San Diego County Municipal Code Art. 2 General Requirements

(a) The drainage system of every building constructed or reconstructed, except for a graywater system, shall be connected to a public sewer if: (1) the property on which the building is located abuts a public sewer or a public sewer is located within 200 feet of the building, (2) annexation to the sewer district has been completed and (3) no easements through adjacent property are necessary to complete the public sewer connection. This provision does not apply to replacement OWTS that meet the requirements of this chapter and the LAMP where the connection fees and construction costs are greater than twice the total cost of the OWTS repair.

(b) When a public sewer is not available, because one or more of the conditions of subsection (a) have not been satisfied, the drainage system of a building shall be connected to an approved OWTS, or other sanitation facilities approved by the Director. For purposes of this chapter, a drainage system or OWTS shall only be considered approved if the system received all permits required by this code at the time the system was installed or modified. The property owner shall install a system based on the Director's determination of the type of system that is required after considering the area, soil porosity, ground water level, and population density in the area. The OWTS shall be designed to receive and dispose of all sewage and liquid waste from the building served.

(Amended by Ord. No. 8007 (N.S.), effective 12-26-91; amended by Ord. No. 8458 (N.S.), effective 11-17-94; amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11)

(Amended by Ord. No. 8007 (N.S.), effective 12-26-91; amended by Ord. No. 8458 (N.S.), effective 11-17-94; amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)

(a) It shall be unlawful for a person to cause or allow sewage, human excrement or other liquid wastes to be disposed of in any place or manner except through and by means of an approved drainage system into a public sewer system, an approved OWTS, or except as approved to other sanitation facilities authorized under this chapter, whichever is applicable, installed and maintained as provided in the County Plumbing Code and this chapter.

(b) It is unlawful for a property owner, tenant, or other person to knowingly operate or allow to be operated an OWTS or other sanitation facilities that allows sewage, human excrement or other liquid wastes to be disposed of so that the waste is not confined underground or within an approved holding tank, alternative toilet, or other approved sanitation facilities.

(c) It is unlawful for any person to discharge sewage, human excrement, or other liquid wastes in any manner which will result in contamination or a nuisance

(d) A property owner shall take the necessary actions to abate an immediate health or safety hazard and shall promptly repair defective OWTS, holding tank, alternative toilet, or other sanitation facilities, or if public sewer is available, replace the OWTS, or other sanitation facilities, with a connection to the public sewer within the time period required by section the Director. No repair of a defective system shall be started without a permit from the Director. If a property owner elects to repair the defective system, the person shall complete the repairs within 30 days from the date the system became defective.

(e) It shall be unlawful for a person to connect a drainage line to an OWTS or other sanitation facilities unless the Director has approved that system.

(f) It shall be unlawful for a property owner or a person in control of a cesspool, septic tank, seepage pit, or other unsafe component used for sewage disposal, on premise of such person, to fail, refuse, or neglect to properly destroy under permit issued by the Director an unsafe or abandoned cesspool, septic tank, seepage pit or sanitation facility within 30 calendar days of disuse, disconnection from the drainage system, connection of drainage system to a public sewer, or notice by the Director. The property owner or person in control shall immediately secure any unsafe or hazardous sanitation facilities as soon as practicable.

(Amended by Ord. No. 3061 (N.S.), effective 5-11-67; amended by Ord. No. 9665 (N.S.), effective 8-14-04; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)

The Director may require a property owner to connect to an available public sanitary sewer and discontinue using an OWTS or other sanitation facilities whenever the existing OWTS or other sanitation facilities becomes defective or whenever the Director determines that the public health and require connection to the public sanitary sewer.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)

A property owner shall obtain a permit and destroy any septic tank, holding tank seepage pit, or other sanitation facility within 30 days from the date the system or system component is deemed abandoned or is in violation of the requirements of this chapter and the LAMP.

(Added by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)

The Director may authorize use of an alternative toilet for use when no public sewer is available for a campsite, park, or trail, or for an approved temporary structure or use, or for occasional supplemental sewage disposal capacity for a commercial use, or for an extractive use or other industrial use in an isolated area, such as a facility that receives solid waste. Alternative toilets shall be approved, installed, and maintained in accordance with the standards in the LAMP. Alternative toilets shall not be approved where a water closet is required.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25; amended by Ord. No. 10966 (N.S.), effective 12-18-25; amended by Ord. No. 11006 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26)

(a) The Director may issue an OWTS installation or repair permit for a specified period of time to a Qualified Installer or Owner-Builder property owner authorizing the installation or addition to an OWTS, or approve a connection to an existing OWTS, for sewage disposal from a building, structure, or vehicle issued a permit for temporary occupancy as authorized by the County Zoning Ordinance and section 52.201 et seq. of this code. The OWTS shall meet the requirements of this chapter and the standards in the LAMP.

(b) If the authorized need for the temporary occupancy ceases to exist, or if the property owner fails to maintain the permit issued for temporary occupancy or is in violation of the permit for temporary occupancy, the approval to discharge to an OWTS will terminate and such connection shall be removed by the owner.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)

The Director may issue a permit for a specific period of time to a Qualified Installer or Owner-Builder authorizing construction of a temporary OWTS when the Director determines that it is highly probable that the property will have access to a public sewer within 24 months from the date of a permit application and owner is able to demonstrate the ability to install a permanent OWTS in accordance with provisions of this chapter.

(Amended by Ord. No. 6049 (N.S.), effective 6-11-81; amended by Ord. No. 7428 (N.S.), effective 2-4-88; amended by Ord. No. 9273 (N.S.), effective 12-15-00; amended by Ord. No. 10136 (N.S.), effective 4-15-11; amended by Ord. No. 10927 (N.S.), effective 1-10-25)