By Becky Killian, Staff Writer
Officials have unanimously approved an ordinance that details the requirements for private and commercial septic systems in the county. The vote came during the Tuesday, Dec. 3, meeting of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.
The county had a septic system ordinance previously, but a state law that became effective as of July 2023 voided all local ordinances passed before that date that pertain to septic systems. That law also formed a nine-member state-level technical review panel.
The local ordinance will require installers to register with the Health Department. The registration will be reviewed annually. Unless the installer is registered to install septic systems in another county, the installer will have to pass a certification examination.
Soil testing will still be required prior to the installation of a new septic system or before any changes are made to an existing system.
Any violations of the proposed ordinance or state law concerning septic systems could result in a notice of violation being sent to the property owner, who will have a set amount of time to remediate the violation. The local health department could also issue a stop work order.
If the violation isn’t remedied within the allotted time frame, violators could face a fine of $2,500 each day the violation occurs.
The ordinance details the appeals process the property owner can follow to dispute any permit denials, revocations, stop work orders, and penalties.