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Happy New Year!
The St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division wishes all of you a Happy New Year! What a year the 2023 construction season proved to be. It was another busy year with high permit activity.
Overall, the Division processed over 3,800 septic records. Of those, there were:
- 968 septic permits to construct
- 939 compliance inspections
- 138 new operating permits
- 278 operating permit renewals
In 2024, the Division is looking forward to improving our capacity to continue to administer the septic permit program and provide positive customer experiences.
Tank counts have also been completed. Installers may contact the Onsite Wastewater Division to verify the number of tanks installed during the 2023 construction season.
New 2024 Fee Schedule
St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater has updated its permit fee schedule for 2024. The fee structure remains the same, but you will find an approximate 3% inflationary increase on the permit fees. We have updated our forms to reflect these new fees. Please visit the Onsite Wastewater web pages to access the updated forms.
County Forms and Submittal Requirements
To better serve you in a timely manner with increased consistency and efficiency, Onsite Wastewater will require the use of our most up-to-date forms, such as the SSTS application and design summary, St. Louis County compliance inspection report and MPCA compliance inspection report, and operating permit renewal, etc. All of the updated forms have been uploaded onto the Onsite Wastewater website for septic professionals to download. Additionally, Onsite Wastewater will require installer documents, such as as-built drawings, abandonments, and pressure tests, during the final inspection within the required time frames.
Below are a couple important requirement reminders for installation contractors:
- Ensure all work is done according to the approved design report.
St. Louis County understands that during the construction of a septic system, issues can arise that may require an alteration of the approved design. When this occurs, the County and the designer need to be notified before the alteration occurs so design changes and permit approvals can be made. Communication with the County and the designer will go a long way in preventing undesirable situations.
- Provide as-built drawings, in addition to other installer documents, if necessary, to the owner and local unit of government per required time frames.
As-builts are required to be submitted to St. Louis County. If you have any questions regarding this process, please call the County offices for clarification.
Point of Sale Requirements During the Winter Season
Please be mindful that frozen ground conditions enact the winter season point of sale requirements. As a friendly reminder, if a system is over 10 years old and hasn't had a compliance inspection in the last three years, the following are required for point of sale transactions:
- Completed Transfer Agreement Form 3030
- Estimate from a licensed and certified installer for the replacement of the system
- Escrowing 100% of said estimate at the time of closing until conditions allow for a compliance inspection
IMPORTANT NOTE: If any questions arise regarding this process, we highly encourage you to contact the Onsite Wastewater Division to confirm the proper steps are being followed. This quick verification can prevent major issues for sellers, buyers, realtors, and closing agencies alike in the future.
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