TITLE L
WATER MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

CHAPTER 485-A
WATER POLLUTION AND WASTE DISPOSAL

Sewage Disposal Systems

Section 485-A:34

    485-A:34 Soil Testing; Inspections. –
I. The department shall require soil data describing soil types and their physical and related characteristics as exist in the proposed subdivision. Such soil data will consist of soils maps and charts as prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or equivalent. The data provided by the soils map will supplement the information obtained by percolation tests and such other independent examination as the department may require to establish the adequacy of the proposed sewage or waste disposal facilities.
II. Lot sizes will be in accordance with the type of soil and its ability to absorb wastes without polluting water supplies or adjoining waters.
III. In all cases involving inspection of sewage or waste disposal systems in cities or towns which employ a full time health officer and/or building inspector, the department may delegate to such officer or inspector the responsibility for inspecting the proposed system as required under paragraph I of this section. In cities and towns which do not maintain full time health officers and/or building inspectors, the department may delegate the responsibility for such inspections to any local official deemed qualified by the department to fulfill the requirements of paragraph I of this section. All inspections delegated by the department under this paragraph to health officers, building inspectors or any other local officials shall be accomplished within 2 business days after receipt of written notification from the builder that such system is ready for inspection.
IV. The department may reject applications for septic tank disposal systems in those areas where there is already a high concentration of septic tanks on adjacent, contiguous or nearby areas or if the application is an obvious expansion, addition or annexation to an area which has already reached the maximum allowable concentration of sewage disposal through septic tanks and leaching systems.

Source. 1989, 339:1. 1995, 206:2. 1996, 228:106, eff. July 1, 1996.