On-Site Sewage Management Systems
New Construction
Are you interested in purchasing property that will utilize an on-site sewage management system (OSSMS), but unsure what to do next? You will want to start with completing an OSSMS New Construction Application and returning it along with a scaled site plan and a Level III (minimum) Soil Survey. Upon receipt of the required information, an Environmental Health Specialist will review the proposal within 20 working days of submittal to determine if your proposal meets the minimum requirements of the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) and the Clayton County Board of Health.
- If proposal it meets the minimum requirements, a permit will be issued which will be valid for twelve (12) months from the date of issue. See the fee schedule for the current fee established by the Board of Health.
- If the proposal does not meet the minimum requirements, you may receive written notification that modifications to the site plan are needed, an engineer’s design is needed, or additional soil information is needed. If this is the case, re-submit the proposal upon satisfaction of the deficiencies that were noted.
- If the proposal does not meet the minimum requirements, and there does not appear to be any means available to do so, the Environmental Health Specialist will then issue an Unbuildable Lot Letter stating such.
Soil Survey
A soil survey can be completed by any individual certified by DHR to perform this work. These individuals are called Soil Classifiers. As with any service, our office recommends that you obtain estimates from at lest three (3) different companies so that you can determine what a “fair” price is.
If the Level III Soil Survey shows that the lot has very marginal soil characteristics, our office may require additional soil evaluations be performed prior to issuing a permit. This is usually referred to as a Level IV Soil Survey.
Scaled Site Plan
The scaled site plan should be drawn, using any ratio found on a standard Engineer Rule, although our office prefers 1”=40’. Please be sure to include the following:
- Lot dimensions noted in linear feet
- Ground run topography on two foot (2’) intervals with benchmark information (if this was provided on the subdivision plat)
- Terraces, gullies, embankments, and other physical limitations
- All proposed topographical changes noted on two foot (2’) intervals (Grading Plan)
- Transposed soil information – minimum Level III Soil Survey or other as required by evaluation of soil report
- Outer house dimensions
- House location
- Number of bedrooms
- All auxiliary structures to include outer dimension and location
- All existing structures to include outer dimension and location
- All driveways, paved or unpaved parking areas
- Finished floor elevations of basement and main floor
- Invert stub-out elevation
- All flood plains or flood hazards
- All bodies of water (streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, etc.) to within fifty feet (50’) of the property line
- Boundary of fifty foot (50’) set-back off all applicable bodies of water
- Top of dam elevation and dam breach zone
- All potable, non-potable, and/or capped wells and springheads within one hundred feet (100’) of the property line
- Boundary of one hundred foot (100’) set-back off all applicable potable, non-potable, and/or capped wells and springheads
- All easements and buffers
- All detention ponds and/or drainage or detention structures
- Proposed or existing swimming pools
- All walkways, patios, decks, etc.
- All OSSMS codes must apply to the design and location of the OSSMS
- Any and all other pertinent information that may effect the location or design of the OSSMS
- All pressurized systems shall meet additional Georgia Department of Human Resources’ Manual for On-Site Sewage Management System requirements
- Initial and replacement OSSMS. This shall include: septic tank(s), distribution devices, absorption fields, mechanical components, and all other required OSSMS components. Initial and replacement OSSMS must be shown at 100% length with applicable reductions to be granted at the time of permit issuance. All proposed absorption fields shall be proposed parallel to the land contours. Minimum distance of any single run to be fifty feet (50’) when utilizing serial distribution. No absorption field may be proposed within twenty feet (20’) of a soil delineation line between suitable soils, limited suitable soils, and unsuitable soils, unless through closely spaced soil observations the soil classifier can document the area within twenty feet (20’) of the boundary has characteristics for which the proposed type of system would conform.
- Any other information as deemed necessary by the Board of Health
Any Residential OSSMS Scaled Site Plan, which is submitted to the Board of Health, and does not contain one or more of the above noted items, will be “REJECTED” and returned to the applicant without exception. Only non-applicable omissions will be permissible.
Clayton County Board of Health
Environmental Health
1117 Battlecreek Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236
Phone: (678) 610-7199
Fax: (770) 603-4874