Colusa County Municipal Code Art. III Owts Siting, Construction and Operation

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

Siting criteria defining the location and environmental conditions under which OWTS may be permitted shall be developed by the director and included in the Onsite Systems Manual. Such siting criteria shall be consistent with applicable State and Regional Water Board OWTS policies and requirements, and shall be subject to review and approval by the Regional Water Board.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

(a) For all locations where an OWTS is proposed to be installed, a site evaluation shall be conducted prior to permit approval to verify conformance with applicable soils, groundwater, ground slope, and horizontal setback requirements as prescribed in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(b) Site evaluation methods shall include soil profiles, percolation tests and other exploratory tests, as necessary, to verify adequate depth and permeability of soil, and vertical separation between dispersal field and groundwater for both primary and reserve dispersal areas.

(c) Testing shall be conducted in accordance with standards and guidelines provided in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(d) Where the director has been provided adequate evidence to demonstrate suitable soil conditions and groundwater separation, testing requirements may be waived.

(e) For new divisions of land, soil profiles, percolation tests and groundwater determinations will be required on every parcel unless the director determines, on a case-by-case basis, that such testing is not necessary due to the availability of sufficient information to demonstrate conformance with applicable siting criteria for all proposed OWTS locations.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

No person may construct, add to, repair or alter any existing OWTS without first submitting plans to the director for approval and obtaining a permit pursuant to the requirements of this chapter. Plans shall include the site evaluation results, other relevant site and project information, scaled drawing(s) of proposed OWTS, supporting basis of design, and other information as specified in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

Every OWTS shall at all times be maintained and operated in a sanitary condition and state of good repair. Operation and maintenance guidelines for each OWTS installation shall be provided by the designer and/or the installer, with a copy provided to the director as well as to the system owner. Final approval of system installation shall be contingent upon confirmation by the director that required operation and maintenance guidelines have been provided.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

Where OWTS may have cumulative impacts on groundwater and/or watershed conditions due to such factors as the constituent levels (e.g., nitrogen content) in the wastewater, the volume of wastewater flow, the density of OWTS discharges in a given area, and/or the sensitivity and beneficial uses of water resources in the discharge area, the director may require additional technical studies (also termed “cumulative impact studies”) or other information demonstrating to the satisfaction of the director that use of the proposed OWTS will not create adverse cumulative effects on water quality or public health. Cumulative impact studies shall be mandatory for any OWTS with wastewater flows of two thousand five hundred gpd or more. In all cases, such cumulative impact studies will be conducted in accordance with guidelines provided in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

If, after review, the director determines that the proposed OWTS is in accordance with the terms of this chapter and applicable requirements in the Onsite Systems Manual, and will not be injurious to the public health and water quality, he or she shall approve or conditionally approve the application. Such approval may be made subject to such conditions as the director deems necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter. Any change in the OWTS plans after the issuance of a permit must first be approved by the director. Failure to obtain approval from the director will invalidate the permit.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

(a) No person may install, construct, alter, enlarge, reconstruct, replace, improve, recondition or repair an OWTS pursuant to this chapter unless: the person possesses a general engineering contractor’s license (Class A) as defined in Section 7056 of the Business and Professions Code, or a Class C-42 sanitation system contractor’s license or Class C-36 plumbing contractor’s license from the Contractors State License Board of the state of California.

(b) In the case of a conventional OWTS, the property owner may construct or repair an OWTS on his/her own property, provided: (1) persons hired by the owner to do the subject work must comply with subsection (a) of this section; or (2) persons hired by the owner must be hired as employees of the owner and the owner must provide workman’s compensation insurance, as required by law; and (3) an OWTS permit is obtained.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

(a) OWTS must be installed in accordance with the plans approved by the director. Any changes in the installation plans must be reviewed and approved by the director prior to installation.

(b) Inspection(s) of each OWTS installation shall be made by the director to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements of this Code and the Onsite Systems Manual. In the event the director determines there has been an improper installation, a stop-work order may be posted on the job site. Before any further work is done on a posted system, clearance from the director must be obtained.

(c) An as-built drawing shall be completed by the OWTS designer or contractor upon completion of the OWTS installation, a copy of which shall be supplied to the director and the system owner.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

(a) A conventional OWTS shall, at a minimum, consist of a septic tank and subsurface dispersal system for absorption and leaching of the effluent into the soil. The septic tank and subsurface effluent dispersal system must be constructed to meet the requirements prescribed by this chapter and the standards and criteria contained in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(b) The conventional dispersal method approved for use in Colusa County shall be a gravel-filled trench system, sized, designed and installed in accordance with standards prescribed in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(c) Trench system designs utilizing chambers or other filter material in place of gravel may be approved by the director and addressed with specific criteria in the Onsite Systems Manual as a conventional dispersal system design option.

(d) At a minimum, all dispersal systems shall include a primary (installed) field, and a reserve area with suitable conditions and sufficient area for one hundred percent replacement of the primary field.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

Cesspools are declared to be a public nuisance and are not authorized for use in Colusa County. Upon discovery, cesspools shall be abated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and in a manner approved by the director.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

(a) All holding tanks are hereby declared a public nuisance and are prohibited, except for the following instances as may be approved by the director:

(1) If it is necessary to use a holding tank to abate a nuisance or health hazard caused by a failing OWTS; or

(2) For a publicly owned nonresidential facility necessary for the public health, safety or welfare, where installation of an OWTS is not feasible and a holding tank is determined by the director to provide the safest and most acceptable method of sewage disposal.

(b) Where exceptions are granted and holding tank(s) approved, an operating permit issued by the director pursuant to this chapter will be required, which will provide for approval of the tank pumper, maintenance schedule, tank/sewage level monitoring, and reporting requirements.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

The use of alternative OWTS in Colusa County will be permitted in accordance with the following:

(a) Alternative OWTS may be permitted by the director for the repair or upgrading of any existing OWTS and for new construction on any legally created parcel where: (1) it is determined that sewage cannot be disposed of in a sanitary manner by a conventional OWTS; or (2) the director determines that an alternative OWTS would provide equal or greater protection to public health and the environment than a conventional OWTS.

(b) Types of Alternative OWTS. Types of alternative OWTS permitted are limited to those identified in the Onsite Systems Manual, and which have been approved by the director and the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

(c) Designer and Installer Qualifications. All alternative OWTS must be designed by a qualified professional (California registered civil engineer, registered environmental health specialist, or professional geologist), and must be installed by a contractor duly licensed by the Contractors State License Board of the state of California to install OWTS (A, C-42 or C-36).

(d) Operating Permit. All alternative OWTS require the issuance of a renewable operating permit, which is in addition to the permit issued for system installation. Operating permits are intended to serve as the basis for ensuring proper maintenance and system performance; associated work is required to be performed by a qualified professional or on-site service provider.

(e) Monitoring and Reporting. Monitoring and reporting requirements to verify adequate performance of alternative OWTS shall be included as conditions of the operating permit. Monitoring requirements will vary depending upon the specific type of alternative OWTS in accordance with guidelines in the Onsite Systems Manual.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

In addition to an installation permit, an operating permit is required for: (a) all alternative OWTS; (b) any OWTS with a design flow of two thousand five hundred gpd or more; (c) holding tank exemptions; and (d) where, in the opinion of the director, the type, size, location or other aspects of a particular OWTS installation warrant the additional level of oversight provided by an operating permit. Requirements pertaining to operating permits are as follows:

(a) The operating permit will be issued by the director following: (1) completion of construction of the alternative OWTS; (2) satisfactory compliance with the installation permit requirements; and (3) payment of applicable fees. Operating permits are nontransferable.

(b) After initial issuance, the operating permit is required to be renewed periodically, the standard renewal period being one year. The director may establish conditions allowing the time period between renewals to be extended for certain types of OWTS based on a record of favorable performance or other factors warranting a reduction in system oversight by the environmental health division. Operating permits must also be renewed at the time of change in property ownership.

(c) Operating permits are intended to serve as the basis for verifying the adequacy of OWTS performance and ensuring ongoing maintenance. Permit conditions shall include monitoring and inspection requirements, permit duration, and other provisions as prescribed by the director in the Onsite Systems Manual or as deemed appropriate by the director on a case-by-case basis.

(d) Renewal of an operating permit requires: (1) payment of the applicable fees based on the hourly reinspection fee rate, upon receipt of notice from the director; and (2) submission of the results of required system inspection and monitoring.

(e) Failure to pay the required fee or submit the specified monitoring and inspection information, or failure to undertake any required corrective work specified by the director, may be cause for issuance of a citation, penalty fees, nonrenewal and/or revocation of the operating permit by the director. The director may place a lien on the property for recovery of any associated abatement costs and unpaid fees.

(f) A certified copy of the following shall be recorded against the property in the office of the county recorder of Colusa County: (1) initial operating permit issued for the system; (2) reissuance of operating permit to new owners; and (3) notices of withdrawal of any operating permit.

(Ord. No. 784 § 1 (Exh. A) (part))

Every OWTS that has been abandoned or has been discontinued from further use or to which no waste or waste discharge pipe from a plumbing fixture is connected must:

(a) Have the sewage removed from, and disposed of, in a manner approved by the director.

(b) Have the tank top and bottom crushed, backfilled and compacted with material approved by the director or be removed and disposed of in a manner approved by the director.

Completion of the above-described work shall require that the property owner obtain a septic tank abandonment permit from the director as provided in the Onsite Systems Manual.