Franklin County, Ohio septic permits and requirements

Permitting authority

Franklin County Public Health — Water Quality program (for properties within FCPH jurisdiction)

Franklin County Public Health: 280 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215; main phone 614-525-3160; Water Quality email [email protected]; failing HSTS line 614-525-4787.

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.

County permitting and site-review workflow

Franklin County Public Health says its Water Quality program reviews, inspects, and regulates household, small-flow, and semi-public sewage treatment systems. For household systems, the department directs owners installing, repairing, or replacing an HSTS to its permit forms and offers site reviews, building-plan reviews, lot-split reviews, and real-estate septic inspections.

Operation and maintenance oversight

FCPH states that it makes annual observations of aeration systems, evapotranspiration mounds, commercial septic systems, and household systems installed since 2015. It also investigates failing household systems and can require repair or replacement when a system is failing.

Important jurisdiction boundary

Franklin County Public Health is a general health district serving the county townships and villages plus contracting cities. Its current jurisdiction information identifies the City of Columbus and Worthington as outside FCPH jurisdiction. Properties inside a separate municipal health jurisdiction should confirm the responsible agency before filing.

Local sewage regulation

FCPH publishes local Regulation 106 for sewage treatment systems in addition to the statewide Ohio sewage-treatment rules. Applicants should use the current county forms and local requirements together with Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3701-29.

Official sources

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