e sides of the mound get a minimum of 6 in. of cover, the edges of the top get 1 ft, and the center of the top, 1.5 ft. The backfill soil should never be more permeable than the mound fill soil. Rainwater must be shed to prevent overloading of the mound. After installing the dosing chamber, pump, and controls, it's time to test the system. First, allow the dosing chamber to fill to a level above the high water alarm switch with power to the pump turned off. Then turn on the power to see if the dosing system works properly. Another test can be done if you wish to check the performance of the distribution system. Attach a 6-ft piece of clear hose to the end of an uncapped distribution lateral, and with the pump running, mea- sure the height that the effluent rises in the hose. Is it at the level you calculated when designing the system? If the pressure is too CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS great (more than about 5 ft), install a gate, or preferably a ball valve in the supply line inside the dosing chamber and adjust the height to between 2 and 3 ft. If the height is less than 1 ft, you will need to buy a larger pump. The final step is landscaping the mound. Add fertilizer if the soil is poor. Talk to the folks at the local nursery to find out what plants you might use. Good grasses are bluegrass, fescue, and timothy. Shrubs can be planted around the mound base and up the sides. Shrubs to use include dogwood, juniper, and lilac. Try some herbs and wildflowers. Don't use plants that develop deep root systems. Operation and Maintenance As with any disposal system, proper maintenance includes peri- odic pumping of the septic tank. See Chapter 4 for a discussion of this procedure. Also, water conservation measures in the household are advisable. Keep wheeled traffic off the mound and tread lightly when picking the flowers on the mound. Observe the maintenance procedures provided by the manufac- turers of the pump and control system. You may wish to keep a log book of maintenance procedures in which you schedule septi