Committee debates technical design standards, soils testing and effluent limits

Committee members reviewed numeric and design standards for decentralized wastewater systems and debated how stringent local limits should be compared with state guidance.

Panel discussion covered suggested application rates by soil drainage class (proposals ranged from 0.10 to 0.20 gallons/day per square foot), drip tube spacing (4–5 foot centers), and land-application reserve-area proposals (committee favored a 50% reserve). Members also reviewed draft effluent targets included in the packet: biological oxygen demand (BOD) ≤45 mg/L; total suspended solids (TSS) ≤40 mg/L; total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) 50 mg/L; nitrogen ≤15 mg/L.

Members repeatedly stressed the need for on-site soils expertise: "We need the county will need to have their very own soil scientist to help determine whether these systems are workable," one member said. The committee recommended that any final submittal require soil validation by a retained specialist paid by the owner or developer and suggested inspection and appeals language be added to the consolidated draft.

Why it matters: Technical standards determine whether systems will perform safely in local soils and affect whether systems fail or require costly retrofits.