Environmental Health - Liquid Waste Program

Environmental Health is responsible for protecting public health and the environment from the potential adverse health and environmental impacts associated with on-site individual sewage disposal systems. This responsibility is carried out through the review of septic system design proposals, review of septic system design criteria, and inspection of new septic system construction and repair of existing systems to determine conformance with applicable codes.

Environmental Health also manages the proper disposal of liquid waste collected from licensed septage haulers through a permit issuance and inspection process.

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El Dorado County’s Environmental Management Division (EMD) has submitted a Local Area Management Program (LAMP) to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) for Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (the "OWTS Policy") regulates small domestic OWTS.

This policy allows for the continued use of OWTS under Local Agency oversight, and establishes minimum risk-based standards. These standards would go into effect on May 13, 2018.

For current guidelines for septic installation click here.

To review the approved OWTS Manual and Local Area Management Plan (LAMP) that will become effective
May 13, 2018, please see the following documents:

Septic System

An on-site individual sewage disposal system, also referred to as a septic system, is used for the disposal of wastewater from structures that do not have access to a public wastewater treatment facility. Wastewater from a septic system may contain many types of contaminants such as nitrates, harmful bacteria, chemicals, and viruses. If a septic system is designed incorrectly or is not constructed in conformance with applicable codes and construction practices, contaminants may enter the groundwater supply or may result in the ponding of sewage above ground causing direct exposure to people and animals.