R.61-56.pdf

Regulation 61-56

Onsite Wastewater Systems

Disclaimer

SCDES provides this copy of the regulation for the convenience of the public and makes every effort to ensure its accuracy. However, this is an unofficial version of the regulation. The regulation's most recent final publication in the South Carolina State Register presents the official, legal version of the regulation.

Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Sections 44-55-610 et seq., 44-55-825, 44-55-

827, 48-1-10 et seq., 48-6-10 et seq., and 2023 Act No. 60, effective July 1, 2024

Table of Contents

100. Purposes and Scope

101. Definitions and References

102. Onsite Wastewater System Site Evaluation and Fees

103. Onsite Wastewater Systems

104. Application, Permit, Final Inspection and Approval, and Variances and

Exemptions

200. Minimum Site Conditions for Onsite Wastewater Systems

201. Minimum Requirements for Onsite Wastewater System Primary Treatment

202. Minimum Requirements for Onsite Wastewater System Final Treatment and

Disposal Systems

203. Onsite Wastewater System Construction Criteria

204. Evaluation of Alternative Infiltration Trench Products

300. Wastewater Treatment Facility Accessibility

301. Discharge of Waste

302. Changes in Use That Impact Existing Onsite Wastewater Systems

400. Appendices of Standards for Permitted Systems

Appendix A – System Standard 100/101 – Conventional with 14-Inch Aggregate Depth .. 22

Appendix B – System Standard 150 – Large (greater than 1500 gpd) and Community

Systems

Appendix C – System Standard 210/211 – Shallow Placement with 9-Inch Aggregate Depth

Regulation History as Published in State Register

Date Document Number Volume Issue

June 7, 1978 - 2 15

June 27, 1986 654 10 6

May 23, 2008 3154 32 5

May 27, 2016 4591 40 5

May 28, 2021 4979 45 5

May 27, 2022 5103 46 5

May 23, 2025 5324 49 5

Appendix D – System Standard 220/221 – Shallow Placement with Six (6)-Inch Aggregate

Depth

Appendix E – System Standard 230/231 – Shallow Placement with 14-Inch Aggregate Depth with Fill Cap

Appendix F – System Standard 240/241 – Ultra-Shallow Placement with 6-Inch Aggregate

Depth with Fill Cap

Appendix G – System Standard 250/251 – Reservoir Infiltration System for Soils with

Expansive Clay

Appendix H – System Standard 260/261 – 9-Inch Shallow Placement System with Fill Cap .

Appendix I – System Standard 270/271 – Alternative Trench Width and Depth Systems . 45

Appendix J – System Standard 280/281 – Reservoir Infiltration System for Soils with

Expansive Clay Shallow Rock Formations

Appendix K – System Standard 290/291 – Alternative Trench Width and Depth Systems with Fill Cap

Appendix L – System Standard 370/371 – Shallow Placement with Fill Cap for Sites with

Shallow Class IV Soil

Appendix M – System Standard 380/381 – Double Aggregate Depth Wastewater Infiltration

Trenches

Appendix N – System Standard 420/421 – Mounded Infiltration System

Appendix O – System Standard 431 – Mounded Fill System

Appendix P – System Standard 601 – Elevated Infiltration System

Appendix Q – System Standard 610 – Specialized Onsite Wastewater System Designs (less than 1500 gpd)

Appendix R – Curtain Drain Standard

Appendix S – Nonwater-Carried Sewage Treatment Systems

Appendix T – Wastewater Combustion Systems

Appendix U – Gray Water Subsurface Reuse Systems

500. Long-Term Acceptance Rate Standard for Onsite Wastewater Systems

501. Peak Sewage Flow Rate Standard

502. Onsite Wastewater Pump System Standard

503. Minimum Design Standards for Tank Construction

504. Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Tanks Standard

505. Thermoplastic Tanks Standard

600. License to Clean Onsite Wastewater Systems, Self-Contained Toilets, and Other

Sewage Holding Systems (i.e., Licensing of Pumper/Haulers)

601. Vehicles, Equipment, and Practices

602. Records of Operation

700. License to Construct or Repair Onsite Wastewater Systems

701. Continuing Education and Training

702. Practice, Procedure, and Quality Control

703. Bonding and Insurance Requirements: Tier 3 Installers

704. Transition to Tiered Licensure

800. Enforcement

801. Severability Clause

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100. Purposes and Scope.

(1) A major factor influencing the health of individuals where public wastewater treatment facilities are not available is the proper onsite treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater. Diseases such as dysentery, cholera, infectious hepatitis, typhoid, and paratyphoid are transmitted through the fecal contamination of food, water, and the land surface largely due to the improper treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater. For this reason, every effort should be made to prevent such hazards and to treat and dispose of all domestic wastewater through the practical application of the most effective technology available.

(2) Safe treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater is necessary to protect the health of families and communities, and to prevent the occurrence of public health nuisances. Domestic wastewater can be rendered ecologically safe and public health can be protected if such wastes are disposed of so that:

(a) They will not contaminate any drinking water supply.

(b) They will not give rise to a public health hazard by being accessible to insects, rodents, or other possible carriers, which may come into contact with food or drinking water.

(c) They will not give rise to a public health hazard by being accessible to children or adults.

(d) They will not violate federal and state laws or regulations governing water pollution or sewage disposal.

(e) They will not pollute or contaminate any waters of the state.

(f) They will not give rise to a public health nuisance.

(3) Where the installation of an onsite wastewater system is necessary, the basic principles of design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance shall be followed.

101. Definitions and References.

101.1. Definitions.

Accessibility - S.C. Code Sections 44-55-1410 and 5-31-2010 authorizes county and municipal governments to determine if a wastewater treatment facility is accessible to properties. Where annexation or easements to cross adjacent property are required to connect to a wastewater treatment facility, the wastewater treatment facility shall not be considered accessible.

Alternative System - A system incorporating design modifications of the proposed subsurface wastewater infiltration trench area (drain field) or absorption trench geometry for the purpose of achieving compliance with required setbacks and offset to the zone of saturation and/or restrictive horizons. No such system shall be utilized unless the Department has established a specific standard.

Alternative Infiltration Trench Products - Products specifically designed to replace or eliminate the aggregate typically utilized in subsurface infiltration trenches. Such products must be approved for use by the Department and must adhere to required equivalency values established herein.

Applicant - A property owner, general contractor or agent representing the property owner, or developer who seeks a permit to construct and operate an onsite wastewater system.

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Bond - A sum of money set aside (Surety Bond) to insure completion of work under a contract.

Campground - An organized camp in which campsites are provided for use by the general public or certain groups.

Canal - An artificial waterway used for navigation, drainage, or irrigation.

Cleaning - The removal and transportation of septage from an onsite wastewater system, self-contained toilet, or other sewage holding system to an approved disposal location.

Color Charts (Munsell System or equivalent) - Charts bearing various color chips established by a recognized color system which uses three elements—hue, value, and chroma—to make up a specific color notation. The notation is recorded in the form of hue, value, and chroma (e.g., 10YR 5/6). The three attributes of color are arranged in the system in orderly scales of equal visual steps, which are used to measure and describe color accurately under standard conditions of illumination by comparing soil samples to color chips on various charts.

Construction - The installation, upgrade, or expansion of an onsite wastewater system.

Conventional System - An onsite wastewater system that utilizes a network of conventional wastewater infiltration trenches installed in the naturally occurring soil for the treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater.

Critical Area - S. C. Code Section 48-39-10(J) defines critical area as the following: 1) coastal waters; 2) tidelands; 3) beaches; 4) beach/dune systems which are the areas from the mean high-water mark to the setback line as determined in S. C. Code Section 48-39-280.

Curtain Drain - A subsurface interceptor drain that is installed to collect and redirect groundwater as it flows through the soil profile to an appropriate discharge point.

Department - The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES).

Ditch - A long narrow excavation intended for the purpose of drainage and/or irrigation.

Domestic Wastewater - The untreated liquid and solid human body waste and the liquids generated by water-using fixtures and appliances, including those associated with food service operations. For the purposes of this regulation, domestic wastewater shall not include industrial process wastewater.

Dwelling - A self-contained unit used by one (1) or more households as a home, such as a house, apartment, mobile home, house boat, tiny house, park model RV, RV or camper, or other substantial structure that provides living facilities for one (1) or more persons, including permanent or semi-permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.

Effluent - The liquid discharged from a septic tank, effluent pump station, or other sewage treatment device.

Embankment - A bank of soil with at least two (2) feet of vertical height from top to bottom.

Environmentally Sensitive Waters - Outstanding resource waters (ORW), Shellfish Harvesting Waters

(SFH), and Trout-Natural Waters (TN) as defined in R.61-68 and classified in R.61-69, and including lakes greater than forty (40) acres in size and the Atlantic Ocean, regardless of their classifications in R.61-69.

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Existing System - An onsite wastewater system, which has received final construction approval or has been serving a legally occupied dwelling or structure.

Expansive Soils - Soils containing significant amounts of expansible-layer clay minerals (smectites) as evidenced in the field by classifications of “Very Sticky,” “Very Plastic” and where “Slickensides” are present when evaluated in accordance with the Field Book. Such soil horizons are considered to be restrictive for onsite wastewater systems.

Failing Onsite Wastewater System - An onsite wastewater system that is discharging effluent in an improper manner or has ceased to function properly.

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic - A fibrous glass and plastic mixture that exhibits a high strength to weight ratio and is highly resistant to corrosion.

Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils (Field Book) - A field guide published by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for making or reading soil descriptions and for sampling soils, as presently practiced in the USA.

Final Treatment and Disposal - Ultimate disposition of the effluent from a septic tank or other treatment device into the soil.

Flexural Modulus of Elasticity - A measure of stiffness of a material.

Flexural Strength - A measure of the ability of a material to withstand rupture when subjected to bend loading.

Gel Coating - A specially formulated polyester resin, which is pigmented and contains filler materials, the purpose of which is to provide a smooth, pore-free, watertight surface for fiberglass reinforced plastic parts.

Gleying - Bluish, greenish, or grayish colors in the soil profile that are indicative of markedly reduced conditions due to prolonged saturation. This condition can occur in both mottled and unmottled soils, and can be determined by using the gley page of the soil color charts.

Gray Water - Domestic wastewater that is generated by water-using fixtures and appliances such as sinks

(excluding kitchen sinks), showers, and laundry but that does not come into direct contact with human excreta or solid organic matter.

Gray Water Subsurface Reuse Systems - A system designed to separately collect and treat gray water and subsequently dispose of gray water by reusing it as part of a subsurface irrigation system. This definition does not include any system designed to reuse gray water for any purpose, or by any means, other than subsurface irrigation. This definition also does not include any system that reuses or recirculates gray water within the confines of (i.e., via the plumbing within) a dwelling unit, building, business, or other structure.

Grease Trap - A device designed to separate and store the oil and grease component of wastewater discharged from facilities that prepare food.

Industrial Process Wastewater - Non-domestic wastewater generated in a commercial or industrial operation that may or may not be combined with domestic wastewater.

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License - The official document issued by the Department authorizing a person to be responsible for the construction, repair, or cleaning of onsite wastewater systems, self-contained toilets, and other sewage holding systems.

Licensed Onsite Wastewater System Installer (Installer) - A person authorized under this regulation to construct or repair onsite wastewater systems. The specific scope of activities authorized depends on the installer’s tier of licensure, as follows:

(1) Tier 1 - May install all gravity-fed residential onsite wastewater systems. This level is not authorized to conduct repairs on existing onsite wastewater systems.

(2) Tier 2 - May install all Tier 1 systems plus pumps, grease traps, systems with curtain drains, elevated infiltration systems, mounded systems, and all commercial onsite wastewater systems, large onsite wastewater systems, and community onsite wastewater systems. This level is also authorized to conduct repairs on existing onsite wastewater systems.

(3) Tier 3 - May install all Tier 1 and 2 systems plus all Standard 610 - Specialized Onsite Wastewater

Systems. This level is also authorized to conduct repairs on existing onsite wastewater systems.

Long-Term Acceptance Rate (LTAR) - The long-term rate, typically expressed in gallons per day (gpd) per square foot of trench bottom area, at which a mature onsite wastewater system can continue to accept effluent without hydraulic failure occurring. This flow rate is a result of the interaction between unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity and biomat resistance.

Mottling - Morphological features of the soil revealed as spots or blotches of different color or shades of color interspersed with the dominant matrix color.

NSF Standard #14 - A National Sanitation Foundation Standard relating to thermoplastics which have been tested and found satisfactory for potable water supply uses, drains, waste, and vent applications.

Nonwater-Carried Sewage Treatment System - A self-contained system for waste treatment (such as a biological, composting, or incinerating toilet) that stores, treats, and renders human urine and feces inert without the use of water and that is designed to not discharge into the soil, onto the soil surface, into bodies of water, or other external media.

Onsite Wastewater (OSWW) System - A system, generally consisting of a collection sewer, septic tank(s), and subsurface wastewater infiltration area, designed to treat and dispose of domestic wastewater through a combination of natural processes that ultimately result in effluent being transmitted through the soil, renovated, and ultimately discharged to groundwater. An onsite wastewater system shall also include an onsite wastewater system, as described above, for the treatment and disposal of gray water.

(1) Small Onsite Wastewater System - An individual system serving an individually deeded dwelling or business that generates less than fifteen hundred (1500) gpd of domestic wastewater. Management and maintenance of each system is the responsibility of the individual property owner.

(2) Large Onsite Wastewater System (General) - An individual system that treats and disposes of domestic wastewater discharges in excess of fifteen hundred (1500) gpd.

(a) Privately Owned Large System - A large onsite wastewater collection and treatment system that serves one (1) piece of deeded property such as a school, adult residential care facility, rental apartment

5 | Regulation 61-56 complex, shopping center, campground, mobile home park, office complex, etc. Management and maintenance of the system is the responsibility of the individual property owner.

(b) Community (Cluster) System - A wastewater collection and treatment system that provides shared collection, treatment, and disposal of domestic wastewater from multiple parcels or multiple units of individually deeded property. Such a system might serve a small subdivision or a condominium complex.

It is imperative with such systems that some form of common ownership and management be established and approved by the Department.

(c) Commercial Onsite Wastewater System - An onsite wastewater system generating domestic wastewater or sewage that serves a facility, other than a private dwelling, intended for the engagement of commerce.

Operation and Maintenance - Activities including tests, measurements, adjustments, replacements, and repairs that are intended to maintain all functional units of the onsite wastewater system in a manner that will allow the system to function as designed.

Other Sewage Holding System - Components of a sewer system or holding tank not related to an onsite wastewater system, including grease traps.

Parent Material - The unconsolidated and chemically weathered mineral or organic matter from which the column of soils is developed by pedogenic processes.

Perched Zone of Saturation (Episaturation) - A zone of saturation above an unsaturated zone.

Permit - A written document or documents issued by the Department authorizing the construction and operation of an onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system under this regulation. The term “permit” includes the permit to construct and the approval to operate, both of which are required prior to operation of a system under this regulation. Upon installation of a permitted system and Department issuance of an approval to operate, the construction and operation permit remains in effect for the life of the onsite wastewater system that it authorizes.

Plasticity - The degree to which “puddled” or reworked soil can be permanently deformed without rupturing. The evaluation is made in accordance with the Field Book by forming a roll (wire) of soil at a water content where the maximum plasticity is expressed.

Primary Treatment - The initial process to separate solids from the liquid, digest organic matter, and store digested solids through a period of detention and biological conditioning of liquid waste.

Professional Soil Classifier (“PSC”) - A person who, by reason of special knowledge of the physical, chemical, and biological sciences applicable to soils as natural bodies and of the methods and principles of soil classification as acquired by soils education and soil classification experience in the formation, morphology, description, and mapping of soils, is qualified to practice soil classifying and has been duly licensed by the South Carolina Soil Classifiers Advisory Council as a Professional Soil Classifier in South

Carolina.

Public Entity - Any organizations such as a city, town county, municipality, or special purpose sewer district.

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Public Water System - Any publicly or privately owned waterworks system that provides drinking water for human consumption as defined in R.61-58, State Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

Pump Chamber - A watertight, covered receptacle designed and constructed to receive and store the discharge from a septic tank until such time that the effluent is pumped to a final treatment and disposal site.

Pumping and Transporting Vehicle - A vehicle approved by the Department for the cleaning of onsite wastewater systems, self-contained toilets, and other sewage holding systems and the transporting of septage and sewage to an approved disposal site.

Receptor - Any water well or surface water of the state, including estuaries.

Redox Depletions - Morphological features that are formed by the processes of reduction and translocation of iron and manganese oxides in saturated soils. These features may be revealed as spots, blotches, or streaks and are lighter shades of color compared with the dominant matrix color.

Redoximorphic Features - Morphological features that are formed by the processes of reduction, translocation, and oxidation of iron and manganese oxides in saturated soils. These include redox concentrations, redox depletions, and reduced matrices.

Registered Professional Engineer - A person licensed as a Professional Engineer by the South Carolina

State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors who, by reason of special knowledge of the mathematical and physical sciences and the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design, acquired by professional education and practical experience, is qualified to practice engineering as attested by the person’s license and registration as a Professional Engineer in South Carolina.

Remote Subsurface Wastewater Infiltration Area - A subsurface wastewater infiltration area that is not situated within the legal boundaries of the primary lot or tract that it serves.

Repair - Any work performed on an existing onsite wastewater system for the purposes of correcting a system failure, malfunction, or unauthorized discharge, enhancing system performance, or relocation or replacement of the entire system or system components, provided there are no changes in use that would impact the existing system.

Repair or Replacement Area - An area identified on the permit to construct reserved for the installation of additional wastewater infiltration trenches.

Restrictive Horizon - A soil horizon that is capable of severely retarding the movement of groundwater or effluent and may be brittle and cemented with iron, aluminum, silica, organic matter, or other compounds.

Restrictive horizons may occur as fragipans, iron pans, organic pans, or shallow rock formations and are recognized by their resistance in excavation and auger boring.

Resin - Any number of commercially available polyester products used in the manufacture of fiberglass reinforced products which serve to contribute mechanical strength, determine chemical and thermal performance, and prevent abrasion of fibers, and which must be physically and/or chemically determined to be acceptable for the environment, and free from inert filler materials.

Revocation - The permanent withdrawal of rights and privileges granted by a license or an onsite wastewater system permit or approval, as applicable.

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Rippable Rock - The rippability of rock material is a measure of its ability to be excavated with conventional excavation equipment (e.g., rubber-tired backhoe).

Saprolite - Soft, friable, thoroughly decomposed rock that has formed in place by chemical weathering, retaining the fabric and structure of the parent rock, and being devoid of expansive clay. Unconsolidated saprolite can be dug using a hand auger or knife. Consolidated saprolite cannot be penetrated with a hand auger or similar tool, and must be dug with a backhoe or other powered equipment.

Sealant - A bonding agent specifically designed to bond joining sections of fiberglass reinforced plastic products to each other in such a manner to create a durable, long-lasting, watertight seal, which does not alter the structural integrity or strength of the two (2) joined fiberglass products.

Self-Contained Toilet - A single or multiple-unit toilet and holding tank combination.

Septage - The mixture of solids and liquids removed during cleaning of a septic tank, grease trap, any other part of an onsite wastewater system, self-contained toilet, or other sewage holding system which receives domestic sewage; this includes the liquid, solid, and semi-solid materials which settle to the bottom of transport containers.

Septic Tank - A watertight, covered receptacle designed and constructed to receive the discharge of domestic wastewater from a building sewer, separate solids from the liquid, digest organic matter, store digested solids through a period of detention and biological conditioning of liquid waste, and allow the effluent to discharge for final treatment and disposal.

Serial Distribution - A method for effluent distribution on sloping terrain that utilizes drop boxes or earthen dams to affect total sequential flow from upper to lower wastewater infiltration trenches.

Sewage - Any liquid waste containing human, animal, vegetable, or chemical matter in suspension or solution from water closets, urinals, lavatories, bathtubs, laundry tubs or devices, floor drains, drinking fountains, or other water-using fixtures.

Site - The area or plot of land identified by a plat, deed, or other legal document specifying lot size and its boundaries that is submitted for evaluation by an applicant in an onsite wastewater system permit application.

Site Evaluation - Evaluation of the soil, geology, zone of saturation, surface waters, topography, structures, and property lines of the proposed location of the onsite wastewater system. The evaluation can be conducted directly by certified Department personnel or the Department may conduct an evaluation through the review of information submitted by a licensed person meeting the criteria of Section 102.1(2)(b) or (c).

Soils Report - A report prepared by a licensed person meeting the criteria of Section 102.1(2)(b) or (c) describing soil and site conditions for the purpose of designing an onsite wastewater system.

Soil Structure - The aggregation of primary soil particles (i.e., sand, silt, and clay) into compound particles or clusters of primary particles which are separated from the adjoining aggregates by surfaces of weakness.

In soils with platy structure, the aggregates are plate-like and overlap one another to severely impair permeability. A massive condition can occur in soils containing considerable amounts of clay when a portion of the colloidal material, including clay particles, tends to fill the pore spaces making the soil very dense.

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Soil Texture - The relative proportions of the three soil separates (sand, silt, and clay) in a given sample of soil. The percentages of each separate are used to determine which class a particular sample falls into by plotting the intersection of these three values on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural

Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Textural Triangle.

Standard 610 - Specialized Onsite Wastewater System Design (less than 1500 gpd) - An onsite wastewater system that is certified to function satisfactorily and in accordance with all requirements of this regulation by virtue of it having been designed by a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in South Carolina with technical input from a licensed person meeting the criteria of Section 102.1(2)(b) or (c). Such systems have limited application and can only be utilized when the required engineering design, certification, and technical soils documentation have been provided to and accepted by the Department.

Standard - A group of requirements developed by the Department that specifies the minimum site conditions and design criteria necessary for the approval of a specific type of onsite wastewater system. A standard may also address minimum design criteria for certain components of onsite wastewater systems as well as methodologies for determining system sizing.

Stickiness - The capacity of soil to adhere to other objects. Stickiness is estimated in accordance with the

Field Book at the moisture content that displays the greatest adherence when pressed between the thumb and forefinger.

Subdivision - Means all divisions of a tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, building sites, or other divisions, for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or building development, and includes all division of land involving a new street or a change in existing streets, and includes resubdivision. This definition shall apply whether the lots are to be sold, rented, or leased. This definition shall not apply when the division or partition of the land, or the conveyance of property is pursuant to a will, an intestacy statute, or an order by a probate judge.

Subsurface Wastewater Infiltration Area (Drain Field) - A specific area where a network of wastewater infiltration trenches or other devices of sewage application are installed to provide the final treatment and disposal of effluent.

Suspension - The temporary or indefinite withdrawal or cessation of rights and privileges granted by a license or onsite wastewater system permit or approval, as applicable.

Third-Party - A qualified person or entity, as determined by the Department, that is independent of the parties involved.

Ultimate Tensile Strength - A measure of the resistance of a material to longitudinal stress, measured by the minimum longitudinal stress required to rupture the material.

Upgrade/Expansion - Any work performed on an existing onsite wastewater system for the purposes of increasing the capacity of the system above its original design and/or accommodating wastes of a different character than was originally approved.

Variance - Means a written document issued by the Department that authorizes a modification or waiver of one or more requirements of this regulation, if in the opinion of the Department, a health hazard or nuisance will not result from the modification or waiver.

Wastewater Characteristics - The physical, chemical, and biological parameters and characteristics of domestic wastewater. Physical characteristics include turbidity, color, odor, total suspended solids (TSS), 9 | Regulation 61-56 temperature and fats, oils and grease (FOG). Chemical characteristics include the presence and extent of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), nitrogen, phosphorous, chlorides, sulfates, alkalinity, pH, heavy metals, trace elements, and priority pollutants identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Biological characteristics include biological oxygen demand (BOD), oxygen required for nitrification and microbial population. High strength wastewater is characterized as meeting one (1) or more of the following levels: BOD > 350 mg/l, TSS > 100 mg/l, TKN > 100 mg/l, FOG > 30 mg/l.

Wastewater Combustion System - A self-contained system for wastewater treatment that uses water as a medium for transport and storage. It treats and renders wastewater inert using maceration and incineration.

Wastewater Infiltration Trench - A trench installed in the naturally occurring soil that is utilized for the treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater.

Wastewater Treatment Facility - An accessible publicly or privately owned system of structures, equipment, and related appurtenances that treat, store, or manage wastewater.

Zone of Saturation - Any zone in the soil profile that has soil water pressures that are zero or positive at some time during the year. For the purpose of this regulation, the beginning of such a zone shall be utilized in determining all required vertical separations from the deepest point of effluent application. This zone shall be defined as the shallowest of those points at which either redox depletions of value four (4) or more and chroma two (2) or less appear or gleying is first observed; or, in the absence of other field identification methods, the maximum groundwater elevation as determined by wet season monitoring performed in accordance with criteria approved by the Department.

101.2. References.

The following manufacturing and procedural standards referenced in this regulation are those in force on the effective date of this revision:

(1) American Society of Agronomy (ASA)

(2) ASTM International C

(3) ASTM International D

(4) CSA Group

(5) Crop Science Society of America (CSSA)

(6) International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)

(7) National Building Specification (NBS) Voluntary Product Standard PS 15-69

(8) National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

(9) Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

102. Onsite Wastewater System Site Evaluation and Fees.

102.1. Site Evaluations.

(1) An applicant for a permit to construct an onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system shall, at the time an application for a permit to construct is submitted to the Department, pay to the Department the site evaluation fee set forth in Section 102.2.

(2) Soil evaluations shall be conducted only by:

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(a) A certified Department staff member;

(b) A licensed Professional Soil Classifier or other licensed person qualified to practice soil classifying under S.C. Code 40-65-40(7) and otherwise deemed qualified by the Department who has contracted with the Department. The contractor may not charge a rate more than three (3) times the

Department’s permit fees; or

(c) A privately hired licensed Professional Soil Classifier or other licensed person qualified to practice professional soil classifying under S.C. Code Section 40-65-40(7), provided that the burden of documenting qualification under S.C. Code Section 40-65-40(7) is on the licensed professional. The licensed professional shall provide to the Department verification of licensure and confirmation from their licensing board that the person is qualified to practice professional soil classifying within the scope of their license. The Department will disallow a soil evaluation from any person not able to provide verification to the Department’s satisfaction.

(3) Except as provided in Section 102.1(4) and 102.1(5), an onsite wastewater system layout in accordance with Section 400, Appendices of Standards for Permitted Systems, may be prepared by:

(a) A certified Department staff member;

(b) A Registered Professional Engineer licensed in South Carolina who is not Department staff and has subcontracted with the Department to prepare onsite wastewater system layouts at a rate not more than three (3) times the Department’s permit fee; or

(c) A privately hired Registered Professional Engineer licensed in South Carolina or the same licensed person under Section 102.1(2)(b) or (c) who conducted the soil evaluation for the site.

(4) Only a Registered Professional Engineer may design a system and prepare a system layout for

Standard 610/611 – Specialized Onsite Wastewater Systems, Standard 150 – Large and Community Onsite

Wastewater Systems, nonwater-carried sewage treatment systems, wastewater combustion systems, and gray water subsurface reuse systems.

(5) The Department will not perform a soil evaluation or prepare a system layout for any subdivision or portion of a subdivision with ten (10) or more lots without access to all available utilities. Soil evaluations for any lots that are part of a subdivision with ten (10) or more lots without access to all available utilities must be conducted by a licensed person meeting the criteria of Section 102.1(2)(b) or (c). Proposed system layouts for any lots that are part of a subdivision must be prepared by a third-party Registered Professional

Engineer or Professional Soil Classifier meeting the criteria under Section 102.1(3)(b) or (c). The Soils

Report and proposed system layout must be submitted with the onsite wastewater system permit application for the purpose of the Department review and issuance of a permit to construct.

102.2. Fees.

The Department shall charge a fee of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) to evaluate the site of a proposed onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system.

102.3. Other.

Funds derived from these fees shall be used only for the provision of services and accompanying expenses associated with the Department’s Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services programs.

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103. Onsite Wastewater Systems.

103.1. General.

(1) Each dwelling, business, or other structure occupied for more than two (2) hours per day shall be provided with an approved method for the treatment and disposal of domestic wastewater.

(2) It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that a permit to construct and operate any new, upgraded, or expanded onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system is obtained from the Department prior to construction and operation of the system.

(3) No person shall begin construction of a dwelling, business, or other structure to be served by an onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system until a permit to construct and operate such a system is issued by the

Department. Mobile or modular structures intended for occupancy shall not be moved onto the site until the permit to construct and operate an onsite wastewater system has been issued.

(4) The property owner shall be required to properly operate and maintain in good working order all onsite wastewater system(s) and their parts and to comply with all terms and conditions of a previously issued permit. System parts may include, but are not limited to, sealed watertight tanks, lid(s), piping, aggregate, pump, and pump components.

(5) An onsite wastewater system serving more than one (1) piece of deeded property shall be considered as a community or cluster collection and treatment system and shall comply with the following:

(a) A permit activity will not occur that is inconsistent with a plan or plan amendment approved under section 208(b) of the Clean Water Act unless the Department finds such variance necessary to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.

(b) If a public entity owns the system, the entity shall be responsible for the operation, maintenance, and replacement of all components unless otherwise approved by the Department. The Department may consider a request from a private entity or person; however, such proposals must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Department will evaluate the capability of long-term, reliable system operation in its evaluation of a permit request.

(c) If the project is owned by a private entity or person, the Department shall require financial assurances for the operation, maintenance, and replacement of the tank(s) and subsurface wastewater infiltration area system and relevant collection/pumping components.

(d) Sufficient area meeting the minimum requirements for large onsite wastewater systems shall be provided for at least one hundred (100) percent repair or replacement of the primary subsurface wastewater infiltration area.

(e) The collection sewer and pumping portions of a community onsite wastewater system shall receive a separate Construction Permit under R.61-67.300, Standards for Wastewater Facility Construction.

103.2. Large (greater than 1500 gpd) and community onsite wastewater systems incorporating advanced treatment methods, including but not limited to aerobic pre-treatment, lagoons, surface or subsurface drip

12 | Regulation 61-56 irrigation, low pressure pipe distribution and other maintenance intensive methods, shall be required to obtain a Land Application Permit under R.61-9, Water Pollution Control Permits.

103.3. Facilities that generate industrial process or any other non-domestic wastewater shall not be granted a permit under this regulation unless the Department determines that the proposed discharge would not pose a significant environmental risk. In such a determination, the Bureau of Water would determine if the waste may cause a violation of any drinking water standard under R.61-58, State Primary Drinking Water

Regulations, or may otherwise adversely affect the health of persons regardless of whether or not the wastewater is to be discharged continuously or intermittently to the onsite wastewater system. Plumbing appurtenances that facilitate the transport of such wastewater, including floor drains, trench drains, utility sinks, equipment drains, or any other conduit shall not be installed in facilities served by onsite wastewater systems unless specifically approved by the Department as a result of the above-described determination.

103.4. Campgrounds.

(1) Onsite wastewater systems serving campgrounds shall comply with all applicable requirements of this regulation. Such campgrounds shall be provided with adequate toilet and bathing facilities, except in those cases where all campsites are furnished with individual sewer service connections, and each site is exclusively designated for use by camping units equipped to access such connections.

(2) Individual sewer service connections shall be part of an approved sewage collection system and shall be equipped with removable, tight fitting covers.

(3) Where individual sewer service connections are not furnished at all campsites, an approved sanitary dump station(s) shall be provided at a convenient location(s) within the campground at the ratio of one (1) dump station per one hundred (100) campsites or fractions thereof.

(a) A dump station shall consist of one (1) or more trapped four (4) inch sewer risers surrounded by a concrete apron having a diameter of at least two (2) feet and sloped to drain. Sewer risers must be equipped with removable, tight fitting covers.

(b) Each dump station shall be equipped with pressurized water to be used for washing the concrete apron. The water outlet shall be protected from back siphonage by a vacuum breaker installed at its highest point, or by other approved means. A sign shall be placed at this water outlet stating: THIS WATER IS

FOR CLEANING PURPOSES ONLY.

104. Application, Permit, Final Inspection and Approval, and Variances and Exemptions.

104.1. Application.

(1) The applicant shall furnish, in a format as identified by the Department, complete and accurate information necessary for determining the feasibility of an onsite wastewater system.

(2) The application shall include written permission from the property owner or their legal representative, using a form identified by the Department, for Department representatives to access the property.

(3) A boundary plat, deed, or other legal document specifying the lot size shall be furnished by the applicant. The applicant shall provide a legal description that specifies lot boundary lengths for lots two (2) acres or smaller in size and upon request for any lot greater than two (2) acres in size. When a dwelling or facility is to be served by a remote subsurface wastewater infiltration area, the applicant must provide

13 | Regulation 61-56 appropriate easement(s). An appropriate easement must allow ingress and egress for construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and repair and must run with the land.

(4) Soil boring descriptions, backhoe pits, and soils classifications from specifically identified locations, including other tests or information, shall be required when deemed necessary by the Department.

(5) Backhoe pits shall be required above the Fall Line that separates the Piedmont area from the Coastal

Plain as defined by the South Carolina Geological Survey.

(6) Before a site evaluation of the lot is performed by the Department, the applicant shall be required to: clear and mark pertinent property boundary lines and corners; post an identification marker in the front center of the lot; place stakes at the corners of the proposed building; mark the proposed point of stub-out and septic tank as well as proposed drain field area; locate the proposed or existing well location; and identify the proposed location of any additional structures or facilities on the property that may influence the placement and configuration of the onsite wastewater system. A site sketch shall be included on the application or as a separate attachment that reflects the items above and any other items specified on the application. The applicant may be required to clear underbrush from the property in order to facilitate the evaluation.

(7) The Department will not issue a permit if it determines that site conditions are unsuitable for the system layout or permit requested, or if issuance of the permit would otherwise be inconsistent with the requirements of this regulation. The Department also reserves the right to modify a proposed system layout submitted by a licensed person under Section 102.1(3)(c) when deemed appropriate.

104.2. Permit.

(1) It shall be unlawful to construct, upgrade, expand, or operate an onsite wastewater system, nonwater-carried sewage treatment system, wastewater combustion system, or gray water subsurface reuse system unless the Department has issued a permit to construct and approval to operate for the specific construction and operation proposed. The system shall be constructed and operated in accordance with the permit, and the Department must authorize any changes prior to the construction and operation of the system. The applicant shall be required to make a written request for any desired permit modifications. The applicant shall submit a new application with a new site evaluation fee for permit modifications that require an additional site evaluation. The Department may also require a permit to construct and approval to operate for the repair, relocation, or replacement of an onsite wastewater system or its components when deemed necessary, irrespective of whether any change in use impacting the existing onsite wastewater system would occur. The property owner or their legal representative shall notify the Department before relocating or replacing an onsite wastewater system or its components so that the Department may determine whether a permit will be required.

(2) The permitted system shall be constructed and operated according to the specifications and conditions of the permit and in compliance with this regulation.

(3) Permits issued after the effective date of this regulation shall remain valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of issuance, provided the physical character of the property has not changed and the conditions of the original permit can be met. Exceptions may be granted for those permits addressed by other statutes.

104.3. Final Inspections and Approval.

14 | Regulation 61-56

(1) Except in the case of systems designed by a Registered Professional Engineer, all installers shall arrange with the Department in advance a time for a final inspection of an onsite wastewater system that is being installed. It shall be considered a violation of this regulation to cover a system that has not been subject to final Department inspection or installer self-inspection in accordance with this regulation.

(2) Final inspections of onsite wastewater systems to determine compliance with a Department-issued permit to construct shall be conducted by certified Department staff except as follows:

(a) Registered Professional Engineers licensed in South Carolina must conduct final inspections on all systems they design.

(b) Except as provided in 104.3(2)(a), Tier 3 installers may self-inspect systems they install. Tier 3 installers shall comply with Section 702.2 in its entirety.

(c) Except as provided in Section 104.3(2)(a), the Department may, in its discretion, direct Tier 1 and

Tier 2 installers with no pending enforcement actions or prior Department findings of violation under

Section 800 of this regulation to self-inspect systems they have installed using a process and form directed by the Department. Tier 1 and Tier 2 installers allowed to conduct self-inspections shall comply with

Section 702.2 in its entirety. The Department reserves the right to withdraw any direction to Tier 1 and Tier

2 installers to conduct self-inspections at any time.

(3) Documentation of system installations, including certified as-built plans where required, shall be submitted in a Department-approved format within two (2) business days of completing the system installation or within two (2) business days of the installer self-inspection, where applicable.

(4) The licensed system installer shall also sign a statement certifying that the onsite wastewater system was installed as specified in the Department issued permit.

(5) Following final inspection and upon review of all required documentation, the Department will issue an approval to operate for a system installed in compliance with the issued permit to construct and all applicable requirements of this regulation. The Department will not issue an approval to operate if it determines that the system installation is inconsistent with the issued permit to construct or inconsistent with any requirement of this regulation.

104.4. Variances and Exemptions.

(1) The Department may, on a case-by-case basis, approve and issue a variance or exemption from one or more requirements of this regulation upon a finding that:

(a) The granting of the variance or exemption will not compromise protection to human health and the environment.

(b) Because of the characteristics of the site, it is not practical or feasible for the onsite wastewater system to meet the requirements of this regulation without taking into account the current science and best technology available.

(2) A request for variance or exemption must be in writing and include the following:

(a) A detailed description of the regulatory requirements for which the variance or exemption is sought.

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