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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.

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
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:
  1. Have your tank pumped once every 3 – 5 years.
  2. Use water efficiently.
  3. Manage what goes down drains. Garbage disposals are not recommended.
  4. Protect your drainfield. Do not drive on or park on your drainfield.

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


Contact Information

St. Clair County Health Department
3415 - 28th Street
Port Huron, MI 48060
8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday

Phone: (810) 987-5300 (Main Office)
Fax: (810) 985-2150
Email: healthdept@stclaircounty.org
 
St. Clair County, Michigan

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