A. Authority To Perform Soil Borings:
1. Prior to application for a private sewage disposal system installation permit, an authorized representative of the health department or other professional persons acceptable to the health authority shall conduct soil borings as required by this chapter. Professional persons shall be acceptable only after they have demonstrated the ability to perform soil borings according to this chapter and have demonstrated the ability to analyze the physical characteristics of soils. The health department reserves the right to have professional persons submit credentials and other related information. In order to be considered to perform soil borings, such persons must be:
a. Certified Illinois soil classifier (ISCA) or through the American Registry Of Certified Professional In Agronomy, Crops And Soils (ARCPACS); or
b. Registered professional Illinois engineer; or
c. Soil scientist with a minimum of five (5) years' experience in soil identification.
2. The health department may revoke the approval of persons who are unable to accurately perform and record soil borings.
B. Site Evaluations In Subdivisions: Soil borings and soil evaluation to determine the feasibility of using private sewage disposal systems in subdivisions shall be done according to the county zoning and subdivision ordinances. (Ord., 4-7-2008)
C. Application For Soil Borings: When an applicant desires to apply for a private sewage disposal system permit on either a vacant lot or for a malfunctioning septic system, he shall first provide a soil boring report completed by an appropriate person as described in subsection A of this section. On repairs to malfunctioning private sewage disposal systems which do not include an entire new system and which the health department has sufficient soil information available in the form of previous percolation tests and soil profiles, the health department may waive the requirement for soil borings and may use the previous soil information to design the repairs to the private sewage disposal system. Soil information will be based off of the USDA soils maps, and the "Soil Groupings For Soils Of Jo Daviess County For Septic Filter Fields" will be used as a tool for determining the appropriateness of proposed septic installations if borings are waived. (Ord. 2010-7, 10-12-2010)
D. Area Designated; Site Changes:
1. Designation Of Area: Before a soil boring site evaluation can be conducted on the proposed site, the homeowner or his representative must either meet with the soil scientist and explain where the intended house site will be located, and reveal any pertinent information such as walkout basement, swimming pool, etc., or flag the proposed house construction area and present the appropriate plans to the soil scientist so accurate borings can be performed. If a vacant lot is having soil borings performed and no immediate construction is intended, then a minimum of four (4) borings should be completed to find the soil group, depth to bedrock, depth to seasonal wetness and any other information that may be pertinent in adequately explaining the soil on the specific lot. Additional borings may have to be performed to determine whether there is a change in soil type and where the appropriate exact location is for a septic system. Once soil borings are completed, the soil scientist may flag a specific area that is designated for a septic system, or if physical structures or objects remain in the field, precise measurement from the structure/object to the approved soil area can be noted in the soil report in lieu of flags in the field.
2. Change In Site:
a. Changing the site of the proposed private sewage disposal system from the area of the soil boring site evaluation will necessitate a second site evaluation in the area where the private sewage disposal system is to be placed.
b. Changing location of the drainfield without permission of the health department is prohibited.
E. Reports: Soil borings performed with hand equipment as part of the site evaluations by persons authorized by the health department will be accepted. The borings must penetrate to a depth of at least five feet (5') below the finished grade in the proposed seepage field area to identify soil characteristics that may influence the operation of a private sewage disposal system. The results of the soil borings shall be reported on a form approved by the health department. When a limiting layer is present in a boring, a depth is to be placed next to each boring so design factors such as chlorination treatment can be determined. Soil type, soil group and system sizing will be reported in unison with the "Soil Groupings For Soils Of Jo Daviess County For Septic Filter Fields". (Ord., 4-7-2008)