Amador County - Proposed septic regulations for onsite water systems in California have raised local concern over property rights, added burdens for property owners and additional regulations and fees. Prompted by Bill 885 signed by Governor Gray Davis in 2000, the law would regulate discharge of wastes that threaten surface and groundwater quality. The California Water Resources Control Board has been holding workshops across California to gather public comment on the issue, including a workshop last month in Amador County. The proposal under consideration includes a number of costly requirements to be paid by owners should their tanks not meet updated standards. Owners must have their tanks inspected for solid accumulations every five years at a cost of $325. Owners of tanks within 600 feet of a surface water body that does not meet water quality standards could be required to retrofit their systems at a cost of $45,000. New septic systems must have filters that retain a certain amount of solids, malfunction alarms and maintenance manuals, plus regular site inspections by certified professionals. “The regulations need to allow for an effective, pragmatic variance process, where local government regulators can make site-specific exceptions…for local conditions,” said DeAnn Kerr of the California Association of Realtors, which opposes the law. A number of other organizations, including the California Farm Bureau Federation, or CFB, are opposing the law for similar reasons. "In these times of limited resources, why would the state put these requirements on everyone rather than paying attention to specific areas where there are known concerns with contamination of ground or surface water,” said CFB Resource Director Danny Merkley. Amador County resident Buck Bukrinsky said “people should realize that property rights will be violated at an unjust cost to all the present and future property owners.” For further details about the proposed regulations, visit www.waterboards.ca.gov. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
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Amador County - Proposed septic regulations for onsite water systems in California have raised local concern over property rights, added burdens for property owners and additional regulations and fees. Prompted by Bill 885 signed by Governor Gray Davis in 2000, the law would regulate discharge of wastes that threaten surface and groundwater quality. The California Water Resources Control Board has been holding workshops across California to gather public comment on the issue, including a workshop last month in Amador County. The proposal under consideration includes a number of costly requirements to be paid by owners should their tanks not meet updated standards. Owners must have their tanks inspected for solid accumulations every five years at a cost of $325. Owners of tanks within 600 feet of a surface water body that does not meet water quality standards could be required to retrofit their systems at a cost of $45,000. New septic systems must have filters that retain a certain amount of solids, malfunction alarms and maintenance manuals, plus regular site inspections by certified professionals. “The regulations need to allow for an effective, pragmatic variance process, where local government regulators can make site-specific exceptions…for local conditions,” said DeAnn Kerr of the California Association of Realtors, which opposes the law. A number of other organizations, including the California Farm Bureau Federation, or CFB, are opposing the law for similar reasons. "In these times of limited resources, why would the state put these requirements on everyone rather than paying attention to specific areas where there are known concerns with contamination of ground or surface water,” said CFB Resource Director Danny Merkley. Amador County resident Buck Bukrinsky said “people should realize that property rights will be violated at an unjust cost to all the present and future property owners.” For further details about the proposed regulations, visit www.waterboards.ca.gov. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
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