Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024
(1)If public or
community sewage treatment systems are not available, the owner of a building,
residence, or property that is designed or intended for human occupancy or
congregation shall provide an approved on-site sewage management system
sufficient for the number of persons normally expected to use or frequent the
building, residence or other property for two hours or more.
(a) Connection shall be made to a public or
community sewage treatment system if such system is available within two
hundred feet (200') of the property line, or available in a public right-of-way
abutting the property. If a public or community sewage treatment system is to
be constructed, or an existing public or community sewer is to be extended to
serve a lot, or an approved on-site sewage management system is to be used,
then the building sewer shall be installed so that it will insure gravity flow
at a self-cleaning velocity throughout. If an existing on-site sewage system
fails, immediate connection shall be made to a public or community sewerage
system if such a system is available.
(b) A residential on-site sewage systems of
less than two thousand gallons per day that is failing may be exempted from
connecting to sewer if the repair or replacement of the system will meet the
criteria set forth in the Manual for Onsite Sewage Management
Systems and has sufficient area and usable soils as determined by the
County Board of Health.
(c) Any
facility that produces a waste stream with BOD5
(biochemical oxygen demand) and TSS (total suspended solids) higher than 200
mg/L shall be required to pretreat the waste to reduce the
BOD5 and TSS to 200 mg/L or below before disposal
through a conventional or chamber septic tank system.
(2) No person may begin the physical
development of a lot or structure where an on-site sewage management system
will be utilized, nor install an on-site sewage management system or component
thereof, without having first obtained from the County Health Department a
construction permit for the installation of an onsite sewage management system.
(a) Application for such a construction
permit shall be made in writing on forms provided by the County Board of
Health. The County Board of Health shall approve or disapprove such application
within twenty days after the receipt of a completed application. The
application shall include:
1. Name and
address of the owner and the applicant, if other than the owner;
2. Location of property;
3. Plans and specifications showing the
location and design of the proposed on-site sewage management system, including
surface and subsurface drainage and piping;
4. Nature of the facility to be
served;
5. Location of all water
supplies, geothermal borehole, or other utilities and trash pits on or off the
lot, which will bear upon the location of the on-site sewage management
system;
6. Number of bedrooms in
the dwelling, or the number of persons to be served in other types of
establishments, or other sewage flow or water usage data;
7. Soil characteristics, including soil types
and capabilities, frequency and evaluations of seasonal high groundwater
tables, occurrence of rock and other impervious strata;
8. Signature of the owner or agent applying
for permit; and
9. Any additional
information deemed necessary to determine the suitability of the
site.
(b) The County
Board of Health may waive submission of part of the information required for
the application if it determines that sufficient information already is
available from previously submitted subdivision or mobile home park data, or
from other sources, to determine the acceptability of the proposed lot for the
installation of an on-site sewage management system.
(c) Repairs, replacement, or additions to
existing systems must be permitted and inspected.
(d) Any person preparing to modify a lot or
structure for the purpose of obtaining a construction permit for the
installation of an on-site sewage management system shall submit plans showing
the type and extent of modifications. No modifications shall be carried out
prior to the approval of the plans by the County Board of Health. Such approval
shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Department's Manual
for On-Site Sewage Management Systems.
(3) On-site sewage management system
construction permits shall be issued only after a site inspection by the County
Board of Health shows favorable findings relative to absorption rates, soil
characteristics, groundwater, rock, and any other factors which would affect
the acceptability of the lot. If a public water supply system is to be used,
then no construction permit for an on-site sewage management system shall be
issued until the public water supply system is approved.
(a) Lot suitability and approval will be
determined by the criteria set forth in the Manual for On-Site Sewage
Management Systems. Lots shall be sized according to the regulations
of the County Board of Health. The County Board of Health may deny or revoke an
on-site sewage management system construction permit upon finding the lot
unsuitable or for failure of the applicant to comply with the provisions of
these rules. On-site sewage management construction permits shall remain valid
for not more than twelve months from the date of issue.
(b)Issuance of a construction permit for an
on-site sewage management system, and subsequent approval of same by
representatives of the County Board of Health shall not be construed as a
guarantee that such systems will function satisfactorily for a given period of
time; furthermore, said representatives do not, by any action taken in
affecting compliance with these rules, assume any liability for damages which
are caused, or which may be caused, by the malfunction of such
system.
(c)On tracts or parcels of
land of three acres or more, a conventional or chamber septic tank system may
be utilized if thepercolation rate does not exceed 120 minutes per inch.
Percolation rates greater than 120 minutes per inch shall be considered
unsuitable for these systems unless the application for the construction permit
includes the results of a special study by the soil classifier and a site plan
from an engineer licensed in the state which demonstrates the adsorption
limitations can be overcome by design. All other conditions must comply with
the requirements of the regulations for on-site sewage management
systems.
(4) No person
may backfill or use an on-site sewage management system until a final
inspection has been made by the County Board of Health, and written approval
has been issued by the County Board of Health.
(a) A copy of the final inspection report of
an on-site sewage management system shall be provided to the owner, builder,
developer or agent, whichever is appropriate.
(b) Grading, filling, digging trash pits or
other landscaping or construction activities on the lot subsequent to final
inspection by the County Board of Health which may adversely affect the on-site
sewage management system shall render the approval void. Removal or alteration
of system components after final inspection by the County Board of Health shall
render the approval void.
(5) A conventional or chamber septic tank
system must have a septic tank design capacity of no less than one thousand
gallons and no greater than ten thousand gallons.
(6) If a proposed on-site sewage management
system will produce a sewage flow in excess of two thousand gallons per day,
then plans, specifications, soil data, and absorption test data shall be
submitted to the County Board of Health for the purpose of obtaining a
construction permit. This information shall bear the registration number and
signature of an engineer licensed in this State. If a proposed on-site sewage
management system will produce a sewage flow of two thousand gallons per day or
less, then the County Board of Health may accept plans, specifications, soil
data, and absorption test data from any person whom it determines to have
sufficient knowledge of on-site sewage management system design.
(7) Soil evaluations shall be conducted by
individuals certified by the Department as meeting the requirements set forth
in the Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems. In
addition, the soil classifier, engineer, geologist or other professional
approved by the Department shall be required to attach to any soil evaluation
submitted to the County Board of Health a copy of a current liability insurance
certificate with limits of liability of no less than one million
dollars.
(8) Soil evaluation
reports shall be preparedin compliance with the requirements established by the
Soil Survey Report Checklist in Section C of the Department's Manual
for On-Site Sewage Management System. The county board of health shall
issue on-site sewage management system permits on sites deemed suitable by soil
evaluations conducted in accordance with requirements established by the
checklist in Section C of the Department's Manual
for
On-Site Sewage Management Systems. If the county board of health finds
the soil evaluation is deficient, then it shall notify the person or entity
that submitted the evaluation in writing by mail within 3 business days stating
all deficiencies and measures needed to correct deficiencies.
(9)Engineer designs shall be prepared in
accordance with the Engineered Site Plan Checklist in Section F of the
Department's Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems, and
shall include a copy of the engineer's current professional liability insurance
certificate with limits of liability of no less than one million dollars.
Engineer designs shall be evaluated within 20 days of submission and a written
determination mailed to the applicant within 3 business days of the findings by
the county board of health. If the permit application is denied due to
rejection of the engineer design, then the County Board of Health shall so
notify the submitter listing the deficiencies found, the measures needed to
correct the deficiencies, and the applicant's right to appeal the
decision.
(10) If an on-site sewage
management system, alternative system, or soil fill installation is installed,
the installer shall delivered a notice to the owner of such property stating
the type of installation, design, and maintenance needs. In the case of newly
constructed homes or commercial buildings, such notice must be delivered to new
owner by the homebuilder or contractor at the time of conveyance of such
property.
O.C.G.A. Secs.
12-8-1, 31-2A-6, 31-2A-11.
