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St. Tammany Parish launches triennial on-site septic inspections, targets 26,000 systems
Summary
Tim Brown, director of environmental services, told the Infrastructure Committee the parish has begun triennial inspections aimed at improving water quality; about 500 homes were flyered and roughly 50–60 have been inspected so far, with repairs supported by nearly $1 million in grants.
St. Tammany Parish has begun triennial on-site septic inspections, parish staff told the Infrastructure Committee. Tim Brown, director of environmental services, said the parish has started physically inspecting systems "as of last week" after four years of planning and that the program was authorized by a parish ordinance to improve local water quality.
Brown described the outreach process: inspectors leave a packet at homes about two weeks before inspections that includes a notice card and a homeowner-education pamphlet, and staff use mapping software to track which residences have been notified. He said roughly 500 homes have been flyered and about "50 or 60" homes have been inspected so far, with inspectors leaving outcome cards that indicate pass, fail, exempt, or inaccessible results. Brown also told the committee the program focuses initially on neighborhoods in the Bayou Lacombe watershed.
Council members pressed staff on implementation details, including how inspections are documented and whether certificates of compliance are transferable for property transactions. "That green card, that certificate of compliance is transferable the property transaction," Brown said, confirming residents who pass will not face an additional inspection fee at sale or rental. Several council members urged regular public reporting and charts so residents can track progress.
