NEW SEPTIC REGS WILL IMPACT SHASTA COUNTY PROPERTY OWNERS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, REAL ESTATE LEGISLATION, SHASTA COUNTY
December 12th, 2008
Contaminated beaches along California’s coast sparked the California Coastal Commission to seek development of statewide septic regulations in the late 1990’s. AB 885 was passed in 2000 and the regulations have been under development ever since. The final regs are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2010 and will be implemented July of 2010.
Onsite wastewater disposal system (OWTS) or septic systems are utilized in areas that lack public sewer systems. Most homes in the unincorporated areas of Shasta County and some within the city limits utilize OWTS’s. The new regulations will mandate property owners have their systems inspected every 5 years by a qualified service provider. Furthermore, if the property is served by a private well, the water will need to be sampled and tested “for a wide array of minerals and other constituents by a state-certified laboratory at least once every 5 years” according to a news release from the Shasta County Department of Resource Management. Currently, there are no requirements these systems be tested although a property sale usually triggers a buyer requesting the systems be tested. The cost to have a septic tank pumped and inspected by a local company ranges from $300-$500. Well water tests start at $20 for a simple bacteria test to several hundred dollars for a complete test (as required by these regulations).
The most significant change involves installation of new systems. The owner must prove the septic site has at least three feet of “good soil” below the bottom of the leachfield and above high groundwater table levels. If a property lacks proper soil depth or if the water table rises during winter rains, a more expensive engineered septic system could be required by county regulatory authorities. These new regulations will apply to systems being upgraded, replaced or repaired.
Shasta County has many areas with hard-pan layers such as Millville and Palo Cedro or little soil remaining after mining operations stripped away topsoil many years ago. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) claims these “supplemental” or “advanced” treatment systems can be built for “typically” about twice the cost of a conventional system. My experience has been that the cost can be many fold more than a conventional system. In some cases these systems can cost as much as $50,000, according to my clients who were considering buying a parcel in Tehama County where engineered systems including a sand filter were required for a new home developed in Rolling Hills Estates.
Concerned property owners should make a point of attending the meeting at the Shasta County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 1450 Court Street on December 18, 2008 at 7:00 PM. The SWRCB will be there to receive public comments and may elaborate on the new regulation’s requirements.
This could effectively remove large swaths of Shasta County from being financially feasible for land development. It could also create huge financial burdens for existing property owners that have failing septic systems. My understanding is implementation and enforcement of the new regulations will fall upon the local Environmental Health Department. SWRCB estimates businesses and homeowners will pay $350 million to $400 million per year to implement the new regulations. In light of the fact that the state and county budgets are facing shortages, the cost will fall squarely on the backs of developers and property owners.
I will post additional information after further analysis of the final regulations.
530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492
BRAD GARBUTT
REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS GMAC
QUARTER CENTURY LOCAL REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE
Very well written. This is the kind of information that is useful to those want to increase their SERP’s. Keep up the good work.