Shenandoah Soil Consulting
About Us: Michael Stroble is a professional soil consultant who is licensed by DPOR to perform soil evaluations and design conventional and alternative septic systems in Virginia. While his focus in college was on geology, Michael also studied soil science and hydrogeology. Early on, Michael worked for USGS scientists, collecting samples from the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater core, and analyzing sediment samples in a palynology laboratory to extract microfossils for a paleontologist who used the results to age-date sedimentary strata (biostratigraphy).
Next, Michael worked in a geotechnical soil laboratory, performing ASTM tests, such as Atterberg Limits and Grain Size Analysis, to determine the engineering properties of soil samples. Later, he worked for an environmental firm, investigating and assessing commercial and residential properties for potential soil and groundwater contamination from on- or offsite pollution sources, and preparing the associated reports.
More recently, Michael was employed at the Loudoun County Health Department, and then at the Greene County Health Department as an Environmental Health Specialist Senior, where he evaluated properties for drainfield sites, for both new construction and to design repair drainfields for existing residences. With the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Michael received contemporary, college-level classroom and field training with soil scientists and VDH trainers. During his time serving the Counties of Loudoun and Greene, Michael reviewed numerous permit packages and subdivision applications prepared by other private soil consultants, and designed numerous septic systems and repairs. As a former VDH employee, Michael has a thorough understanding of VDH onsite program regulations, and just as importantly, knowledge of the permitting and subdivision approval processes.
At SSC, Michael takes pride in making thorough, ethical soil evaluations, providing timely results and deliverables that meet client needs; preparing scaled design drawings that are useful and easy to read; and obtaining regulatory approval - while maintaining the focus on public and environmental health - all to provide the greatest possible peace of mind and least economic impact possible for our clients.
Our mission at Shenandoah Soil Consulting, LLC (SSC) is to promptly provide each client with the highest quality product to suit their needs. Our previous experience in the private sector and with the Virginia Department of Health is the ideal background to guide you, or your client, through the current and future stages of rural residential and commericial development projects and real estate transactions.
Our soil evaluations are thorough and are performed in consideration of your project’s specifications, the current VDH and local government regulations, and the economic result. Our aim is to expedite the VDH approval process or real estate transaction, while providing the best possible outcome on each property, which translates into greater peace of mind and often cost savings for our clients.
Generally speaking, there can be more than one way to design a septic system, so it is our philosophy that the best system design is one that has the greatest potential to serve the end user for the longest duration possible, while keeping public health and environmental concerns a priority. In fact, the primary goal of the design and placement of a new septic system drainfield is to ensure the safety of you and your family, your neighbors, and the environment.
A properly designed septic system has a negligible potential to impact drinking water and surface water supplies. We make all efforts to avoid a system design which only meets the minimum standards, which could also result in shorter life expectancy of the drainfield. A properly designed and installed septic system should be a worry free utility for the landowner. Our aim is to deliver the best product to serve your property through exceptional service.