The Union County On-site Water Protection Program performs soil and site evaluations, issues permits and inspects on-site wastewater (septic) systems to prevent groundwater contamination and protect public health. By performing these duties, we help ensure proper engineering designs, construction and monitoring of septic systems.
Septic System Application and Permitting Process
The following is an outline of our process to obtain a septic system permit. Please refer to our video tutorials for more detail.
- Apply for a soil/site evaluation using the Septic System Approval Application.
Note: Once an application has been processed and fee is paid, the evaluation will be scheduled. The property owner/applicant will be emailed the date and time of the scheduled evaluation. *It is the applicant/owner's responsibility to arrange for a backhoe and operator to be on-site at the scheduled day and time. Wait times can be affected by wet weather and the amount of applications received.
- The soil/site evaluation will be conducted by an Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) or Licensed Soil Scientist (LSS). If an area is approved for a septic system, staff will identify the approved area with flags labelled as “Septic System Area.”
- Depending on the type of permit that was applied for in the application and the results of our soil/site evaluation, additional information may be requested by the EHS prior to issuing permits. Keep in mind that if we are only issuing an Improvement Permit, an application for a Construction Authorization (CA) will be required prior to issuing the CA. The CA permit is required to install septic system components as well as to obtain a building permit.
- Permits can be issued to applicants by email or may be picked up at the Environmental Health office.
Site Evaluation Process
A property's soil and site conditions are evaluated to determine suitability for the installation of an on-site wastewater disposal (septic) system. An evaluation is required for the permitting of any new system and for repairs or expansions to existing systems.
Existing System Inspections
These inspections are made by request only and are required prior to any new construction on a property with an existing septic system. This includes garages, decks, swimming pools, irrigation systems, attachments to existing buildings, etc. *Metal probes are used by staff to locate septic systems. Property owners/applicants must ensure that all underground utilities are clearly identified prior to an existing system inspection being conducted.
Repairing Existing Septic Systems
A request is made by the homeowner, or representative thereof, for a repair to be made to a malfunctioning system. A site visit is made by the Environmental Health Specialist or Licensed Soil Scientist to assess the situation and to make recommendations, prior to issuing a repair permit.
Operation and Maintenance Program
The O&M program is a State mandated program that specifies inspection frequencies for certain types of on-site wastewater disposal systems. Low Pressure Pipe (LPP), Pre-treatment, and pump systems are examples of systems which must be inspected.
For LPP systems and pre-treatment systems, there is a homeowner’s guide, a certified operator list, and a sample inspection sheet available under the "Documents" section to the right.
