ROZETT, Thanks for the info. Your testamonial makes a powerful sell for doing it right the first time and not cutting corners. My builder has recommended that we install a smaller but regular multi-chambered septic tank downhill from the walkout basement and pump the effluent (liquid only, no solids) uphill to the leach field or main septic tank. Avoiding the cost/maint problems of a "grinder" pump was one of the criteria. Also, since our area is subject to fairly frequent and sometimes extended power outages, it is good to have the basement drains gravity operated and have fair reserve capacity in the "lower" tank.

Thre are probably lots of ways to handle this situation although I can't think of a better one just now. Someone will probably suggest a real good clever trouble free innexpensive system, right after we "plant" the lower tank and plumb it up.

By the way... is there anyone out there who didn't know that our word "plumb", whether refering to plumbing/pipes or plumb as verticaly alligned with gravity as with a Plumb bob, stems from the Latin word plumbum which translates as lead, the metal, chemical symbol Pb. Well, it's true... a lead pipe cinch, thanks to the Roman's lead lined water conduits AKA pipes.

OK, I'm back... Thanks again for the advice. I will ensure we don't go too cheap with our liquid pump and regret it. As far as the freezing considerations... Our code depth for frostline is 18 inches but I pretty much go for a minimum of 24 because I am sort of a belt AND suspenders kinda engineer.

Thanks again,

Patrick