Delaware County, Ohio septic permits and requirements

Permitting authority

Delaware Public Health District — Environmental Health / Sewage program

Delaware Public Health District: 470 S. Sandusky Street, Delaware, OH 43015; phone 740-368-1700.

Ohio permit framework

Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3701-29 governs sewage treatment systems statewide. Rule 3701-29-06 provides that a sewage treatment system may not be installed, altered, or operated without an approved permit from the board of health, and owners must comply with permit conditions and maintain the system in proper working condition.

Local rules can be more stringent

Ohio law allows a board of health to adopt more stringent sewage-treatment standards when local conditions support them and the required state approval is obtained. County or health-district instructions therefore matter in addition to the statewide minimum rules.

Household sewage permitting authority

The Delaware Public Health District states that its sewage program inspects potential new parcels for adequate HSTS area, reviews designs for new household sewage treatment systems, inspects installations, and issues operational permits for continued HSTS use.

Current applications and contractor registrations

The district publishes current household sewage forms for site-plan/permit applications, installation or alteration permits, addition/remodel reviews, lot feasibility, variances, and contractor registrations for septic installers, service providers, septage haulers, and septage land application.

Semi-public systems

Under contracts with Ohio EPA, the district says it issues installation permits for semi-public sewage treatment systems sized at 1,000 gallons per day or less and performs inspections and annual operation permitting for semi-public systems sized at 25,000 gallons per day or less.

District jurisdiction caveat

The Delaware Public Health District describes itself as a combined health district serving Delaware County, Delaware City, and Powell, except portions annexed into Westerville, Columbus, and Dublin. Owners in annexed areas should confirm which health authority has jurisdiction before applying.

Official sources

SepticScope summarizes public-agency information for planning purposes. The permitting agency's current instructions control if they differ from this guide.