The Logan County Health District (LCHD) issues permits for private sewage systems that treat less than 1,000 gallons per day of wastewater.

The Ohio Administrative Code 3701-29 sets forth the minimum standards for all household sewage treatment systems (HSTSs) in Ohio. This statewide code superseded all local county sewage regulations and became effective on January 1, 2015.

Program FAQ Page

Health districts are required to conduct sewage Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Programs to monitor the operating conditions of all private sewage systems within their jurisdictions. The LCHD is in the process of implementing an O&M program for Logan County, starting with a 2-year assessment period. All existing HSTSs are required to have renewable operation permits. Existing sewage systems will be classified according to the risk factors of system age, complexity due to mechanical components and risks to public health to determine whether a 1-year, 5-year, or 10-year operation permit will be issued.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has begun conducting surveys of local health districts to determine the extent of their compliance with the sewage code’s requirements. ODH’s goal for the program is to prevent pollution of the environment through the repair or replacement of failed sewage systems. Sewage systems that are not creating public health nuisances will not be required to be improved, except for the addition of missing inspection risers on septic tanks, distribution boxes and sewage-carrying tiles that leave properties since these all aid in the monitoring of a properly working sewage system.

For households that financially qualify, Ohio EPA sewage grant money is available to help pay for the cost of correcting failed sewage systems or connecting properties with failed systems to public sanitary sewer. The application and poverty guideline charts have been posted on the LCHD website at loganhealth.org.

A three-tiered division of each sewage system in the county has been created to assign renewable operation permits. Annual operation permits will be required for each system that utilizes mechanical components such as pumps and blowers, consists of only a holding tank or is of an unknown or unpermitted construction. Operation permits with five (5) year limits will be required for systems that utilize off-lot discharging of wastewater (clear water curtain drains are exempt). This keeps timeframes in line with the five (5) year time limit mandated in the required National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits already enforced by the Ohio EPA for all wastewater discharged to the waters of the state. All other systems that treat wastewater on lot will have the maximum allowable renewal period of ten (10) years.

In accordance with the revised Logan County Regulation 26, operation permit applications began to be mailed after January 1, 2019, to all owners of private sewage systems installed prior to January 1, 2015. Operation permits for systems installed after the adoption date of the new state sewage code will be honored until their expiration dates. Failure to pay the $50 operation permit fee will result in a 25% late penalty fee and all unpaid fees can be assessed to the property owner’s taxes.

The Environmental Health Division is continuing, with input received from stakeholders, to develop the assessment process and a timeline for phasing in the management part of the O&M program. After the initial period of assessing and issuing of operation permits, an inspection will be required during the term of the operation permit. Holding tanks and septic tanks that have less than one-half of their liquid capacity remaining will be required to be pumped out at the time of their inspection in order to renew the operation permit. Inspections can be made by the septic pumper, a service provider or a sewage system installer, even the homeowner after proper training. If a system does not get inspected, the LCHD will conduct the inspection for $100 but is not able to provide any service or repair if required for the sewage system to operate properly. Arrangements would still have to be made with a registered service provider, septage hauler, or sewage system installer, as applicable.

The Logan County Health District has applied for and received a $150,000 grant from the Ohio EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to help low to moderate income homeowners repair and replace failed home sewage treatment systems. Depending on household income and the number of occupants, homeowners with failed sewage systems may qualify for 50, 85, and even 100 percent of the cost for a home sewage system repair, replacement or connection to sanitary sewer.

Financial Guidelines

Grant Application

Bid for Contract for Sewage Installers

Bid for Contract for Soil Evaluators

Additional Funding Sources

Household Sewage Disposal Systems Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3701-29

Logan County Regulation No. 26

Process for a Sewage Treatment System Installation Permit

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When applying for a STS Installation Permit, both of the below forms need to be submitted:

ODH Permit to Install

LCHD STS Permit Application

2024 Contractor Registration Application

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Sewage O&M Program FAQ

Sewage O&M Program Brochure

Logan County Haulers

Septic Tank Pumping Frequency Chart

EPA Types of Sewage Systems and Information

Sewage System Types Fact Sheets

Sewage Aerobic System Maintenance Fact Sheets

Logan County Installers

Logan County Service Providers

Soil Professionals demonstrating compliance with criteria established by the director of health under rule OAC 3701-29-07 (A)(5). A list can be found HERE.

A list of sewage system designers can be found HERE.

Constructed Wetlands

In an attempt to promote innovative sewage treatment technology and provide homeowners with more options, some experimental systems such as constructed wetlands have been permitted on an experimental basis in Logan County since 1994.

Constructed wetlands are beds of water tolerant plants saturated with sewage and covered with mulch material. The root systems put down by these types of plants maintain oxygen levels in the saturated zone, which allows for much greater “cleaning” of the sewage.

Systems such as constructed wetlands are attractive to homeowners because of their low maintenance requirements and their lack of mechanical devices.