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Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Program Current Rules, Laws and Statutes, Regulations and Ordinances Rule, Statute, and Law History Professional Certification, Business Licensing and Enforcement Product Registration for Treatment Products, Distribution Media and Sewage Tanks Septic System Tank Installation Fee Related Pages: 
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SSTS - Local Units of GovernmentThis page provides LGU location information and assistance for LGUs with development and implementation of their SSTS program. LGUs enforce Minn Rules Chapters 7080-7083 through their local SSTS ordinance and issue permits for systems designed with flows up to 10,000 gallons per day. There are approximately 200 LGUs across Minnesota, and depending on your location your LGU may be a county, a city, a township, or a sewer district. LGU SSTs ordinances vary across the state. Some require SSTS compliance inspections prior to property transfer, require permits for SSTS repair and septic tank maintenance, and may have other requirements which are stricter than the state regulations. Therefore it’s important to check with your local government to determine the local SSTS requirements. Local Government ContactsOrdinance DevelopmentCounties are required by MN
Stat. 115.55 to adopt a SSTS ordinance that complies with the
MN Rules Chapter 7080-7083, unless all towns and cities within the
county have their own ordinances. Cities and townships with SSTS
ordinances must effectively administer and enforce an ordinance that
is administratively and technically as strict as the county ordinance. In
some situations, cities and townships may adopt a conventional SSTS
program if the county has adopted a performance program. Inspection ProgramsInspections are required for all new septic system construction and replacement. Existing systems must be inspected when there is a bedroom addition permit request (if the LGU has a permitting program for bedroom additions). Existing systems must also be inspected when any building permit or variance is requested for systems located in a shoreland area. Local ordinances or lending institutions may require inspections at other times, such as at property transfer.
Annual ReportAll local governments with ordinances submit an annual report using an online survey to the MPCA. LGUs complete the Annual Report by using an on-line survey; the link and instructions are sent to each LGU the beginning of January each year. The report data is submitted by February 1 for the previous calendar year. Results are used to observe statewide SSTS trends, like those below, and help MPCA with long-range planning efforts.
Septic Tank Installation FeeIn 2003, the Minnesota Legislature passed a bill requiring SSTS installers to pay a $25 fee for each septic system tank they install on or after July 1, 2003. LGUs maintain a listing of tank installations throughout the year, which they submit to MPCA each January. Installers, or homeowners if the LGU allows homeowner installation, must remit the total number of fees collected through the end of the calendar year to the MPCA by January 30th of the following year. For example, all fees for tanks installed in 2009 must be remitted to the MPCA by Jan. 30, 2010. All fee submissions must be accompanied by the MPCA tank fee submission form. The money generated by the fees is used by the MPCA to increase the level of service we provide to SSTS professionals in the areas of new technology review, technical assistance for local governments, training individual sewage treatment system professionals, program planning, and enforcement under Minnesota Statutes, sections 115.55 to 115.58 Financial AssistanceIncreased funding for county SSTS programs was provided in the Clean Water Legacy (CWL) funding package approved by the 2006 Legislature. The following fact sheets will assist in answering questions about how CWL funding will affect Local Government SSTS programs.
Straight-Pipe LegislationIn 2006, legislation providing LGUs with an additional tool to require upgrades of straight-pipe systems was passed. Chapter 224, the Straight-Pipe Act, requires homeowners who do not correct straight-pipe discharges within ten months of notification to be subject to penalties of $500 per month for each month of subsequent noncompliance.
SSTS MaintenanceProper maintenance of SSTS is critical, especially for complex systems or systems on difficult sites. Databases or spreadsheets can be used to track required maintenance.
Warrantied SystemsAdditional Links |
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Submittal Checklist
Proposed 2010 7080-7083 Rule Changes