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OSSF
Regulations
The WCCHD Environmental Health Services is the authorized agent of the
Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for Williamson County. Each new or
altered single family dwelling, multi-family dwelling, business, commercial, or
industrial structure must be connected to an approved On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF), or be connected to
an authorized wastewater disposal system.
The Environmental Health Services staff faces
unique challenges in the management of OSSF's in
Williamson County because the soils are not generally appropriate for small lot
conventional septic systems. Also, a significant part of Williamson County is in
the Edwards Aquifer recharge or contributing zone.
The Williamson County Board
of Health, in acknowledgement of these technical facts and the unprecedented
rapid residential and commercial growth in the county, adopted in 1999 more
restrictive OSSF regulations to better protect human health and the environment.
Among the revised regulations for Williamson County was the requirement of one
acre or more to install an OSSF. The
WCCHD On-Site Sewage
Facility Rules
for Williamson County contains the full text of the regulations. The State
regulations
30 TAC 285 State OSSF Regulations, can be viewed at the TCEQ website.
Inspection
of a New OSSF
Environmental Health Services issues permits for OSSF's, commonly known as
septic systems. Staff inspect the OSSF at various points during the
critical phases of construction. A final inspection must be passed before the system can be
used. For more information see page two of the
On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF)
and Floodplain Guide for
Williamson County.
For more information about the OSSF inspection
process call our office at (512) 943-3620. See also related
OSSF fees.
How To Apply for a Permit
To begin the application
process, the property owner needs to provide the deed and the survey of the
property and be prepared to pay a
permit fee (check or cash
only). If the property is in an established subdivision, the survey is not
required. If the property owner wishes to have their agent apply for the permit
they must provide a notarized "power of attorney" note authorizing this person.
The property owner will then be given specific instructions on how to obtain a
soil report and how to choose a licensed installer and designer.
For more information about the OSSF permit
process call our office at (512) 943-3620. See also related
OSSF fees.
Re-Inspection of an OSSF
Most mortgage lenders require a
re-inspection of an OSSF whenever the property is sold. Environmental Health Services
staff perform a surface inspection for this purpose. The
Application
for Evaluation of an Existing On-Site Sewage Facility form describes the
scope and limitations of this inspection.
For more information about OSSF re-inspection call our office at (512)
943-3620. See also related OSSF
fees.
Additional Information
All OSSF forms, permits, fees, guides, and applications are available in our
Forms Library.
These websites and additional documents provide more information about On-Site Sewage Facility regulation and inspection.
Advice for an Owner of an On-Site Sewage Facility
WCCHD
Environmental OSSF Update Brochure
TCEQ:
On-Site
Sewage Facilities (Septic Systems)
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