by calling 403-603-6216 with at least 3 days' notice.

Adding a suite or bedrooms? Foothills County asks for confirmation that the existing septic system can handle the extra bedrooms created by a secondary suite. Its septic page also says never to put a field where drainage is poor, and recommends a high-level alarm on the tank.

Doing it yourself? Check with Foothills County before you plan a DIY install, and ask who can get a private sewage permit for your property. In Rocky View, the county says installations must be done by a certified installer.

What should an installer's quote cover?

The site assessment and soil test, the system design, the permit and inspections, the tank, field or mound, and the final paperwork: a map, drawings and an owner's manual to keep with your records.

Guide: When to pump your septic tank on an Alberta acreage (and planning around freeze-up)

Official links

Related services

General information only. Rules change: confirm with your county or the Province of Alberta. Sources checked October 4, 2026.

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