Laws and Regulatory Agencies

ODH  ·  OEPA

Two agencies at the state level are responsible for rulemaking and enforcement for wastewater treatement, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA).  In general, homeowners can work through their local or county health district to permit a new onsite treatment system.  Municipalities interested in developing a managed Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System should work through their District Ohio EPA office as well as consult their local or county health district. 

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Residential Sewage Treatment Program

For information about the interim rules which will be in effect until 7/1/09, visit the DOH Sewage Treatment System Rules web page.    A definition of a SFOST and a list of Local Health Districts that are approved to have authority over them are also available on the DOH website.     For more information, contact Jean Caudill or Tom Grigsby at the ODH, 614-466-1390.

Approved Onsite Treatment Equipment List and Approval Process for New Systems has Changed   Please visit the ODH web page regarding Sewage Treatment System (STS) Reviews for more information.

  

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) Division of Surface Water

Prior to 2007, anyone planning to install an onsite wastewater treatment system other than for a one, two or three family dwelling was required to work throught the Ohio EPA to obtain a Permit-to-Install (PTI).  Now, however, Local Health Districts can become certified to permit and regulate Small Flow On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems (SFOSTS).  Click here to review a Fact Sheet on SFOSTS and Change of Authority Issues from Ohio EPA.   Visit OEPA's On-Site Treatment Systems and Dispersal web page explaining their role in regulating multi-user on-site wastewater systems, and how to obtain a Permit-to-Install.

OEPA is responsible for Ohio's compliance with the federal water pollution control standards, including issuance of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits.     Most on-site wastewater treatment systems do not have a surface discharge, meaining they do not discharge treated or partially treated water into a waterway or on the ground where it will flow into a waterway.  If an alternative wastewater treatment system does discharge into a waterway, or if a community adopts a cluster system approach where one or more of the treatment plants has a surface discharge, then they are required to obtain an NPDES permit.  Click here to learn more about the NPDES permitting process on the Ohio EPA website.

The House Bill 110 Program, which began in 1984, authorizes the Ohio EPA to enter into Semi-Public Disposal Inspection Contracts with local health districts to conduct inspection and enforcement activities for commercial sanitary wastewater treatment and disposal systems under 25,000 gallons-per-day.  Local health districts are authorized to charge inspection fees to recover their costs for these services.

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