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1. What is an onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS)?

An onsite wastewater treatment system is a system for collecting, treating and dispersing wastewater that is not connected to a central wastewater treatment works.

2. What is a use permit?

A use permit is a document issued by the Environmental Health Department approving continued use of an existing OWTS.

3. When is an OWTS use permit required?

A use permit is required in 2 cases:

1. Prior to the sale of a property served by 1 or more OWTSs
2. Prior to issuance of a building permit for a property already served by 1 or more OWTSs

4. Why was this regulation passed?

The Board of Health approved this regulation because of the environmental and public health impacts of malfunctioning OWTSs, which will be identified through the use permit process. Unlike a leaking roof, which only affects the owner of the home, a failing OWTS pollutes surface and groundwater and the effects can be much further reaching.

5. Are there any times where the use permit requirement would be waived?

Yes, in 5 cases:

1. A permit will be waived if each OWTS on the property received final approval for an OWTS construction permit from the Environmental Health Department within the 5-year period preceding the date of closing on the real estate transaction or issuance of building permit
2. A permit will be waived if, following inspection, a construction permit has been issued by the Environmental Health Department for each noncompliant OWTS on the property and the buyer has agreed in a writing acceptable to the department to assume the applicant’s obligations under the permit and to complete the necessary repair / construction within the time frame dictated by the permit.
3. A permit will be waived if the department, at its discretion, waives the requirement where warranted by a particular fact or situation, such as a buyer that agrees to demolish an existing dwelling and abandon the existing OWTS within a defined time period.
4. A permit will be waived if the valuation of a building permit remodel/addition does not exceed $30,000 and will not increase the number of bedrooms or proposed water use and is consistent with previously permitted uses.
5. A permit will be waived if the proposed construction for a detached structure (e.g., a shed or barn) does not include plumbing (e.g., sink or toilet) that will require an OWTS.

6. How do I obtain a use permit?

A complete use permit application (PDF) and all applicable fees must be submitted to the Environmental Health Department. The application will include a site plan, description and layout of each OWTS on the property, a written inspection report by a licensed system inspector, and building floor plans.

7. What will an inspection report done by a licensed system inspector entail?

The inspection will provide an assessment of the condition of each existing OWTS and each OWTS’s ability to serve the property without adverse impact to public health and the environment, and specify any repairs, enlargement or other alteration necessary to bring an OWTS into compliance with the requirements of the Pitkin County OWTS regulation.

8. How long is an inspection good for?

An inspection is good for 1 year following the issuance of the permit.

9. Who will conduct the inspections?

Inspections will be conducted by a third party, not by county employees. A licensed inspector must obtain a national credential prior to becoming registered as a licensed inspector with Pitkin County.

10. Will the process of obtaining a use permit delay closing or prolong the time necessary to get a building permit?

The intent of this process is to identify systems that are malfunctioning. For all systems passing the inspection, the Environmental Health Department is committed to processing a use permit within 3 - 5 business days upon receipt of a completed use permit application. If repairs to a system are necessary, those permits may be expedited so as not to delay closing or building permit issuance.

11. How much will a use permit application cost?

The fee for processing a use permit will be $100; however, the licensed inspector will be charging a separate fee for the inspection and report that will accompany the application and the inspection will require pumping of the septic tank(s), in most cases.