Septic systems

In Kentucky no one may build, install or alter an on-site sewage disposal system, commonly called a septic system, without first getting a permit from the local health department (KRS 211.350). In Campbell County that is the Northern Kentucky Health Department.

Site evaluation and permit

The process starts with a site evaluation, in which an inspector checks whether the soil and the lot can support a system. State law gives the health department 15 working days from receiving the application to complete it, with more time if further information is needed. The Northern Kentucky Health Department advises applying before any construction begins and leaving the marked area undisturbed, because disturbing it could void the evaluation.

A licensed professional engineer may perform the evaluation and design in place of the health department, which still issues the permit and makes the final inspection.

Who may install

Installation must be done by an installer certified by the state. The statute makes an exception for farmstead owners on their own property, and the regulation allows a permit to be issued to a homeowner under a separate permit rule. The health department inspects a new system before it is covered. A system found not to have been built in line with its permit and the regulations may not be used.

The owner’s duties

State regulation places responsibility for operating and maintaining a system on its owner or user, and requires the owner to protect it from damage and from unnecessary surface water drainage (902 KAR 10:085). A permit or approval is not a guarantee that the system will keep working. Owners of advanced or alternative systems must contract with a qualified operator under an approved maintenance plan.

As general guidance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends having an average household system inspected at least every three years and says tanks are typically pumped every three to five years.

Failing systems and home sales

For a system that is already failing, the Northern Kentucky Health Department directs owners to request a site evaluation. Repairs and alterations require a repair permit. Failing to comply with the state health regulations, or with an order issued under them, is a violation, and each day counts as a separate offense (KRS 211.990).

Kentucky’s seller disclosure form, which applies to sales of single-family homes when a licensed real estate agent is paid, asks about the source and condition of sewage service (KRS 324.360). The Northern Kentucky Health Department will inspect an existing system on request for a buyer or seller.