Onsite Wastewater Inspection

Onsite (or decentralized) wastewater treatment systems are used to treat wastewater from a home or business and return treated wastewater back into the receiving environment. They are typically referred to as septic systems or lagoons, because most involve a septic tank for partial treatment.

Missouri Regulations

Long gone are the days of putting in a pipe and allowing the flow to umm...flow.  Missouri General Assembly passed a bill and signed into law in August 1994 that addressed the protection of Missouri's groundwater (the source of much of our drinking water) and prevention of the spread of disease organisms.  The law governs sewage systems that treat and disperse wastewater, or onsite systems. 

The onsite sewage law covers soil absorption systems serving single or multiple residences or businesses with domestic wastewater flows of 3,000 gallons per day or less and lagoons serving a single residence. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates all sewage lagoons and sewage treatment facilities, including public sewer systems.  

Under the law, the Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) has developed minimum standards for the size and location of sewage tanks and soil absorption trenches.  County or city governments may adopt the state standards or stricter standards by ordinance. DHSS provides training and registration for onsite system installers and licenses individuals to inspect or evaluate existing onsite sewage systems related to a real estate sale. 

That's where our inspector comes in!  With over 40 years of experience in plumbing and construction, Keith is an Advanced licensed onsite wastewater inspector AND evaluator with the State of Missouri.  You can check out his credentials here.