Septic tank inspections may soon be required every five years for homes in Brandon and Groveland townships.
A proposed ordinance that is intended to eventually have all 80,000 septic systems in Oakland County on a five-year inspection cycle could be presented as early as May 16 to the general government committee of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. If approved by that committee and the personnel and finance committees, it could go before the full board as soon as June for final approval. No public hearing is planned.
‘The purpose of the ordinance is to avert, protect, and enhance the quality of the county’s surface and groundwater resources by requiring inspections of septic systems either at the time a property is sold or every five years,? said Joseph Colaianne, an attorney and insurance administrator for the Oakland County Drain Commission.
The proposed ordinance would be an amendment to the county’s existing sanitary code and is 99-percent similar to an amendment proposed more than two years ago, Colaianne says.
The amendment, Article 11 On-site Sewage Disposal System Evaluation and Maintenance, was delayed consideration in October 2002 because of state budget woes and the cost of enforcement.
‘During the course of inspection, if a septic system is failing, it can reach a point where legal action may have to be taken,? Colaianne said.
Property owners will be responsible for all costs associated with the septic inspections and any repairs or replacements that are needed.
The proposed ordinance will prohibit the transfer of property if an inspection was not completed within the last five years and if the system was shown to not be in proper working order. Inspections would be carried out by certified inspectors hired by the property owner, chosen from a list of approved septic tank inspectors.
In 1999, the latest year for which numbers were available, there were 4,296 septic tanks in Brandon Township and 1,743 in Groveland Township. From 1956-1999, there were 11,109 septic failures in Oakland County, says Dr. Thomas Gordon, director of the Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services. Of those failures, 313 were documented in Brandon, while there were 58 in Groveland. Gordon notes that the county is not aware of every septic system that fails.
He cites a study done five years ago that on average, septic systems in this county only last 13 years. The national average is 18 years.
‘We think that the systems aren’t being maintained,? Gordon said. ‘Septic systems should be pumped every three years to maintain their life. Most people do not follow that schedule. We think the fact that they don’t follow a regular schedule contributes to the early failure of the system.?
In the same study it was found that many septic systems are leaking? into water systems or aquifers. Gordon said the ordinance is needed to ensure septic systems and water wells are routinely checked to identify failing systems before the county systems are polluted.
‘We want to be more proactive, catch them before they go into a full failure,? Gordon said. ‘We find a lot of pollution in septic systems adjacent to rivers, lakes, streams.?
He cites that the focus will be on prevention, as it is much less expensive to prevent a problem than it would be to clean it up and fix it afterwards. The proposal is a preventative measure. Wayne, Washtenaw and Macomb counties all have similar ordinances.
Gary White of the Macomb County Health Department notes that their ordinance requires septic inspections at point-of-sale.
‘It’s basically a way of helping us locate failing systems,? White said. ‘Before, we depended on homeowners taking initiative and that wasn’t always happening. The proposal is effective in helping us locate failing septic systems and getting them repaired or corrected in a timely manner.?
Since the Macomb ordinance took effect in 2002, White estimates they have evaluated 2,500-3,000 systems with 12 or 13 percent of those failing. He adds that some of those involved relatively simple corrections.
Septic repairs vary widely in cost.
Brian Harrison, owner of Harrison Hoe in Brandon Township, said to pump the average septic tank costs about $150-$200, depending on the size of the tank. A typical formal inspection, with pumping and a review of health department records, costs $350. To fix a failing system costs anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000, depending on soil condition. A system that needs to be engineered can cost even more.
‘I don’t think it’s a bad ordinance at all,? Harrison said. ‘I see too many homes change hands with failing septic systems. What better time to take care of a problem than at the time of sale. An inspection of the system every five years can save the homeowner a larger expense in the future. The ordinance will help people who don’t realize they should be pumping every couple years.?
Gordon acknowledges there may be county residents who don’t like the ordinance because of the costs they will be responsible for, but says, ‘It’s the price of living in the country.?
He adds that it’s really no different than people living in urban areas, noting that when the Detroit sewer system does upgrades, repairs or replacements to infrastructure, the cost is passed on to city dwellers.
Gordon hopes to present the proposed amendment to the general government committee meeting at 2 p.m., May 16 in Committee Room A at the Board of Commissioners, 1200 N. Telegraph, Pontiac in the county complex. At press time, the date could not be confirmed. For more information, call George Miller, health officer for the Oakland County Health Division, at (248) 858-1410.