Proposed St. Tammany Parish OSDS inspection ordinance targets high‑density areas; council debates testing, pump‑outs and funding

Tim Brown, director of Environmental Services, told the council the parish faces an estimated 36,000 on‑site sewage systems and that failure rates in sampled areas range from about 25 to 50 percent. "If we use the 25 percent failure rate, that still equals 3,600,000 gallons per day of poorly treated wastewater being discharged to our ditches," Brown said, framing the proposal as a public‑health, environmental and economic development concern.

The proposed ordinance differs from a 2023 draft in a number of ways: it removes a per‑inspection fee, narrows the mandatory inspection geography to areas south of the parish’s urban growth boundary (targeting higher‑density areas), lowers maximum fines (from the $100‑per‑day level in 2023 to $100 per month in the current draft), bases inspection prioritization on sampling data rather than only visual identification, allows third‑party inspections, and adds more formal due‑process procedures so residents can contest citations before the Board of Adjustment and Appeals.

Brown said the ordinance emphasizes education and maintenance because fully connecting all unsewered subdivisions to central sewer would be far more expensive. He cited older engineering estimates that placed the cost of gravity collection systems at about $330 million and treatment capacity at $289 million (a combined $619 million in older dollars) and said current costs are likely far higher now. The ordinance follows a 1,000‑home pilot in 2024 and has undergone multiple revisions and public meetings; Brown said staff aim to return next week with the ordinance for council action.

Key implementation details discussed: Brown said the inspection cycle proposed is every three years based on field experience that problems commonly re‑emerge within one to two years; he clarified the current draft would sample ditches and water bodies (environmental sampling) for prioritization rather than mandate routine bacteriological testing of individual tanks. Brown also said staff will educate homeowners during initial visits and that the second inspection cycle will seek pump‑out receipts to confirm maintenance; if pump‑outs are not documented, enforcement steps could follow.

Funding and septage capacity: Brown and other speakers discussed funding for the program’s first year, including a proposal that the Mosquito Abatement District provide $500,000 per year (reported by some council members as a board vote in July). No executed cooperative agreement existed at the time of the meeting; staff said they would pursue grants and other funding if abatment funds were not finalized. Crossgates was identified as the parish’s permitted septage receiver; staff said they are working to add receiving capacity on the west side of the parish to reduce haulers’ travel and manage increased pump‑out volumes.

Council concerns centered on scope, testing methods and equity. Several council members and speakers argued for more sampling and regional water testing before property‑level enforcement; others warned the parish must act to avoid state measures such as anti‑degradation restrictions or MS4 permit enforcement. The meeting produced no final council vote; Brown urged support for the ordinance at next week’s council meeting while some members said additional work and clarifications remain.

Ending note: Staff reiterated that the proposed ordinance focuses on education and maintenance in targeted higher‑density areas, and that funding and septage handling remain active implementation questions to resolve before broad enforcement begins.