Section 905.190  Installation Approval

a)         Plan approval shall be obtained from the Department or local authority prior to beginning any construction of a new private sewage disposal system.  A new private sewage disposal system shall consist of, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

1)         A system where a septic tank is replaced or where a major component of the system is removed or added.  Examples of major components would be the replacement or addition of an aeration unit, re-circulating  sand filter, sand filter, seepage pit, seepage bed or waste stabilization pond.

2)         A system where the size of the absorption field is increased by 25% or more or where 25% or more of the existing absorption field is removed and replaced with new piping and backfill material.

b)         Requests for approval shall be submitted on the forms provided by the Department or local authority.  At a minimum, the necessary information that shall be submitted to the Department or local authority for approval shall consist of:

1)         Plans or drawings to scale indicating lot size with dimensions showing the location of the system and type of system to be constructed; the dimensions and the length of lateral pipe to be installed, showing type of backfill material if applicable; distances to water lines, water wells, potable water storage tanks and buildings; site elevations and ground surface elevations sufficient to determine the elevation of system components and the slope of the ground surface; location of sanitary sewer, if available, within 300 feet of the property; and typical cross-section of the system.

2)         Number of bedrooms or design volume.

3)         Soil investigation results or percolation test results and the separation distance from the trench bottom to a limiting layer.  The private sewage disposal system installation contractor or homeowner shall submit information with the plan approval application or local authority permit application that a limiting layer does not exist within the distances provided in Section 905.60(a)(7).

4)         Owner's name and address.

5)         Name and signature of applicant.

c)         The applicant's signature serves as written acknowledgement that the property owners are aware of and accept the responsibility to service and maintain the private sewage disposal system in accordance with the Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and this Part. If the owner of the site is a developer or contractor, he or she shall notify the purchaser and the Department or the Department's agent of the transfer of ownership and responsibility for maintenance.

d)         Persons who construct, install, repair or modify a private sewage disposal system shall notify the Department or local authority at least 48 hours prior to commencement of the work.

e)         If any person constructs, installs, repairs or modifies a private sewage disposal system without complying with the requirements of subsections (a) through (d) of this Section and backfills any portion of the system or covers any portion of the system with earth, cinders, gravel, shale or any other material that will prevent the Department or local authority from viewing the system to determine compliance with this Part, the property owner or private sewage disposal installation contractor shall uncover the backfilled or covered portions of the system.

f)         Contractor Responsibility.  The private sewage disposal installation contractor is responsible for percolation test results and the sewage disposal system that is designed and constructed using those results.  Acceptance of percolation tests from other sources does not relieve the installation contractor from responsibility.  The private sewage disposal system installation contractor is also responsible for the following:

1)         Constructing, installing, repairing, modifying, or maintaining the private sewage disposal system in accordance with this Part;

2)         Providing the results of soil classification information or percolation tests used to design a private sewage disposal system to the property owner and retaining copies of this information for at least 5 years;

3)         Providing service to aerobic treatment plants at least equal to Section 905.100(g); and

4)         Assuring compliance with all codes that may apply to the system, including the National Electrical Code.

g)         Soil Classifier Responsibility.  The soil classifier or Illinois licensed professional engineer shall be responsible for the accuracy of the information from soil investigations used to design private sewage disposal systems.

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 14994, effective August 28, 2013)