Septic System Program

PROGRAM

The Water Protection Program of AppHealthCare is responsible for permitting and inspecting all septic systems within the district.

The goal of the program is to protect the public’s health through the safe disposal and treatment of wastewater. Prior to building a facility, there must be a permitted plan on how that facility will dispose of the wastewater that it will generate. When a municipal sewer system is not available, the most common alternative is a sub-surface septic system which will both treat and dispose of the wastewater on the site. In North Carolina, this is carried out through a three-tiered permitting process which consists of the following:

Improvement Permit

Once the application and site preparation has been completed, the EHS will make a site evaluation based on the following factors:

Shape and slope of the lot (ex. hill or depression)
Soil composition: texture-causing mixtures of sand, silt, and clay and the sizes of the particles
Soil structure: arrangement of the soil particles
Soil wetness conditions: location of the seasonal high water table or perched water table, and as determined by observation of colors of chroma 2 or less using the Munsell Color Chart.
Soil depth: amount of suitable soil before an unsuitable factor such as rock or saprolite.
Restrictive factors: soil that is capable of perching ground water or sewage effluent, also called “hard pans”
Available space: amount of suitable soil that can be used for the septic system and repair area

If the site is approved then the department will issue an Improvement Permit.

Authorization for Wastewater System Construction

Once the property lines and the locations of the house, driveway and well have all been finalized and approved, the department will also issue an Authorization for Wastewater System Construction. This, along with a well permit, is required when applying for a building permit.

Operation Permit

This permit is issued once the system installation is approved and the construction is complete.

The permitting process is done in accordance with the North Carolina General Statutes which state that: Any person owning or controlling a residence, place of business, or place of public assembly shall provide an approved sanitary sewage system. Registered Environmental Health Specialists (REHS), acting as authorized agents of the Department of Health and Human Services, ensure that the rules and regulations addressing the placement, design, installation, and maintenance of on-site sub-surface septic systems are enforced in order to protect the public’s health.

For more information of installing a septic system, please contact the Environmental Health office in your county. For more information of the NC On-site Water Protection Program, please click here.

Septic Smart Presentation

PERMIT SEARCH

The Appalachian District Health Department is pleased to offer our new web based permit search engine. The public can now use the link below to access our septic and well permits online.

At this time all of our permits have been electronically scanned and uploaded to the site. In addition new permits are uploaded as they are issued. Please read the following “Search Tips” located below button, which you may find helpful in searching our files:

PERMIT SEARCH

SEARCH TIPS

The search engine was created by matching common property identifiers such as name, tax ID numbers, subdivision, address, etc. (specific information gleaned from the permits “as issued”) and merging them into the data base. This means that if certain criteria such as subdivision name or tax ID number were not put on the permit or have changed since originally issued it may not pull up your permit. In addition names and subdivisions may have been abbreviated or misspelled which can also throw off the search. The following are a number of suggestions to consider when using the system.

Choose your Internet Browser program
Enable “pop- ups”
Use the “Property Criteria” search section
Try using one search criteria at a time in addition to selecting the county (name, subdivision, tax ID number, etc.)
Try last names only (make sure spelling is correct)
Only Operation Permits issued since March 2014 will have a valid 911 street address so this function will not work very well for older permits.
If your property is in a subdivision try different abbreviations of the name. For example Mountain View Estates could also be entered as Mtn. View Est. or Mountain View.
Try any other name(s) that the property could be associated with such as builder or developer.
Make sure to select the correct county that the permit was issued in.
Tax ID numbers must be entered as shown on your tax bill. Watauga and Ashe Counties use dashes “-“which must be entered. For example 0000-00-0000 (Watauga), 00000-000 (Ashe).

If you have any issues locating a permit you may contact the environmental health office in the county where the permit was issued for assistance (listed below). Our staff will be happy to place you on a “permit search request” list. Please understand that our office staff have a number of duties that must be attended to during the day so it may take some time to process your request as these will be done on a first come-first served basis. Note: We will need the correct search criteria such as name, subdivision, year and tax ID number in order to assist you as quickly as possible.

Finally we would like to receive any feedback you may wish to share. The search engine was created and is maintained by a private vendor we have contracted with. We would like to hear of any problems, issues or suggestions you may have for improving the functionality of the site. You may send us feedback by going to our main page under “Contact Us” and send us an email or by calling one of the county offices listed below:

We hope that this search engine will greatly increase the ease with which our stakeholders can obtain copies of septic and well permits. Please feel free to share any comments or suggestions regarding the functionality and user friendliness of the site with me directly: Andrew.blethen@apphealth.com. This is a new system and user feedback will be critical to locate and correct any “bugs” that can only be found through use. We will keep you posted as additional permits are uploaded to the site.

Thank you,

Andy Blethen
EH Supervisor, ADHD

APPLICATION PACKET

Important Links:

Fees and Instructions for Septic System and Well Application Process
Septic System and Well Application Packet
Attention Watauga County Subdivision Notice
Septic and Well Checklist
Septic System Repair Questionnaire
Commercial or Non-Residential Questionnaire
Helpful Website Links for Completing the Well and Septic Application – Please click this form to help determine items such as tax parcel ID or tax pin number, date property platted, easements, right of ways, surveys, flood plains, watersheds, jurisdictional wetlands. This form also has contact information for the Register of Deeds and Building Departments.

Application Process

The instruction pages provided with the application explain in detail the services provided by our department and the application process required for each.

The permitting process is specific to the type of construction being applied for; new, expansion, reuse, or repair. Read the application instructions thoroughly, and please feel free to call the health department if there are any questions.

New Construction

For any new construction of a septic system follow the application packet. This packet gives you all the steps involved in applying for a new septic system. It is very important that all the steps are thought out and completed before submitting an application. This will greatly help to expedite the process.

Expansion of an Existing System

When improving a facility such as adding a bedroom to a house or increasing the number of employees in a business the limiting factor in many cases is the septic system’s design capacity. For instance, if the original septic system was designed to accommodate a three-bedroom house and the owners wish to add on a fourth bedroom then an expansion of the existing septic system is required.

The application process for an expansion is much the same as the process for new construction. (Please refer to the application packet for the basic application steps.) However, an expansion also requires locating the existing septic tank, drain field, and repair areas. The original permits issued by this department will facilitate finding each of these as well as possibly describing the soil conditions on the property. To find a permit our department needs the year the system was installed and the name that it was installed under. This office recommends that when planning an expansion of any facility, a copy of the Operation Permit is obtained so that the septic system may be taken into account during the planning stage.

As with new construction, the site plan and preparation must be completed before submitting an application. But in some cases in order to avoid disturbing the existing septic system, it may be necessary for this department to visit the site prior to having any hole dug on the property.

Reuse of Existing Systems

The reuse of an existing system such as replacing a mobile home with a new mobile home.

The original permit should be found through our department. To do this the applicant must find the year the system was installed and the name that the septic system was installed under. In some cases, the permit number will work.
The applicant must determine the size and location of the new structure that they wish to connect to the existing septic system. The proposed structure must be staked on the property.
The septic tank must be located, uncovered, and pumped out. This will allow our department to inspect the condition of the tank and allow for any upgrades that may be needed. It is preferable to schedule the inspection of the septic tank and drain field as soon after the tank is pumped out as possible. This is to keep from having to pump out the tank multiple times.

Repairing a Failing System

A failing septic system is typically not something that most people wish to live with for very long. It may begin as slow drains from the toilet, shower, or sink located in the area of the residence closest to the septic tank. This symptom usually occurs during times of high water usage and could well be fixed by having the septic tank pumped out and the effluent filter cleaned. If this occurs, pumping the tank is the first thing our department will recommend. There is no permit required to have this done. In fact, all tanks should be pumped out every three to five years.

Another symptom of a failing or overused system is a damp area in the drain field area with an intermittent but very distinct odor that will get more frequent and larger over time. If this is the case it again could be fixed easily; possibly by fixing a leaky shower or toilet, or an adjustment of the distribution box. There are many possible solutions including but not limited to the replacement or extension of the drain field. There are many reasons for a system to fail and determining why can take some time and effort. Whatever the cause it is important to always remember that sewage contains viruses and bacteria that are dangerous and should not be ignored!

Any work done on an on-site septic system, even in the case of a failing system, requires a permit. First step is to determine if the original permit can be located. Property lines would also need to be found. Once those items have been addressed, a repair application must be submitted. An Environmental Health Specialist will then visit the property to determine the best solution for addressing a failing septic system.

PROGRAM

The Water Protection Program of AppHealthCare is responsible for permitting and inspecting all septic systems within the district.

PERMIT SEARCH

The Appalachian District Health Department is pleased to offer our new web based permit search engine. The public can now use the link below to access our septic and well permits online.

SEARCH TIPS

APPLICATION PACKET

Important Links:

Application Process

New Construction

Expansion of an Existing System

Reuse of Existing Systems

Repairing a Failing System

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