Home Sewage System O&M (Operation & Maintenance) Maintenance

1. Dan Lark, R.S. (EH Director)
Chris Loxterman, R.S. (EH Supervisor)
Dan Sinclair, R.S. (Sanitarian II)

2.  HSTS are one of the most under valued utility
in ones home. It’s constantly working day or
night even when your not home.
 Proper care and maintenance will help to
ensure your system continues to work for at
least 25-30 years.

3. Money. Failing HSTS are expensive to replace.
Common cause of failure is lack of maintenance.
Health of your family and community. Contact with
wastewater can pose a significant risk to public
health. Wastewater from failing HSTS can contaminate
nearby wells, groundwater, and drinking water
sources.
Economic health of your community. Failing septic
systems can cause property values to decline.
Wastewater pollution of local waterways and
shorelines can negatively impact communities
recreational/commercial activities and contribute to
harmful algae blooms.

4.  On January 1, 2015, a new set of sewage
rules went into effect to govern all Sewage
Treatment Systems (STS) in the State of Ohio.
 The code it replaces was created in 1977 and
was significantly outdated. Like most health
departments, LCGHD maintained more
stringent set of local rules for most of that
period of time.

5. Changes In The State Code
 Requires LHD to create operation & maintenance
program and establish operation permit terms
and conditions. (OAC 3701-29-19(A))
 All STS shall have an operation permit and be
maintained in proper working condition.
 No person shall operate a STS without an
operation permit, and STS owners must comply
with the terms & conditions of the permit.
(OAC 3701-29-09(I))

6. LCGHD Plan In Developing an O &M Program
 OAC 3701-29-19 “BOH shall develop a program
for the administration of O & M Management for
STS & provide education on STS to homeowners.
 (1) LCGHD has operated an O & M inspection program since
the mid 80’s.
 (2) O & M will now be required on all existing STS.
(OAC 3701-29-09(I))
 (3) LCGHD has established a phased step approach to
enrolling all existing STS. ( ~12,000 systems)

7. Phased Approach over 5 years
Phase I
 All permitted STS installations, replacements
& alterations in 2015 and those thereafter will
be automatically enrolled into the program.
This includes all NPDES discharging STS
installed after January 1, 2007.

8. Phase II
 Enroll all discharging HSTS installed prior
to January 1, 2007. These discharging
systems if not operating properly directly
impact the quality of our natural water
resources.
 Phase II will work in concert with the
LCGHD Storm water program.
 This phase will occur in 2017

9. Phase III
• Enrolling all existing drip distribution
systems and mound systems that were
installed under the experimental
concurrence (prior to 2007) and for
systems installed from 2007 to the
effective date of the rules.
• This phase will occur in 2018

10. Phase IV
 Enroll all STS located in our subdivisions built prior to
2007.
 This phase will be occurring in 2019.
 Phase V
• Enroll all existing systems not included under any other
phase
• LCGHD will focus on oldest systems 1st, nuisance
conditions in neighborhoods & water quality impacts.
• Enrollment of HSTS evaluated for real estate point of sale
inspections.
• This phase will be occurring in 2020.

11. LCGHD will issue an operation permit to owners of
Sewage Treatment Systems.
Owners will be notified by LCGHD to obtain an
operational permit.
Permits will expire and owner must renew them.
Owners will need to provide proof of compliance
with the permit conditions or be subject to an
Operation Inspection by LCGHD staff.

12. Operation Permit
 Requires certain maintenance of each type of
septic system.
 System observation & maintenance is done by
a registered LCGHD Service Provider.
 Service providers must send reports to
LCGHD
Operation Inspection
 Inspections of STS my be performed by
LCGHD staff (visible components only) and
done on a Pass/Fail basis. A fee will be
charged.

13.  1st letter will be sent thru regular mail, with
application, list of service providers and O & M
factsheet.
• Letters will specify permit amount, system type, maintenance
requirements, service frequency, 30 days to comply.
 2nd letter sent regular mail
 3rd letter sent certified mail

14. Fees will range between $20 to $40 per year
 Septic tank to leaching trench or mound will be
$20 and will required service once every 3 years.
 Aerobic Treatment Units to Trench or mound will
be $40 and will required service once per year.
Septic tank or ATU to drip distribution will be $40
and will require service two times per year.
NPDES discharging ATU’s will be $160 per year
(includes required annual sampling) and will require
service two times per year.

15.  Homeowners must have an Operation Permit.
 Homeowners with NPDES (EPA) approved
systems must complete required sampling
and have a mandatory service contract.
 All other homeowners with septic systems
must either complete the required
maintenance or be subject to the LCGHD
routine inspection.

16.  Each septic system has a set of minimum
service requirements. Service requirements
available at www.lcghd.org
 Service providers must submit an inspection
report and LCGHD will review these reports
and follow-up when necessary.
 Service providers must utilize LCGHD
standardized inspection report.
 LCGHD will be conducting Quality Assurance
inspections on all service providers that
choose to provide required maintenance.

17.  A homeowner may demonstrate the required
O&M of their system in lieu of having board of
health inspection. This may include securing a
service contract or homeowner being CERTIFIED
for O&M service by a manufacture for systems
installed after Jan 1st 2007.
 Sewage Treatment Systems installed prior to
2007 require no certification from the
manufacture, but homeowner must provide proof
of competency to the LCGHD if they plan on
servicing their own systems.

18.  Homeowners who service their own systems
will be exempt from state licensing and
bonding requirements.
 Homeowners must register with LCGHD and
provide proof of competency to service their
own STS. Registration fee may be applied
 LCGHD will offer educational/training classes
to homeowners who would like to service
their own STS

19. Contact Information
Dan Lark, R.S
Environmental Health Director
One Victoria Square, Suite 125
Painesville, OH 44077
(440) 350-2543
dlark@lcghd.org
Chris Loxterman, R.S.
Supervisor
One Victoria Square, Suite 125
Painesville, OH 44077
(440) 350-2543
cloxterman@lcghd.org
Dan Sinclair, R.S.
Sanitarian II
One Victoria Square, Suite 125
Painesville, OH 44077
(440) 350-2543
dsinclair@lcghd.org
5966 Heisley Rd.
Mentor, OH 44060