9.e) Strommer MemoWashingt®n
County
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 21, 2013
To: Kristina Handt, Administrator, City of Scandia
Department of Public
Health and Environment
Lowell Johnson
Director
Sue Hedlund
Deputy Director
From: Amanda Strommer, Program Manager, Washington County Department of Public Health &
Environment
RE: Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Inspection Program
Background
A septic system may be referred to as an onsite sewage treatment system, subsurface sewage
treatment system, or wastewater treatment system. Systems that serve multiple households are often
called collector or cluster systems. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems in Washington County are
regulated by local city ordinance and the following:
• Washington County Development Code, Chapter Four, Subsurface Sewage Treatment Svstem
Regulations (Washington County Ordinance 4179)
• Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7080 -7083
• Minnesota Statute 115.55 and 115.56
The Department of Public Health & Environment conducts inspections of new systems as they are
installed to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Prior to an inspection, an
installer must obtain a permit from the county for the following:
• All new installations of sewage tanks, soil dispersal and treatment areas;
• All repair, extension, replacement or modification of existing systems and components; or
• Any changes in use of a facility served by a subsurface sewage treatment system.
In addition, all subsurface sewage treatment systems in Washington County must be designed,
installed, maintained, and operated by businesses that have a current license from the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency for they work they are performing.
In addition to permitting and inspection any local SSTS program must include the following:
• Adopting a local ordinance that is as restrictive as the county ordinance.
• Tracking and citizen notification of maintenance (tank pumping).
• Compliance inspection program.
• Issuance and tracking of operating permits. Currently Scandia has six properties that require
operating permits. Two are owned by the City.
Government Center • 14949 62nd Street North — P.O. Box 6, Stillwater, Minnesota 55082-0006
Phone: 651-430-6655 • Fax: 651-430-6730 • TTY: 651-430-6246
www.co.washington.mn.us
Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action
• Annual reporting to the MPCA and Metropolitan Council with detailed breakdowns of number
of systems, number and types of permits issued, tanks installed, imminent health threat and
failing systems, compliance, systems on operating permits, gallons of septage pumped, etc.
Training and Education Requirements
A Basic Inspector can inspect Type I, II or III system with design flows of 2,500 gpd or less and
requires the following training from the University of Minnesota:
• Introduction — 3 day training ($345)
• Installer Training — 2 day training ($250)
• Basic Design — 3 day training ($295)
• Inspector Training — 2 day training ($250)
• Soils Training — 3 day training ($295)
An Advanced Inspector can inspect all SSTS with a design flow of 10,000 gpd or less and requires
the following training from the University of Minnesota:
• All the Basic Design Classes —13 days of training ($1435)
• Service Provider — 4 day training ($475)
• Intermediate Design and Inspection — 4 day training ($425)
• Advanced Design and Inspection — 4 day training ($425)
Each course listed above has an exam requirement at the end of each training session.
Scandia Historical Permits
Scandia
Permits
Inspections
2008
8
21
2009
9
27
2010
17
50
2011
12
32
2012
1 10
35
Average
1 11.21
33