All repairs made to a failing onsite sewage treatment and
disposal system shall be made only with prior knowledge and written approval
from the Department having jurisdiction over the system. Approval shall be
granted only if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Any property owner or lessee who has an
onsite sewage treatment and disposal system which is improperly constructed or
maintained, or which fails to function in a safe or sanitary manner shall
request from the Department, either directly or through their agent, a permit
to repair the system prior to initiating repair of the system. A permit shall
be issued on Form DEP 4016 only after the submission of an application
accompanied by the necessary exhibits and fees. Form DEP 4015 shall be used for
this purpose, and can be obtained from the Department. Applications shall
contain the following information:
(a) A site
plan showing property dimensions, the existing and proposed system
configuration and location on the property, the building location, potable and
non-potable water lines, within the existing and proposed drainfield repair
area, the general slope of the property, property lines and easements, any
obstructed areas, any private or public wells, or any surface water bodies and
stormwater systems in proximity to the onsite sewage system which restricts
replacement or relocation of the drainfield system. The existing drainfield
type shall be described. For example, mineral aggregate, non-mineral aggregate,
chambers, or other.
(b) The size of
the septic tank or other treatment tank currently in use and the approximate
square footage and elevation of the drainfield existing on the site.
(c) The quantity and type of waste being
discharged to the system. Where water use records cannot be obtained, estimates
shall be made from values found in Rule
62-6.008, Table I,
F.A.C.
(d) The soil textures
encountered within the existing and proposed drainfield areas, and the
estimated water table during the wettest season of the year.
(e) Any unusual site conditions which may
influence the system design or function such as sloping property, drainage
structures such as roof drains or curtain drains, and any obstructions such as
patios, decks, swimming pools or parking areas.
(f) The person performing the site evaluation
shall provide a brief description of the nature of the failure which is
occurring.
(2) Site
evaluations necessary to obtain the above referenced information shall be
conducted at the expense of the owner or lessee by Department personnel, by an
engineer who is licensed in the State of Florida or by other qualified persons
as per subsection
62-6.004(3),
F.A.C. Site specific information may be obtained by the applicant through
examination of Department records of permits previously issued for the
site.
(3) When a repair is to be
performed on a failing system in which the contractor will be using any method
other than drainfield addition or replacement, the following additional permit
application information shall be submitted to the Department by the contractor
in addition to the information required in subsections
62-6.015(1) and
(2), F.A.C.
(a) The process used to repair the system.
Examples include high-pressure water jetting of drainlines and high-pressure
injection of air alongside the drainfield. Such information shall include the
manner in which the proposed repair will take place. The manufacturers
recommended method for product use, quantities and concentration of product,
shall be included in this information.
(b) Any chemical compound to be introduced
into the system in an effort to repair the system shall be identified by
chemical composition or trade name, including the concentration and quantity of
product used. The method of product introduction shall be stated. For example,
product introduced through the distribution box.
(c) Any repair method proposed which intends
to physically disrupt the absorption surface shall include a drawing of the
drainfield system that includes a diagram of the sites where the absorption
surface will be disrupted. The depth of each disruption shall be recorded at
each site.
(4) Where the
absorption surface of the drainfield is within 6'' inches of the wet season
high water table, an alternative repair method addressed in subsection
62-6.015(3),
F.A.C., shall not be used. The existing drainfield shall be removed and a
replacement drainfield shall be installed in accordance with all other repair
criteria, including separation from seasonal high water table and drainfield
sizing. Paragraph
62-6.015(6)(f),
F.A.C., shall be used to determine septic tank conformance.
(5) The Department shall make every effort to
issue a permit within 2 working days after receiving the application for system
repair. Repair permits shall be valid for 90 days from the date of issuance.
However, if the system is maintained to not create a sanitary nuisance, a
repair permit shall be extended for one 90 day period.
(6) Construction materials used in system
repairs shall be of the same quality as those required for new system
construction. Aggregate and soil in spoil material from drainfield repairs
shall not be used in system repair in any manner. Undamaged infiltration units,
pipes and mechanical components may be reused on the original site. Any spoil
material taken off site shall be disposed of in a permitted landfill or shall
be limed and stockpiled for at least 30 days to prevent a sanitary nuisance.
Offsite spoil material stockpile areas shall meet the prohibition requirements
of subsection
62-701.300(2),
F.A.C. The resulting lime-treated material shall not be used for drainfield
repair, or construction of any onsite sewage treatment and disposal system. Any
use of the lime treated material shall not cause a violation of Chapter 386
F.S., and shall not impair groundwater or surface water. Mineral aggregate and
soil in spoil material may, at the option of the septic tank contractor and the
property owner, be buried on site if limed before burial. Lime amount must be
sufficient to preclude a sanitary nuisance. Depth of seasonal high water table
to the spoil material must be at least six inches. Setbacks for buried spoil
material shall be the same as for onsite sewage treatment and disposal system
drainfields. A minimum of six inches of slightly or moderately limited soil
shall cover the spoil material and shall extend to at least five feet around
the perimeter of the burial site. Any failing system shall, at a minimum, be
repaired in accordance with the following criteria:
(a) System repairs shall comply with minimum
setbacks and separations as specified in Rule
62-6.005, F.A.C. If current
required setbacks and separations cannot be met, lesser setbacks as specified
in Table V shall be maintained. For repairs only, if current required setbacks
given below cannot be attained, absolute minimum setbacks shall be met. When
site conditions exist which allow either absolute or current required setbacks
to various features, current required setbacks shall be maintained from
features with the highest protection factor. Setbacks to features with lower
protection factors shall be reduced to the maximum setback or separation
attainable, with no less than the absolute minimum setback allowed. A standard
gravity flow system is to be used when possible to achieve the appropriate
separations of absorption surface to seasonal high water and effective soil
depth.
|
TABLE V
|
|
Repair System Setback
Requirements
|
|
Permit Date of Original System
|
Description of Setback (Separation)
|
Protection Factor
|
Current Required Setback
|
Absolute Minimum Setback
|
|
Prior to 1-1-72
|
System to a Private Potable Well
|
6
|
75' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (<=75 feet
(b) Original Setback (if >=50 feet)
(c) 50 feet
|
|
|
Bottom of Drainfield Absorption Surface to Wet
Season Water Table
|
5
|
24'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Separation (>=6 inches)
(b) Original Separation (if >=6 inches)
(c) 6 inches
|
|
|
Effective Soil Depth
|
5
|
42'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) 24 inches
(b) Maximum Separation (>=12 inches)
(c) 12 inches
|
|
|
System to Surface Water
|
4
|
50' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (>=25 feet and <=50
feet)
(b) Original Setback (if >=25 feet)
(c) 25 feet
|
|
|
System to Non-Potable Well
|
3
|
50' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (>=25 feet and <=50
feet)
(b) Original Setback (if >=25 feet)
(c) 25 feet
|
|
|
Drainfield Sidewall to Start of Slope
|
2
|
4' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (>=2.5 feet)
(b) 2.5 feet
|
|
|
System to Property Line or Building
Foundation
|
1
|
5' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (>=2 feet)
(b) 2 feet
|
|
1-1-72 to 12-31-82
|
System to a Private Potable Well
|
6
|
75' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (<=75 feet and >=50
feet)
(b) Original Setback (if >=50 feet)
(c) 50 feet
|
|
|
Bottom of Drainfield Absorption Surface to Wet
Season Water Table
|
5
|
24'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Separation (<=24 inches and >=6
inches)
(b) Original Separation (if >=6 inches)
(c) 6 inches
|
|
|
Effective Soil Depth
|
5
|
42'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) 36 inches
(b) Maximum Separation (>= 24 inches)
(c) 24 inches
|
|
|
System to Surface Water
|
4
|
75' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (<=75 feet and >=50
feet)
(b) Original Setback (if >=50 feet)
(c) 50 feet
|
|
|
System to Non-Potable Well
|
3
|
50' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (<=50 feet and >=25
feet)
(b) Original Setback (if >=25 feet)
(c) 25 feet
|
|
|
Drainfield Sidewall to Start of Slope
|
2
|
4' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Separation (>3 feet)
(b) 3 feet
|
|
|
System to Property Line or Building
Foundation
|
1
|
5' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (>=2 feet)
(b) 2 feet
|
|
1-1-83 to Present
|
System to a Private Potable Well
|
6
|
75' feet
|
75 feet
|
|
|
Bottom of Drainfield Absorption Surface to Wet
Season Water Table
|
5
|
24'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Existing elevation (>=12 inches)
(b) 12 inches
|
|
|
Effective Soil Depth
|
5
|
42'' inches
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Separation (>=36 inches)
(b) 36 inches
|
|
|
System to Surface Water
|
4
|
75' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (if >50 feet)
(b) 50 feet
|
|
|
System to Non-Potable Well
|
3
|
50' feet
|
50 feet
|
|
|
Drainfield Sidewall to Start of Slope
|
2
|
4' feet
|
4 feet
|
|
|
System to Property Line or Building
Foundation
|
1
|
5' feet
|
Greatest of the Following:
(a) Maximum Setback (if >=2 feet)
(b) 2 feet
|
Footnotes to Table V:
1. For sites which contain oolitic limestone,
the minimum effective soil depth shall be 12'' inches regardless of the date
the original system was installed provided that the wet season water table is a
minimum of 4' feet below the bottom surface of the drainfield.
2. Where severely limited soil underlies the
drainfield, soil removal and replacement shall be performed as per Footnote 3.
to Table III.
(b) For
systems permitted on or after January 1, 1983, if system failure is due to
excessive hydraulic loading, the original permitted drainfield shall be allowed
to remain in service but shall have additional drainfield added to it. The
resulting system drainfield size shall be 50 percent larger than the drainfield
originally permitted, or shall be in compliance with drainfield sizing criteria
specified in Rules
62-6.008 and
62-6.009, F.A.C., whichever is
larger.
(c) Minimum sizing of
drainfield repairs for residential systems installed prior to 1983 shall be
based on the criteria specified below. Failed drainfields shall be replaced
with drainfields meeting, at a minimum, the sizing criteria specified below.
1. If sufficient area is available, the
existing drainfield can be left in place and used as part of the system. A new
drainfield equal in size to, and separate from, the existing drainfield shall
be added and flow directed to both the old and new drainfield.
2. Table VI and VII values are for subsurface
and filled systems if the existing drainfield cannot be used as part of the
repair. Mound trench systems shall be sized 10 percent larger than the values
below and 20 percent larger if absorption beds are installed in the mound. The
amount of drainfield installed during the repair shall not be less than the
amount the system had prior to the repair.
|
TABLE VI
Residential Sizing for
Slightly Limited Soil Textures
|
|
Number of
|
Square Feet of
|
Square Feet of
|
|
Bedrooms
|
Trench Area
|
Absorption Bed
|
|
1
|
75
|
100
|
|
2
|
150
|
200
|
|
3
|
225
|
300
|
|
4
|
300
|
400
|
|
Add per bedroom
|
75
|
100
|
|
TABLE VII
Residential Sizing for
Moderately Limited Soil Textures
|
|
Number of
|
Square Feet of
|
Square Feet of
|
|
Bedrooms
|
Trench Area
|
Absorption Bed
|
|
1
|
100
|
125
|
|
2
|
200
|
250
|
|
3
|
300
|
375
|
|
4
|
400
|
500
|
|
Add per bedroom
|
100
|
125
|
(d) Repairs of commercial systems installed
prior to 1983 shall be based on the following criteria:
1. Sewage flows shall be determined from
values found in Table I of Rule
62-6.008, F.A.C., or on the
highest monthly flow for the previous 18 month period from documented water use
records, whichever is higher.
2.
Failed drainfields shall at a minimum, meet the sizing criteria specified
below.
a. If sufficient room is available,
the existing drainfield can be left in place and used as part of the system. A
new drainfield equal in size to, and separate from, the existing failed
drainfield shall be added.
b.
Sewage loading rates to trench or absorption bed bottom areas shall be in
accordance with the values in Table VIII which are applicable to subsurface and
filled drainfield systems if the existing drainfield is replaced with a new
drainfield. Mound trench systems shall be sized 10 percent larger than the
values below and 20 percent larger if absorption beds are installed in the
mound.
|
TABLE VIII
Drainfield Sizing for
Commercial Systems Installed
|
|
Prior to 1983 in
gallons/square foot/day
|
|
|
Trenches
|
Absorption Beds
|
|
Slightly limited textures
|
1.00
|
0.80
|
|
Moderately limited textures
|
0.65
|
0.50
|
(e) Where the cause of system failure is
determined to be from root clogging of the distribution box or drainfield line
of a system, and where removal of the root mass and replacement of damaged
drainfield material will restore the system to its original design function,
upon inspection and verification of the repair work by the health unit, permit
satisfaction will be considered to be achieved.
(f) A tank need not be replaced as part of
the repair if the health unit determines the tank to be structurally sound,
constructed of approved materials, and if such tank has an effective capacity
within two tank sizes of the capacities required by Table II. In addition, the
tank shall be pumped and a solids deflection device shall be installed as a
part of the outlet of the tank if one is not currently in place.
(g) Repairs to a system shall not be located
within 2' feet of a sleeved and sealed potable water line or 2' feet from
non-potable water lines.
(h) If the
total drainfield area exceeds 1, 000' square feet, or if the tank is too low to
permit gravity flow into the drainfield, the drainfield shall be dosed. The
requirements of subsections
62-6.014(3) and
(4), F.A.C., shall be used for dosing
requirements.
(i) Setbacks from an
existing system to a public well shall not be decreased from existing setbacks,
but shall be increased where practical to achieve the required setbacks as per
paragraphs
62-6.005(1)(b) and
(c), F.A.C.
(7) If a repair cannot be made utilizing the
standards in subsection (6) above, all available area for drainfield repair
shall be assessed and the repair permit shall allow for the maximum size
drainfield that can be accommodated in the available area while allowing for
the system to be installed above the wet season water table. Total removal of
the existing drainfield and replacement of the drainfield in its original
location shall be authorized if there is no additional area to enlarge the
system. Setbacks to wells, surface water bodies, and other pertinent features
which are less than the setbacks in subsection (6) above, shall not be reduced
below existing setbacks. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a
drainfield to remain in the wet season water table. The appropriate
requirements for bottom of drainfield absorption surface to wet season water
table separation in Table V shall be adhered to in all repairs.
(8) If soil replacement is to be performed on
any repair, the requirements of Footnote 3., Table III, shall be adhered
to.
(9) System repairs shall be
performed by persons who are qualified to do so as set forth in Part III of
this rule.
(10) Except as provided
for in subsection (7) above, the amount of drainfield installed during the
repair shall not be less than the amount the system had prior to the
repair.
(11) Subsection
62-6.004(7),
F.A.C., shall be used in conjunction with this section when permitting a repair
in which the property has been divided after the original permit was
issued.
(12) For inspection
purposes when a drainfield is repaired using a physical disruption method, such
as air injection, the contractor shall mark the location of each injection site
in an easily identifiable manner.
The Department shall inspect repairs to determine that the
absorption surface of the repaired drainfield is at least six inches above the
wet season high water table, to determine the repair process was completed
according to the information provided with the repair permit application and to
determine the repair site is free of sanitary nuisance
conditions.
