PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING AN ON- LOT SEWAGE PERMIT, IN PENNSYLVANIA

Prior to obtaining an On-Lot Sewage Permit, several tests must be performed by the health department, borough or township's Sewage Enforcement Officer, on your property. First you will need an application, see directions below.  You must pick a site for the sewage system then the S.E.O. will do what is known as a "Soil Profile Test". An excavator will dig a pit and the S.E.O. will examine the soil to locate the Limiting Zone. (There are many different types of Limiting Zones.) Where the Limiting Zone is located beneath the soil surface tells us what type of sewage system will function in the soil on this property. It is possible for a pit to fail, by having the Limiting Zone to close to the surface, and if this happens the property is considered marginal for sewage renovation and you will be required to have both a primary and a secondary site, this requires a second application be purchased. Your property could fail this test completely and no system would be allowed. However, assuming the property passed the "Soil Profile Test", the S.E.O. will explain how to prepare for the second test, the "Percolation Test". The "Percolation Test" tells us how large the system must be to operate properly in the soil on the property. It is possible to fail this test and if so, your property would not support an on-lot sewage system. Provided you property has passed the required testing, you will be required submit a design drawing that is in accordance with the state regulations, and upon approval, the S.E.O. will issue a Permit to install an on-lot sewage system at the site tested on the property. Following are the steps necessary to obtain a permit. Please execute them is order to eliminate confusion. 

1. You will need to go to the township office and purchase an "On-lot Sewage Application".

2. Fill in PART I of the application, sign and date it where is says "property owner's signature.

3. If you haven't already decided on an excavator to dig your pit/s, now would be the time to do so.

4. Either you or your excavator must make a "PA One Call" before calling the S.E.O. for an appointment to do the soil profile.

5. Make an appointment with the S.E.O. to meet at the property for the soil profile test. (It is best, to eliminate making numerous phone calls, to have your excavator make the appointment and notify you as to the time and date.)

6. Be at the property at the appointed time and date of the appointment, with the application. (You must pick out the location of the proposed sewage system site.)

7. Upon completion of the soil profile test, the S.E.O. will instruct you on what to do next.


Should your property be required to have a secondary site for sewage, you will be responsible to preserve that site for future use should the primary site fail.   There are "Alternate and Experimental" sewage systems available, so if your property fails, be sure to question the S.E.O. about this possibility.   State regulations often are changed and new systems are approved for use in the state so remember this is just an outline and not necessarily up to date.  Always check with your municipality officials for the latest regulations.