California OWTS Maintenance: State and Local Requirements
Use this guide to separate the statewide OWTS baseline from local requirements and identify the tier framework relevant to a new or replacement system.
Practical guide
What should I know?
Required or recommended?
Legal-status guidance. These items include legal-status claims. Check each item's applicability, conditions, exceptions, and local notes before relying on it.
Maintain the system and check local requirements
Requirement
California OWTS owners must keep their systems in good working condition, including inspections and pumping of solids as necessary or as required by local ordinances.
Applicability, timing, evidence, and source
Applicability
California OWTS owner maintaining an onsite wastewater treatment system.
Audience: California OWTS owner
System types: onsite wastewater treatment system
Local check required. A local authority may affect whether or how this proposition applies.
Supporting evidence
Owners of OWTS shall maintain their OWTS in good working condition including inspections and pumping of solids as necessary, or as required by local ordinances, to maintain proper function and assure adequate treatment.
California OWTS owners must follow applicable local codes and ordinances, and local permitting conditions may be more stringent than the statewide OWTS Policy.
Applicability, timing, evidence, and source
Applicability
California OWTS owner subject to local permitting or operating requirements.
Audience: California OWTS owner
System types: onsite wastewater treatment system
Local check required. A local authority may affect whether or how this proposition applies.
Supporting evidence
Owners of OWTS shall adhere to the requirements prescribed in local codes and ordinances. Owners of new and replacement OWTS covered by this Policy shall also meet the minimum standards contained in Tier 1, or an alternate standard provided by a Local Agency Management Program per Tier 2, or shall comply with the requirements of Tier 3 if near an impaired water body and subject to Tier 3, or shall provide corrective action for their OWTS if their system meets conditions that place it in Tier 4. 2.3 Owners of OWTS shall comply with any and all permitting conditions imposed by a local agency that do not directly conflict with this Policy, including any conditions that are more stringent than required by this Policy.
For new or replacement California OWTS, Tier 1 generally applies where there is no approved Local Agency Management Program and Tier 2 where an approved program governs; Tier 3 impaired-area rules or Tier 4 corrective-action conditions can change that baseline.
Applicability, timing, evidence, and source
Applicability
California new or replacement OWTS; Tier 1 or Tier 2 is the baseline depending on an approved Local Agency Management Program, subject to Tier 3 impaired-area and Tier 4 corrective-action conditions.
Audience: California owner of a new or replacement OWTS
System types: new or replacement OWTS
Conditions: Whether an approved Local Agency Management Program governs locally.; Whether Tier 3 impaired-area conditions or Tier 4 corrective-action conditions apply.
Local check required. A local authority may affect whether or how this proposition applies.
Supporting evidence
In areas with no approved Local Agency Management Program, new and replacement OWTS that conform to the requirements of Tier 1 will remain in Tier 1 as long as they continue to meet those requirements. A new or replacement OWTS will temporarily move from Tier 1 to Tier 4 if it is determined that corrective action is needed. The new or replacement OWTS will return to Tier 1 once the corrective action is completed. A new or replacement OWTS will move from Tier 1 to Tier 3 if it is adjacent to an impaired water body or is covered by a TMDL implementation plan. In areas with an approved Local Agency Management Program, new and replacement OWTS that conform to the requirements of the Tier 2 Local Agency Management Program will remain in Tier 2 as long as they continue to meet those requirements. A new or replacement OWTS will temporarily move from Tier 2 to Tier 4 if it is determined that corrective action is needed. The new or replacement OWTS will return to Tier 2 once the corrective action is completed. A new or replacement OWTS will move from Tier 2 to Tier 3 if it is adjacent to an impaired water body, or is covered by a TMDL implementation plan, or is covered by special provisions for impaired water bodies contained in a Local Agency Management Program.