Worth County board adopts updated onsite wastewater regulation after public hearing

The Worth County Board of County Commissioners, sitting as the Board of Health, voted unanimously to adopt resolution 04-26-02 to incorporate the state's revised Regulation 43 for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems.

County staff said the local regulation largely adopts the state rule by reference and includes an Appendix A checklist that lets the county choose which optional requirements to apply locally. Board members noted the county has repeatedly updated its local rule as the state changes OWTCS guidance.

Commissioners discussed two substantive items: the board removed an earlier, locally imposed pipe specification and confirmed it would not pursue mandatory title-transfer inspections, a practice the board previously rejected on advice of Ms. Carville. "I'm kind of sad that there wasn't anything in there with the true definition of what is considered a dwelling," a commissioner said, noting recurring questions about whether occupied recreational vehicles should be treated as dwellings for plumbing and septic requirements.

The board opened the matter for public comment with a five-minute limit per speaker; no members of the public offered comment in person or online. After a motion to adopt the resolution and a second, the board voted yes on the motion and staff noted the statute makes the adopted regulation effective 45 days from the adoption date.

The resolution will take effect on the date required by statute and staff said they will finalize signatures and forward the adopted document to the appropriate state office.