(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter, or extend private sewage disposal systems within the county unless he or she holds a valid permit issued by the Health Department stating the name of such person for which the specific construction, alteration, or extension is proposed. This permit shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issue.
(B) All applications for permits granted under the provisions of this chapter shall be made to the Board of Health or its duly authorized representative. Sufficient data shall be included to allow review and to determine whether the proposed application for permit meets the requirements of this chapter. This information is including but not limited to all property boundaries, easements, location of existing or planned inground sprinkler system, inground pools, underground utilities, location of all drains, wells, cisterns, buildings, driveways, patios whether existing or proposed and soil boring locations. Permit shall include one complete set of building plans for new construction and/or homeowner’s signature verifying the number of bedrooms for the dwelling.
(C) A permit shall only be issued upon an application signed by a homeowner and/or property owner or a county registered private sewage disposal system installation contractor installing a sewage disposal system.
(D) Permit application forms are provided by the Health Department and shall be completed and signed by each applicant, and shall include the following:
(1) Name, address, phone number and email address of the applicant and legal description of the proposed site of construction, alteration, or extension as proposed;
(2) Complete plan of the proposed disposal facility, with substantiating data, if necessary, attesting to its compliance with the minimum standards of this chapter; and
(3) Such other information as may be required by the health authority the proposed construction, alteration, or extension complies with the minimum standards of this chapter.
(E) The Board of Health or its authorized representative may refuse to grant a permit for the construction or repair of a private sewage disposal system where public or municipal sewage systems are available. Such a sewage system shall be deemed available when a public sewer line is in place within any street, alley, right-of-way, or easement that adjoins or abuts the premises for which the permit is requested, or when the improvement to be served is located within a reasonable distance of a public sewer to which connection is practical and is permitted by the controlling authority for the sewer. A reasonable distance for the purpose of this provision shall be deemed to be not greater than 300 feet for a single-family residence and not greater than 1,320 feet for a commercial establishment, subdivision, or multi-family dwelling. A connection is practical when it is cost-effective with regard to the septic system alternatives and can be completed using customary sewer lines. The need to annex an improvement other than a single-family residence to the municipality in order to connect to the municipal sanitary system does not make the municipal sewer system unavailable within the meaning of this section.
(F) The Board of Health or its authorized representative shall act upon all applications within 15 days of the receipt thereof.
(G) Said permit to construct is valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance. If construction has not been completed within this period, the permit is void.
(H) (1) A soil investigation must be performed prior to the issuance of a permit. These tests shall be performed according to the provisions of the state’s Department of Public Health Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code, being 225 ILCS 225/1 et seq. and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905 adopted hereinafter by reference.
(2) This requirement shall be waived under the following condition: a pre-site inspection by a Health Department representative determines lot constrictions would not allow for a subsurface seepage system.
(I) The Health Department shall be notified of any modification, change, or repair to any private sewage disposal system by either a homeowner or contractor to determine whether that modification, change, or repair requires a permit as set forth in division (A) above. The routine cleaning of a disposal system components, replacing the septic tank cover, baffles, or riser, or rodding out inlets and outlets does not require a permit as defined under this section.
(J) There is a fee charged for the initial construction permit, any alteration of a system including the installation of a sample port, extension, variance request, or operation of a private disposal sewage system. The fee shall be collected by the Health Department at the time an application for permit is submitted and shall be deposited into the Health Department Fund. The fee schedule shall be as approved by the Board of Health.
(K) All homeowners that have been issued a permit to construct, alter, or extend an individual sewage system shall receive training approved by the Health Department regarding maintenance of their septic system. This training must be completed within 60 days of installation of the septic system.
(L) Any application for a new install, repair or extension of a surface discharging system after the effective date (February 10, 2014) of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. IL G62 must first have a general permit (if required) from the USEPA prior to submitting a septic permit application to this Department.
(M) On all newly platted parcels, a sufficient area of suitable ground shall be provided for a second subsurface seepage system designed according to the state’s Department of Public Health Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code. No shed, driveway, patio or like structures and improvements shall be placed in any area or expansion area designated for a private sewage disposal system.
(Prior Code, 6 TCC 1-3) Penalty, see 94.99