How do I get a sanitary permit to install a septic system for a new residence?
• The first step is to have a soil/site evaluation conducted by a certified soil tester (soil/site evaluator). This was formerly referred to as a “perk test”, but is now known as a “detailed soil morphological evaluation.” This test involves digging at least three soil pits in a triangular shape so that the soil inside the triangle should be very similar to the soil observed in the test pits. The soil test identifies a suitable area (PDF) to install a private onsite waste disposal system and determines the amount (inches) of suitable soil (PDF) underneath the system. • The second step is to have a plumber, engineer or system designer design a private onsite wastewater treatment system (POWTS), formerly called a septic system, based on the findings of the soil test and the proposed use of the property. The use of the property is important because a residence will not have the same size system requirements as a commercial use and a four-bedroom residence will not have the same size syste
