On-site Wastewater
The On-site Wastewater Program oversees site evaluations, permitting and inspections to insure proper placement, design, construction, repair, monitoring and abandonment of on-site sewage disposal systems.
- Site Evaluation/System Installation Process: We evaluate the soil to determine the suitability for a septic tank system, review the design as necessary, issue improvement permits and construction authorizations, inspect installation of septic systems and issue operator permits for approved systems.
- System Inspection: An inspection is required before any new construction begins on a piece of property that has an existing septic system and/or well. (example: addition, pool, etc.)
- System Repair: We evaluate problems with existing septic systems and provide possible solutions, as well as issue permits required to repair the system.
- System Maintenance and Monitoring – We conduct inspections on certain types of septic systems in compliance with state law monitoring, to check for proper maintenance and verify correct operations.
A fee is charged for some services.
Operations and Maintenance Inspection
The Operation and Maintenance Inspection team investigate complaints and facilitate the repairs of existing septic systems. This includes evaluation of sites and troubleshooting existing systems to detect possible problems. Finally, we issue a construction authorization for the repair of the systems when necessary.
We will also conduct routine operation and maintenance inspections on all septic systems with a pump. We will check the sludge levels in the pump tank and septic tank, if accessible. The pump will be run and the alarm will be activated to ensure they are functioning properly. The pump dosing volume will be checked and notations made on the inspection report when the dosing volume is less than or exceeds an acceptable design range. The pressure heads will be checked on those systems that are designed with a determined pressure head. During this inspection, we will also evaluate the drain field for any surfacing of effluent.
The inspection frequency for different systems are as follows:
| Type of Systems | Description of Systems | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Type III | Single pump | Every five years |
| Type IV | Low pressure distribution or system with more than one pump | Every three years |
| Type V & VI | Large systems or systems with pretreatment | Every year or six months |
We do the inspections to protect the public from adverse health affects. The goal is to keep effluent (sewage) below the ground surface so that it does not come in contact with people or animals in your community. Sewage may contain several harmful viruses or bacteria which may cause diseases, such as: typhoid fever, cholera, bacillary dysentery, and others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your system may be located in the front yard, the backyard, or it may not be situated on your property at all. Environmental Health has uploaded all system records to the GIS platform, where you may search for your address and select the "Well & Septic" option.
The number one way to protect your system is to keep the solids from getting into your drain field. You can do this by:
- Keeping your tank pumped every 3-5 years
- Keeping your filter in place and cleaned as needed
- Not flushing any cleaning solutions, chemicals or grease down the toilet or drain
- Limiting the use of the garbage disposal
- Not putting backwash from a water softener into your septic tank.
- Limiting your water use as much as possible.
It is a septic system with usually one pump, installed with small diameter (1-1.25 inches) schedule 40 pipe. The system is installed shallow (12-14 inches deep) with 4-6 inches of soil cover. It is installed in 18 inch wide trenches and designed to distribute effluent equally to all parts of the system, once the system has been pressurized. The system works well, but must be monitored and maintained by a certified operator.
Yes, they are required state wide.
No, these inspections are required by the North Carolina On-Site Wastewater rules. The rules require that the local health department conduct these inspections.
Yes, we often find things that need to be repaired or replaced that are preventative measures. This simply means if you will fix the problem now it may prevent sewage on top of the ground later.
It depends on your system type. All systems with pumps that were installed or repaired beginning July 1, 1992 are required to have inspections completed on certain intervals.