The Norwesco 1250 Gallon Low Profile Two Compartment Septic Tank (SKU N-44483) is a green polyethylene tank built for installs where burial depth is tight and a two-stage septic configuration is required. It runs 51 inches tall over a 60 x 157 inch footprint, so it slides into shallow excavations where a taller single-compartment tank would not fit, and it carries IAPMO certification - the detail that matters when an inspector or local plumbing-code official signs off on the system. If you searched "iapmo," "low profile" septic, or "norwesco septic tank," this is the unit those queries point at.
Does it fit your install and your code?
Low profile trades vertical depth for length: the 51-inch height is the headline spec for shallow water tables, rock, or a high outlet invert, but the 157-inch run is what surprises people on a tight lot or narrow easement. Verify your excavation can accommodate the full 157 in. length, not just the 60 in. width, before you commit. The two-compartment design separates primary settling from secondary clarification inside one tank, which several jurisdictions require for residential septic systems - confirm your county or state accepts a 1250-gallon two-compartment unit before you order. Plan riser and access placement over both compartments - the inlet/settling side and the outlet/clarification side - and confirm pump-out access to each against the technical drawing on this page. For why a jurisdiction may mandate two compartments, see our guide on single compartment vs two compartment septic tanks, and use the Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide to confirm 1250 gallons matches your daily flow and bedroom count.
The certification detail to get right
IAPMO certification is a US plumbing-code approval and is not interchangeable with a Canadian CSA B66 listing - if your project is cross-border or your inspector references a specific standard, verify which approval your authority actually accepts. Our breakdown of Norwesco IAPMO and CSA B66 septic tank approvals covers the US-versus-Canada scope so you do not buy on the wrong listing. The most common mistake on a low-profile septic order is assuming any 1250-gallon tank clears local code; the compartment count and the certification on record are what the plan check examines, so match both to your permit before the tank ships. Inlet and outlet locations, invert heights, and any required pipe grommets or gaskets are defined by the technical drawing and your local code - confirm fitting and seal sizing against the drawing on this page before ordering pipe.
Weight and handling
Full of water this tank weighs roughly 10,425 lb, so the set is an excavator or backhoe job, not a manual one - stage the hole, bedding, and equipment before delivery day. Backfill evenly per Norwesco's installation guidance to avoid distorting the shell. If your operation also moves liquids above ground, the Norwesco low-profile hauling tank series guide covers the related field-operations and procurement considerations for the low-profile line.
This tank ships LTL freight from Norwesco's plant in Hanford, CA, quoted live to your ZIP. There is a single ship point, so on a roughly 10,425 lb-class load distance is the dominant cost variable - western installs will see the lowest freight, and eastern installs should pull a live ZIP number before budgeting. Get yours from the Freight Cost Estimator or call 866-418-1777. Questions on compartment configuration, invert depths, or code acceptance for your county - call and we will walk it through before you order.
