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Custer County Board of Health adopts updated on-site septic regulations
Summary
The Custer County Board of Health voted March 11 to adopt revised on-site septic regulations that align some local rules with the state, require one-year permits, mandate 48-hour notice for inspections, and add contractor schematic and vault-alarm requirements.
The Custer County Board of Health on Wednesday adopted revisions to the county's on-site septic regulations after a presentation from planning and zoning director Delana Crawford.
Crawford told the board the Department of Public Health and Environment returned an approval letter for the county's submission and that the county used the state's Regulation 43 template, adding county-specific language where needed. "They accepted my Custer County app regulation. Everything followed their guidelines," Crawford said.
The adopted revisions set the county's on-site permits to a one-year term, establish a 30-day window for applicants to request that the board hear an appeal of a staff denial, and require that contractors supply a detailed schematic of any new system. Crawford said the rules also require inspectors be given 48 hours' notice: "We need to be notified 48 hours prior to the inspection," she said, explaining the change is intended to reduce short-notice calls that staff cannot accommodate.
Other changes adopted include a prohibition on backfilling septic components so system parts remain visible during inspection; a requirement that vault systems include an alarm or indicator to signal when the vault is near capacity; and a variance path specific to vault systems in addition to the variance process for denied applications.
Crawford said the draft intentionally aligns some local requirements with the state standard to accommodate small lots. She noted the county's previous setback requirement of 10 feet from structures has been changed to the state's 5-foot standard to give property owners more usable yard space. She also clarified that "no septic component can be under the porch," although piping may pass under a porch.
Board members asked about minimum tank sizing; Crawford said that "since I started working here, 1,500 gallons is what" has been referenced as a benchmark, but the discussion did not specify whether that number was newly changed in this draft.
Chair (acting as the board) moved to adopt the revisions "as she's presented," and Crawford seconded. The chair called the roll and announced the motion passed.
The meeting closed after no public comment and the board moved to adjourn.
