OAR 340-071-0130
General Standards, Prohibitions and Requirements

(1) Protection of public waters from public health hazards. An agent may not authorize installing or using a system that is likely to pollute public waters or create a public health hazard. If, in the judgment of the agent, the minimum standards in this division will not adequately protect public waters or public health on a particular site, the agent must require a system to meet requirements that are protective. This may include but is not limited to increasing setbacks, increasing drainfield sizing, or using an alternative system. The agent must provide the applicant with a written statement of the specific reasons why more stringent requirements are necessary.

(2) Approved treatment and dispersal required. All wastewater must be treated and dispersed in a manner approved under these rules.

(3) Prohibited discharges of wastewater. A person may not discharge untreated or partially treated wastewater or septic tank effluent directly or indirectly onto the ground surface or into public waters. Such discharge constitutes a public health hazard and is prohibited.

(4) Prohibited discharges to systems. A person may not discharge into any system cooling water, air conditioning water, water softener brine, groundwater, oil, hazardous materials, roof drainage, or other aqueous or nonaqueous substances that are detrimental to the system’s performance or to groundwater.

(5) Increased flows prohibited. Except where specifically allowed by this division, a person may not connect a dwelling or commercial facility to a system if the total projected sewage flow would be greater than that allowed under the original system construction-installation permit.

(6) System capacity. Each system must have adequate capacity to properly treat and disperse the maximum projected daily sewage flow. The projected quantity of sewage flow must be determined from OAR 340-071-0220 (Standard Subsurface Systems) Table 2 or other information the agent determines to be valid.

(7) Material standards. All materials used in onsite systems must comply with standards in this division and OAR chapter 340, division 073.

(8) Encumbrances. Before a permit to install a new system may be issued, the site for the new system must be approved under OAR 340-071-0150 (Site Evaluation Procedures) and be free of encumbrances, such as easements or deed restrictions, that could prevent the installation or operation of the system from conforming with the rules of this division.

(9) Plumbing fixtures connected. All plumbing fixtures in dwellings, commercial facilities, and other structures from which sewage is or may be discharged must be connected to and discharge into an approved area-wide sewerage system or an approved onsite system that is not failing.

(10) Future connection to sewerage system. DEQ encourages placing plumbing in buildings to facilitate connection to a sewerage system in areas where a district has been formed to provide sewerage facilities.

(11) Property lines crossed: All or part of an onsite system, including areas for future repair or replacement, may be located on one or more lots or parcels different from the lot or parcel on which the facility the system serves is located. The lots and parcels may be under the same or different ownership:

(a) For each lot or parcel different from and under different ownership than the lot or parcel served, the owner of the lot or parcel served must ensure that a utility easement and covenant against conflicting uses is executed and recorded in such owner’s favor, on a form the agent approves, in the county land title records. The easements and covenants must accommodate the parts of the system, including a 10-foot setback surrounding the areas for future repair or replacement, that lie beyond the property line of the facility served and must allow entry by the grantee, successor, or assigns to install, maintain, and repair the system;

(b) For each lot or parcel different from, but under the same ownership as, the lot or parcel served, the owner of the property must execute and record in the county land title records, on a DEQ-approved form , an easement and a covenant in favor of the State of Oregon:

(A) Allowing the state’s officers, agents, employees, and representatives to enter and inspect, including by excavation, that portion of the system, including setbacks, on the servient lot or parcel;

(B) Agreeing not to put that portion of the servient lot or parcel to a conflicting use; and

(C) Agreeing, upon severance of the lots or parcels, to grant or reserve and record a utility easement and covenant against conflicting uses, in a form DEQ approves, in favor of the owner of the lot or parcel served by the system under subsection (a) of this section.

(12) Initial and replacement absorption area. Except as provided in specific rules, the absorption area, including installed system and replacement area, must not be subject to activity that is likely, in the opinion of the agent, to adversely affect the soil or the functioning of the system. This may include but is not limited to vehicular traffic, covering the area with asphalt or concrete, filling, cutting, or other soil modification.

(13) Operation and maintenance. Owners of onsite systems must operate and maintain their systems in compliance with all permit conditions and applicable requirements in this division and must not create a public health hazard or pollute public waters. Operation and maintenance requirements for systems under WPCF permits are established by the WPCF permits required in this division.

(14) Construction. An agent may limit the time period during which a system can be constructed to ensure that soil conditions, weather, groundwater, or other conditions do not adversely affect the reliability of the system.

(15) Permit requirements:

(a) A person may not cause or allow constructing, altering, or repairing a system or any part of one without a WPCF permit issued under OAR 340-071-0162 (Permit Application Procedures — WPCF Permits) or a construction-installation, alteration, or repair permit under OAR 340-071-0160 (Permit Application Procedures — Construction, Installation, Alteration, and Repair Permits), 340-071-0210 (Alteration of Existing Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems), and 340-071-0215 (Repair of Existing Systems) except for emergency repairs authorized under OAR 340-071-0215 (Repair of Existing Systems)(1) and (2);

(b) The following systems must be constructed and operated under a renewable WPCF permit issued pursuant to OAR 340-071-0162 (Permit Application Procedures — WPCF Permits):

(A) Any system or combination of systems located on the same property or serving the same facility and having a total sewage flow design capacity greater than 2,500 gpd. Flows from single family residences or equivalent flows on separate systems incidental to the purpose of the large system or combination of systems (e.g., caretaker residence for a mobile home park) need not be included;

(B) A system of any size, if the septic tank effluent produced is greater than residential strength wastewater as defined in OAR 340-071-0100 (Definitions) or systems using pretreatment methods other than grease traps and grease interceptor tanks to achieve residential strength wastewater;

(C) Except as provided for in section (16)(d) of this rule, other systems that are not described in this division and do not discharge to surface public waters or the ground surface.

(16) WPCF permits for existing facilities:

(a) The owner of an existing system required to have a WPCF permit under subsection (15)(b) of this rule is not required to obtain a WPCF permit until a system major repair or major alteration of a system, or facility expansion, is necessary;

(b) The permittee of an existing aerobic treatment unit, recirculating gravel filter, commercial sand filter, or alternative treatment technology system constructed or operating under a WPCF permit that is no longer required under section (15) of this rule may request DEQ to terminate the permit:

(A) The permittee must submit, on a DEQ-approved form:

(i) A copy of the service contract required in OAR 340-071-0290 (Conventional Sand Filter Systems), 340-071-0302 (Recirculating Gravel Filter (RGF)), or 340-071-0345 (Alternative Treatment Technologies (ATTs)); and

(ii) A written statement from a maintenance provider certifying that the system is not failing.

(B) DEQ will send a letter to the permittee to terminate a WPCF permit. The letter will be deemed a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion for the permitted system.

(c) DEQ may terminate WPCF permits for existing holding tanks for which permits are no longer required under section (15) of this rule. DEQ will send a letter to the permittee to terminate the permit. The letter will be deemed a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion for the permitted system;

(d) Permittees of other existing systems or combination of systems constructed or operating under a WPCF permit may request DEQ terminate the permit if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The system or combination of systems located on the same property or serving the same facility must have a total sewage flow design capacity of 2,500 gpd or less; and

(B) The system or combination of systems must not produce septic tank effluent greater than residential strength wastewater as defined in OAR 340-071-100; and

(D) The absorption facility is described in this division and does not discharge to surface public waters or the ground surface; and

(E) DEQ determines that the system or combination of systems is in compliance with the waste disposal limitations specified in the WPCF permit; and

(F) The permittee submits a copy of a service contract that meets the requirements of OAR 340-071-0302 (Recirculating Gravel Filter (RGF))(6); and

(G) The permittee submits a written statement from a maintenance provider certifying that the system is not failing;

(H) Owners of and maintenance providers for these systems must operate and maintain the system under the requirements described for recirculating gravel filter systems in OAR 340-071-0302 (Recirculating Gravel Filter (RGF))(4), (5), and (6). DEQ will send a letter to the permittee to terminate the WPCF permit. The letter will be deemed a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion for the permitted system. Conditions specified in the Certificate of Satisfactory Completion continue in force as long as the system is in use.

(17) Annual permit fees and reports:

(a) Owners of pressurized distribution, sand filter, recirculating gravel filter, and alternative treatment technology systems and those systems described in section (16)(d) of this rule not under WPCF permits must submit annual fees and reports as follows:

(A) Owners must pay the annual report evaluation fee in OAR 340-071-0140 (Onsite System Fees)(3) by the date DEQ specifies for each year the system is in operation. A system is placed in operation when it first receives wastewater and remains in operation until DEQ receives notice the system has been decommissioned;

(B) Owners must submit written certification prepared by a maintenance provider on a DEQ-approved form that:

(i) The system has been maintained under the requirements of the rules in this division during the reporting year and is operating under the agent-approved design specifications; or

(ii) The owner has applied for a repair permit under OAR 340-071-0215 (Repair of Existing Systems).

(C) Owners are not required to submit fees or reports under this subsection that a maintenance provider has submitted on behalf of the owner under this section.

(b) Owners of holding tanks not under WPCF permits. Owners of holding tanks not under WPCF permits must pay annual fees and reports as follows:

(A) Owners must pay the annual report evaluation fee in 340-071-0140 (Onsite System Fees)(3) by the date specified by DEQ for each calendar year the tank is in operation;

(B) Owners must submit written certification on a DEQ-approved form that the holding tank has been regularly inspected and pumped during the reporting year and that the year’s service log for the holding tank is available for inspection by the agent.

(c) Fees for systems under WPCF permits. Permittees of onsite systems under WPCF permits must pay the annual compliance determination fee in OAR 340-071-0140 (Onsite System Fees)(4) by the date DEQ specifies for each year the system is in operation.

(18) Engineering plan review. Unless specifically exempted in this division, all plans and specifications for constructing, installing, or modifying onsite systems must be submitted to the agent for approval or denial. The design criteria and rules governing the plan review are as follows:

(a) The agent must review all plans and specifications for WPCF permits under OAR chapter 340, division 052;

(b) Plans and specifications for construction-installation permits for commercial sand filter, recirculating gravel filter, and advanced treatment technology systems with design capacities greater than 600 gpd must be signed by a person registered under ORS 672 or 700.

(19) Criteria and standards for design and construction. The criteria and standards for design and construction in this division and OAR chapter 340, division 073 apply to all onsite systems:

(a) For onsite systems subject to WPCF onsite permits, DEQ may allow variations of the criteria, standards, and technologies in this division and OAR chapter 340, division 073 based on adequate documentation of successful operation of the proposed technology or design. The system designer must demonstrate the performance of new processes, treatment systems, and technologies under OAR chapter 340, division 052;

(b) For systems not requiring WPCF permits, DEQ may authorize variances from the criteria, standards, and technologies in this division through the variance processes in OAR 340-071-0415 (For Cause Variances) through 340-071-0445 (Variance Administrative Review).

(20) Manufacturer’s specifications. All materials and equipment, including but not limited to tanks, pipe, fittings, solvents, pumps, controls, and valves, must be installed, constructed, operated, and maintained under manufacturer’s specifications.

(21) Sewer and water lines. Effluent sewer and water line piping constructed of materials that are approved for use within a building, as defined by the 2000 Edition of the Oregon State Plumbing Specialty Code, may be run in the same trench. Effluent sewer pipe of material not approved for use in a building must not be run or laid in the same trench as water pipe unless both of the following conditions are met:

(a) The bottom of the water pipe at all points is at least 12 inches above the top of the sewer pipe;

(b) The water pipe is placed on a solid shelf excavated at one side of the common trench with a minimum clear horizontal distance of at least 12 inches from the sewer pipe.

(22) Septage management. A person may not dispose of wastewater, septage, or sewage-contaminated materials in any location or manner not authorized by DEQ.

(23) Service Contracts. Service contracts for servicing and maintaining onsite systems must include:

(a) A schedule for the first two years of operation that directs the maintenance provider to inspect, adjust and service the system a minimum of once every six months,

(b) A schedule for subsequent years of operation that directs the maintenance provider to inspect, adjust and service the system:

(A) According to the manufacturer’s specifications in the approved owner’s manual; and

(B) At least once every 12 months.

(c) A clause stating that the maintenance provider must provide an effluent quality inspection that includes but is not limited to:

(A) A visual assessment for color, turbidity, and scum overflow,

(B) An olfactory assessment for odor, and

(C) Any other performance assessment or operational diagnosis, which may include sampling of treated effluent (post-disinfection if disinfection is used) necessary to determine or ensure proper operation of the facility.

(d) A clause stating that the maintenance provider must notify the system owner in writing about any improper system function that cannot be remedied during the time of inspection and include an estimated date of correction.

(e) Other information and conditions of the agreement such as:

(A) Owner’s name and address;

(B) Property address and legal description;

(D) Contact information for the owner, maintenance provider, and agent;

(E) Details of service to be provided, including the service required in this section;

(F) Schedule of maintenance provider duties;

(G) Cost and length of service contract and time period covered;

(H) Details of any warranty; and

(I) Owner’s responsibilities under the contract for routine operation of the onsite system.

(24) A maintenance provider under a contract required in OAR 340-071-0275 (Pressurized Distribution Systems), 0290, 0302 & 0345 must:

(a) Observe and record conditions in the drainfield during all operation and maintenance activities for the system and report those observations to the system owner;

(b) Make repairs or alteration to comply with OAR 340-071-0215 (Repair of Existing Systems), 340-071-0210 (Alteration of Existing Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems) and other applicable requirements in this division;

(c) Maintain accurate records of their service contracts, customers, performance data, and time lines for renewing the contracts. These records must be available for inspection upon the agent’s request;

(d) Notify the agent of service contracts that are terminated or not renewed within 30 days of their termination or expiration;

(e) Make emergency service available within 48 hours of a service request;

(f) Submit the annual report required in section (17) and the annual evaluation fee in OAR 340-071-0140 (Onsite System Fees)(3) for each system under contract to be serviced by the maintenance provider;

(g) System owners must report evidence of any system failures to the agent and take appropriate action the agent approves to correct the problem.

(25) Groundwater levels. All groundwater levels must be predicted using conditions associated with saturation. In areas where conditions associated with saturation do not occur or are inconclusive, such as in soil with rapid or very rapid permeability, predictions of the high level of the water table must be based on an agent’s past recorded observations. If such observations have not been made or are inconclusive, the application must be denied until observations can be made. Groundwater level observations must be made during the period of the year in which high groundwater normally occurs in an area. A properly installed nest of piezometers or other methods DEQ accepts must be used for making water table observations.

(26) A person may not submit information required by statute, rule, permit, or order that is false, inaccurate, or incomplete.

Source: Rule 340-071-0130 — General Standards, Prohibitions and Requirements, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=340-071-0130.

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OAR 340-071-0130 General Standards, Prohibitions and Requirements

OAR 340-071-0130
General Standards, Prohibitions and Requirements