Wayne County: On-site Sewage

To ensure the health and safety of local residents, the Wayne County Health Department inspects all residential Sewage Disposal Systems with Wayne County limits. Inspecting a variety of septic systems, ranging from standard to experimental, the Wayne County Health Department works closely with local and regional contractors to match the best sewage disposal system with the residence in need.

Sewage effluent is a concoction of many things such as pathogenic microorganisms, which are capable of transmitting a variety of diseases such as hepatitis, cholera, etc., and bacteria such as E. coli, leading to illness or even death if untreated. Sewage contains inorganic chemicals, such as solvents and pesticides, which are mutagens and neurological toxicants. These contaminants are illegally discharged from homes, often by means of old field tile connections and/or surface failures, finally making their way to surface and drinking water supplies of Wayne County. The goal of the health department is to identify such unlawful conditions and abate the conditions through regulatory enforcement. Water sample results and positive dye tests of homes confirm investigations of possible sewage discharges. Onsite sewage systems installed in Wayne County are regulated, permitted, and inspected by the health department. The sizing of residential onsite sewage systems is based on the number of bedrooms and bedroom equivalents multiplied by one hundred fifty gallons per day per bedroom and divided by the soil loading rate. The soil loading rate is determined during a site inspection performed by the Registered Soil Scientists. You may view a partial list of local Soil Scientists online. The office also maintains a list of onsite sewage system installers. You may obtain this list by request from the Health Department office or view the list of onsite sewage system installers online.

Please contact the Wayne County Health Department if you have any questions regarding on-site sewage systems installation in Wayne County.

The Wayne County Health Department reserves the legal authority to reject any site or proposed system that does not meet the requirements of the Indiana State Department of Health Rule 410 IAC 6-8.3 and/or Wayne County Ordinance.

Connections to an Existing Septic System

Connections to existing systems are possible if the existing septic system has passed an inspection that was conducted by a trained inspector. The new home that is being connected must have the same number of bedrooms as the previous home. If the existing system passes an inspection, it still may require some upgrades to meet IAC 410 8-6.3. If the septic system will not accommodate the new dwelling or fails inspection, the system must be expanded or replaced.