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Houston County sets $1,000 fee for Type 5 septic system reviews amid questions about costs and frequency
Summary
After staff briefed the board about experimental Type 5 septic systems needed by incoming Amish households, commissioners set a $1,000 review fee to cover contractor reviews and some county staff time.
Houston County commissioners voted Oct. 14 to set a $1,000 fee for reviewing Type 5 septic systems, which staff described as “experimental” systems used by households that cannot rely on electric pumps and require siphon or other gravity‑based alternatives.
Why it matters: the fee governs what applicants pay to have specialized designs and inspections reviewed by the county. Staff told commissioners the county currently lacks in‑house advanced review capability for Type 5 systems and would rely on external reviewers or neighboring county contractors, and that the cost can vary widely.
What the board heard: county environmental/public‑health staff said contractor rates they collected ranged from about $4.50 on the low end (per what context was unclear) to $1,000 for contractor review, with the county expected to still provide about $150 of internal staff time. Fillmore County — which has certified staff for this work — told county staff it charges its landowners $1,000 for similar reviews and would expect to charge the county that amount to perform reviews here. Staff recommended at least a $600 fee but recommended $1,000 to avoid placing county costs on taxpayers.
Concerns and clarifications: commissioners pressed staff on how the systems work (siphon tanks and gravity flow rather than lift pumps) and asked about durability; staff said some options remain experimental at the state level and noted Fillmore County faced litigation when it adopted similar approvals.
Decision and next steps: the board approved the $1,000 fee by voice vote. Staff said the fee will be added to the county fee schedule and that applicants will continue to engage private designers for system installation and maintenance. County staff noted the number of Type 5 applications has been zero historically, though staff reported several applications currently pending and expected more as new residents move in.
Local context: the decision is designed to ensure the county recovers the cost of specialized technical review while permitting property owners — including those in Amish communities without electricity to run pumps — to obtain compliant septic systems.
