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Governor Eric J. Holcomb
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Obtaining A Septic Permit

All residential and commercial sewage disposal systems that are not connected to a regulated sewage facility, are required to obtain a septic permit. All repairs and new construction must be inspected and signed off by our inspector.

Permits must be issued before digging at any site!

The steps to obtaining an onsite-sewage system

  1. Get a soil test done by an IRSS soil scientist. (List is available below.)
  2. Apply for a OSS permit and pay fee ($100new $50 replace good for one year).
  3. Bring in a simple floor plan of your home. (Showing all rooms w/ a closet & egress)
  4. Bring in a copy of the deed.
  5. Appy for 911 address if needed.
  6. Contact an installer “certified” by the Orange County Health Department (Installer lists are available from the health department). If you wish to install your own system you must pass the homeowner installation exam ($5) and take the responsibly of the construction plan and installation.
  7. Have your selected installer contact the health department for the system requirements*. (This will be available to you once we have your soil report and application).

*System requirements give minimum specs on the size and types of OSS your lot can use according to the soil report. If any changes have been made to the soil evaluation site, such as soil removal or the addition of soil, or ANY other earth moving, after the soil test was done these system requirements will not apply and a new soil analysis will be required. You may NOT move your absorption area without a soil evaluation! The absorption area must go over the site described on the soil report.

Then:

  • Submit an onsite sewage system plan to the department for review. The plans must contain all applicable information required by the OCHD including but not limited to a complete set of plans of sufficient clarity, material/component check list, and trench detail. The contractor installing the system shall prepare and submit the paperwork.
  • The installer will plan the layout of the system and place stakes or other markers at the site to indicate the location of the system components based on the type and size of the system. Then the installer must call for a site visit to approve the plan submittal prior to obtaining a permit.

After this has been completed, the Orange County Health Department will:

  • Visit your site and review your site plan (and request corrections from installer, if needed).
  • Issue (or deny) a permit to the owner.

After the permit is issued:

  • Construction may begin provided that soil moisture is acceptable. The installer is responsible for making this determination using a plasticity test from the soil surface to the proposed absorption field depth. If there are questions, please contact the health department.
  • The installer must call the health department for an inspection 48 hours before final cover. If this is not possible there are policies for photo documentation before cover.
  • The Health Department will meet the installer at the site for final inspection.  The system installation will then be approved or denied.

NOTE:  THE SEWAGE DISPOSAL FACILITIES FOR A PROPERTY MUST BE INSTALLED AS OUTLINED ON THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH 410 IAC 6-8.3 AND THE ORANGE COUNTY SEWAGE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE NO. 2012-3. THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ASSUPMTION BY THE ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR ITS EMPLOYEES OF LIABILITY FOR THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OR FAILURE OF ANY SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM.

Soil Scientists

The following list of ARCPPACS Certified Soil Science Consultants is provided as a convenience in obtaining an on-site soil survey. This does not constitute an endorsement of any listed consultants. You must have a Soil Scientist do a soil survey before you apply for a permit from the Health Department.

JACK COULTER
Coulter Consulting
5426 S County Road 650 W
French Lick, IN 47432
(812) 525-1896

JAMES BROWN
11329 W Jim Brown Rd
Campbellsburg, IN 47108
(812) 755-4195
(812) 620-3170

SPENCE WILLIAMS
1771 S State Road 3
Scottsburg, IN 47170
(812) 8889-3524
(877) 556-1557

GREG ORR
Soil Pros Plus                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     gorr@soilproplus.com
(812) 430-4162