New or Repair Septic System Permits
Residential On-site Septic System Permitting Process
Step 1. Fill out the application form and return it to the Randolph County Health Department. All applications must be accompanied by a plate of property. All applications for new sites must be accompanied by a set of floor plans for the home, including the number and placement of any jetted tubs with a 125-gallon capacity or greater.
Step 2. Contact an IRSS Certified Soil Scientist and a Registered Septic Contractor to set up an appointment for soil analysis and site evaluation.
Step 3. Once the completed application and soil analysis are received by the Health Department, the minimum requirements for your system will be mailed to you or your contractor.
Step 4. Take the minimum requirements to your septic contractor. He/She will develop a set of detailed installation plans that must be submitted to the Health Department. They must be drawn by the actual installer or a certified engineer.
Step 5. The septic contractor or homeowner should submit the installation plans along with all required paperwork (materials list, perimeter drain certification, etc.) to the Health Department for review. The plan submittal must also include a plot of the property including landmark features such as roads, streams, ditches, field tiles, etc. and locate the residence, well, septic and any other structures (driveway, pool, garage, etc.). If this is a new site, show the proposed locations.
Step 6. The plans will be reviewed and a site visit for verification will be made. The contractor must make any required additions and/or corrections to the plans as called for by the Health Department. When the plans are approved, the Septic Permit can be picked up. A permit fee of $85.00 will be due at this time.
NOTE: While many contractors undertake these actions, it is ultimately the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that a septic permit is obtained before any work is done on the septic system and to see that the septic system is inspected and given final approval from the Health Department. The property owner is the sole responsible party for system function and maintenance.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
There is a type of soil called recessional moraines, which may be unsuitable for on-site septic systems. There are serious problems with the proper function of on-site sewage systems installed in these soils. Some of these types of moraines are located within Randolph County.
The usual soil analysis methods currently used by soil scientists will not detect the moraine soil. A more extensive soil analysis consisting of soil pits and mechanical analysis of individual soil profiles will be required to determine if moraine soils are present. If lab results confirm the presence of greater than 50% clay, a modified permeability test will be required.
The Randolph County Health Department will recommend the septic system suitable for each site. These recommendations are based on the soil analysis and are sized according to the number of bedrooms in the house. If testing results in the presence of selected moraines, the site may be rejected for an on-site septic system.
Randolph County Health Department will continue its policy of determining the type of septic system for each site by using the information obtained through the soil analysis. If a definite area of moraine soil is located, additional tests will be necessary to determine if the location is suitable for an approved septic system.
It should be noted, that the Randolph County Health Department's recommendations for the installation of septic systems follow the guidelines of the Indiana State Board of Health. No guarantees to the actual performance of septic systems installed in Randolph County are warranted or implied.