On-Site Sewage Disposal Systems
Your septic system is your responsibility! Households
and businesses that are not served by public sewers usually depend on onsite wastewater
disposal systems to treat and dispose of their wastewater. Wastewater disposal systems
are most commonly known as septic systems.
Management is the key to a lasting
septic system! Septic systems can provide safe, environmentally-sound treatment
of your home or business’s wastewater. However, living with a septic system requires
a little more responsibility than being connected to a city sewer.
St. Clair County is strongly committed
to safety, public health and the general welfare of the community. One approach
applied to support that commitment is protecting the ground water and surface water
of our area. Failing septic systems are known as the number one cause of water-borne
illness.
St. Clair County has approximately
30,000 homes with septic systems. A failing septic system can create significant
water quality problems in watersheds throughout St. Clair County. If left unattended,
a failing system can become a major source of fecal coliforms in soil, ground
and surface water.
Instructions for Permit
Contact Environmental Health at (810) 987-5306.
A Sanitarian assigned to your area will be able to assist you.
You are also advised to read the soils
approval letter issued by our office to determine site-specific requirements. You
should also provide the name of your well driller, if known. You will be notified
if any pertinent information is missing or is not acceptable. Once all the materials
are turned in and approved, and fees have been paid, you will receive your Sewage
Permit.
Care and Maintenance
Your new on-site sewage disposal
system has been designed according to St. Clair County standards, approved by an
Environmental Health Sanitarian, and its installation has been inspected. It should
give you many years of trouble-free service, if properly used and maintained.
Your system is not the
same as a municipal sewer - It has a limited life expectancy, and its life expectancy
can be drastically reduced if the system is improperly used.
Repair costs can easily
climb to thousands of dollars, so remember: Maintenance is much less costly than
replacement!
Construction Installation Procedures
For areas not served by municipal sewer, obtaining
a Sewage Permit is required before a building permit can be issued.
Prior to installing a septic system, you must obtain a permit from the St. Clair
County Health Department. We have built a database to keep track of on-site
wastewater disposal permits and installer information. It can be used to record
information about an existing system that needs repair or replacement, multiple
systems which you might permit for a large corporation or a cluster system, and
inspections or permits that were not approved.
Do you have a problem?
A failed drainfield presents an
imminent health hazard to you, your family and your neighbors. Call Environmental
Health at the first signs of failure, and we will assist you in your efforts to
remedy the situation.
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If a sewage system
fails, obvious signs appear. Be aware of them! These are the signs: |
- Toilets back up
- Drains won't drain
- Excessive moisture
or waste water surfaces over the drainfield
- Foul odors emanate
from the drainfield or septic tank
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How can you avoid a problem?
It
is possible to have a relatively trouble-free system, but only if you set up and
follow an on-going maintenance schedule. The following pointers can help you prevent
problems with your sewage system. Four things you can do to help your system: |
- Have
your tank pumped once every 3 – 5 years.
- Use water efficiently.
- Manage
what goes down drains. Garbage disposals are not recommended.
- Protect your drainfield. Do
not drive on or park on your drainfield.
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Additional Information:
A Guide to Your Septic System
A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
800-490-9198
www.epa.gov/owm/onsite
Several bulletins on septic systems
are available in Michigan State University Extension’s Water Quality (WQ) bulletin
series:
MSU Extension Office
200 Grand River Ave, Suite 200, Port Huron
(810) 989-6935
www.msue.msu.edu/waterqual/wq-mats.html
www.canr.msu.edu/cm/herc/onsite/index.html
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