Purpose: To dispose of domestic wastewater on-site in a manner that provides adequate treatment and prevents entry of untreated sewage into surface or ground waters.
Conditions Where Practice Applies:
A failing on-site wastewater system may be indicated by ponding of untreated wastewater on the ground surface above lateral fields, a leaking or overflowing wastewater pong, and direct discarge of effluent from a septic tank to the surface or a ditch, or other conditions that indicate inadequate treatment of domestic wastewater. An initial site assessment by the county sanitarian will confirm the failure and need for replacement or alteration of the system. The sanitarian will provide technical data and design standards to bring the system up to code requirements. When partial system repair is detemined by the sanitarian to be sufficient, he/she must certify to the conservation districts the existing components proposed to continue in use are usable and ahve an estimated life of at least 10 years. A file contianing supporting documentation is maintained in the health department and should be copied and kept at the conservation district office along with application information in the landowners file.
a. The failing system must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible for cost-share
i. Located 500 feet or less from a perennial or intermittent stream
ii. Located within a shallow aquifer where depth to water is generally 50 ft or less.
iii. Located within a wellhead protection area of a public water supply
iv. Located at a home site where a domestic water well is the primary source of
drinking water supply for human consumption and one or more of the following
criteria is met:
(1) Current failing system is a rat hole, cesspool, or seepage pit
(2) Current failing system is withing 100 ft. of the domestic well.
(3) Current failing system is up gradient of the domestic well and is within 400
feet of the domestic well.
(4) The domestic water well has tested positive for fecal colifrom bacteria or has
elevated nitrate levels (over 10ppm) and the failing system is determined
by the loval sanitarian to be a possible source of the contamination.
