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Sewage Treatment System
(SSTS) Program
Individual
sewage treatment systems (SSTS) are commonly known
as septic systems. The purpose of a septic system
is to treat sewage from your household. Proper treatment
of wastewater reduces health risks to humans and
animals and prevents surface and groundwater contamination.
The Dodge County Environmental Services Department
through the Dodge
County Sewage and Wastewater Ordinance No. 4 and MN Rules Chapter 7080-7083 regulates
the design, permitting, installations, and inspections
of Individual Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS).
IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT REVISION OF SEPTIC ORDINANCE
Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance No. 4 was adopted on February 9, 2010. The ordinance will be effective March 1, 2010. The new ordinance requires:
- The county to administer state regulations regarding septic systems. For septic professionals this requires additional submittal with permit applications and new sizing requirements. Contact Dodge County Environmental Services for more information or see the link to the University of Minnesota, new design suite for forms.
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An escrow account if a septic system does not meet code before transfer of property title. Detailed information is provided in the property transfer section of this page.
- A septic system is to be properly sized when replacing and adding more than 120 sq ft of living area to an existing dwelling.
New Septic Construction
All new septic systems
require a permit from Dodge County. Zoning permits
will not be issued until the septic permit is received.
Checklist for obtaining a septic system permit:
- Hire a Designer to complete
a site evaluation and design for your new septic
system.
- Hire a Septic Installer to install your
septic system. Click
on the Septic Professional List to view a Dodge County list of state-licensed
persons.
- Submit a permit application to Dodge
County with the proper fee. Most septic professionals
will have the forms and submit them to the
county.
• If the Individual Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) is in Canisteo Township, a minimum 2000 gallon septic capacity is required for an in-ground system. The permit application no longer needs to be signed by a Canisteo Township Board member.
- The permit will be reviewed
and, approved or denied, by the county. Zoning
permits will not be issued until the septic permit
and proper fee is received by the SSTS department.
- The installer may proceed with construction
after permit approval.
- The installer is responsible
for notifying the Environmental Services Department
24 hours in advance of construction for an inspection.
- Upon completion of the inspection a Certificate of Compliance will be documented and mailed to the homeowner, installer and kept on file in the Dodge County Environmental Services Office.
List of Approved Septic Material
| Vendor |
Phone # |
Washed Sand |
Approved Rock |
Comment |
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WHEN SELLING PROPERTY
OR REMODELING A HOME
The Dodge County "Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance No. 4" requires a septic system compliance
inspection:
- Prior to adding livable
space to an existing dwelling (existing system must be properly sized)
- When replacing
a dwelling (existing system must be properly sized )
- When adding a bedroom to
an existing dwelling (existing system must be properly sized)
- If a written complaint
is received
- When
a discharge is observed during construction within
the road right-of-way
- Prior to the sale
or transfer of property.
Please remember that when
transferring property you must ALWAYS fill out
the Dodge County Disclosure Form at the bottom
of the page.
What is a Compliance Inspection?
"Compliance
Inspection" is
any evaluation, investigation, inspection, or other
such method to determine if the SSTS:
- Discharges
sewage to a seepage pit, cesspool, drywell, or
leaching pit;
- Has less than 2 feet of soil or
sand between the bottom of the drainfield and the
saturated soil or bedrock; or
- Poses an imminent
health threat by:
- discharging to the ground surface
or surface water, or by
- causing sewage to
backup into a dwelling or other establishment.
Who can perform a Compliance Inspection?
Compliance
inspections must be completed by individuals
with a state license as a "Designer I" or "Inspector".
Compliance inspections cannot be done by the
owner of the system. Click
here to view a list of licensed inspectors. Please call for an inspection ahead of closing; professionals are very busy
and may not be able to do inspections without
sufficient notice.
Results of Compliance Inspection
- If the inspection indicates that the SSTS
is not in compliance, a "Notice of
Noncompliance" must
be provided to the property owner and the County
(or governing agency) within 30 days.
- If the system presents an
imminent threat to public health the "Notice
of Noncompliance" must
include a statement to this effect and the
property owner must upgrade, replace, or discontinue
use of the SSTS within 10 months of receipt
of the notice. See specific requirements below if the inspection is for a property transfer.
- If a system does not comply
with applicable requirements or meet the required
2 ft soil separation for existing systems,
the property owner has two years from the date
of the notice to bring the system into compliance. See specific requirements below if the inspection is for a property transfer.
Follow Up of Compliance Inspection During Property
Transfer
- If the inspection is for the transfer
of property, a “Sewage
Disclosure Form” must
be filled out and attached to the "Certificate
of Real Estate Value" at the time of transfer
of title and a copy delivered to the Environmental
Services Dept. This does not require a fee.
- If the septic system is not upgraded before
the property is transferred, a “Sewage
Responsibility Form” must
be filled out and attached to the deed at the
time of transfer of title and delivered to
the Environmental Services Dept. This does not
require a filing fee. An escrow account must also be set up according to the Wastewater No. 4 ordinance effective March 1, 2010.
- In the times of year
when the ground is frozen and a compliance
inspection cannot be completed, the inspection
must be completed by the following June 1 and
submitted to the Department within 30 days. The seller or buyer must establish an escrow
account to be used to inspect and bring the
septic system into compliance if determined
to be failing or non-compliant. The account
shall be established in a financial institution
mutually agreed upon and may be jointly controlled
by seller and buyer. The amount deposited in
the escrow account shall be determined by the
Environmental Services Department. Dodge County
must be named in the escrow document as the
release agent.
| Fee
Schedule for Septic Permits |
| Tank
Only (Includes holding tank) |
$100.00 |
| Standard
Trench System |
$330.00 |
| Mound
or At-Grade |
$380.00 |
| Shared
or Commercial |
$0.40/gpd
design 0.04/gpd Annual Renewal Fee |
| Other
System Design |
$650.00
design- $50.00
Annual Renewal Fee |
| Additional site evaluation fee |
$150 |
| Additional Insp fee |
$150 |
SOIL VERIFICATION PROCEDURE
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency adopted new Septic System Rules on February 4, 2008. The new rules require counties to verify the subsurface soil conditions prior to issuing a permit for each new or repaired septic system.
Dodge County plans to implement this plan as follows:
- Professionals that perform soil evaluations must call Dodge County at 507-635-6273, BEFORE completing the soil evaluation to set up an appointment to meet a county employee or county- contracted employee, at the site. The soils will then be evaluated and two separate soil reports generated.
- Permit applications must be submitted with two soil reports:
- One report from the professional hired to complete the evaluation.
- One report verified by Dodge County.
- Permit fees that require a soil evaluation are increased to reflect the new requirement. (See fee schedule above).
- If the site is changed, or additional soil verification is needed there will be an additional fee charged to the applicant. See fee schedule for amount.
Low Interest Loans Available
for Septic Upgrades
- The
applicant must qualify financially through
AgStar Farm Credit
- Loans
are issued at 3 percent interest.
- Septic
system repair and replacement.
The County must apply
for the loans and issue them within a specified
time frame, so the loans may not always be
available. If interested, please call the Dodge
County Environmental Services Department at
the Courthouse, Toll Free, 1-888-600-5169, or direct at 507-635-6273.
Forms
Links to related septic information
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