Commissioners ask state to allow county to contract with TDEC for septic regulation oversight

The Williamson County Board of Commissioners voted to approve Resolution 32624, asking the Tennessee Legislature to amend the Tennessee Code Annotated to permit the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to contract directly with county governments to regulate subsurface sewage disposal systems.

Commissioner (speaking for the resolution) said the current statute allows TDEC to contract only with local health departments or boards of health, which are appointed bodies, and the change would add county government as an option so the county could choose whether to accept contracting authority. "The department can submit their recommendations to the board of health, the board of health can recommend approval or rejection, and then it comes to us for final approval before it impacts our citizens," the commissioner said, describing the proposed oversight pathway.

The commissioner emphasized the local financial impact of current septic regulations, saying, "When the average cost of a septic system across the state is somewhere around the 10 to $20,000 range. In our county it's more like 80 to 100 when you consider the regulatory hurdles and then the cost of the systems that we require." The transcript phrasing for the county figure was as spoken; the commissioner also credited a task force that is "doing a good job of reducing that" burden.

Commissioners asked about timing and whether the change must be enacted this legislative session. The commissioner said local delegates have been "seemingly supportive" and that staff would prepare the filing; if it cannot fit in the current session, it would be prepared for the next one. The commissioner added the resolution would simply create an option for the county to assume contracting authority — any later decision to accept that authority would still require a county vote.

The board called the vote and the transcript records an "aye" with no opposing votes noted in the record. The resolution does not itself change local rules; it requests that the legislature add contracting with county government as an option under state statute so county residents would retain the ability to seek final local review of TDEC-originated regulation recommendations.

Next steps noted in the meeting: counsel was asked to prepare legal research and staff will coordinate with local delegates about possible filing and timing.