St. Charles County, MO Private Sewage Disposal Code

[Ord. No. 17-061 § 9, 7-5-2017; Ord. No. 19-035, 5-13-2019; Ord. No. 23-102, 11-13-2023]

St. Charles County hereby adopts the 2021 St. Charles County Private Sewage Disposal Code, a copy of which shall be deposited in the Office of the County Registrar with this ordinance, with the following amendments by additions, insertions, deletions and changes to read as follows:

(CHAPTER 1 SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION)

(SECTION 101 SCOPE AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS)

101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Private Sewage Disposal Code of St. Charles County, Missouri, hereinafter referred to as "this code."

101.2 Scope. Septic tank and effluent absorption systems or other treatment tank and effluent disposal systems shall be permitted where a public sewer is not available to the property served. A public sewer shall be considered available when the nearest property line is located within two hundred (200) feet of a public sewer. Unless specifically approved, the private sewage disposal system of each building shall be entirely separate from and independent of any other building. The use of a common system or a system on a parcel other than the parcel where the structure is located shall be subject to the full requirements of this code as for systems serving public buildings.

101.3 Public sewer connection. Where public sewers become available to the premises served, only the repair of an existing system will be permitted. If a new system is required to be installed, the use of the private sewage disposal system shall be discontinued. The building sewer shall be disconnected from the private sewage disposal system and connected to the public sewer.

(SECTION 103 CODE COMPLIANCE AGENCY)

103.1 Creation of enforcement agency. The Division of Building and Code Enforcement within the Department of Community Development is hereby created and the official in charge thereof shall be known as the Code Official. The function of the agency shall be the implementation, administration and enforcement of the provisions of this code.

103.2 Appointment. The Code Official shall be appointed as provided by ordinance.

(SECTION 106 PERMITS)

106.2.4 Soil data. Soil test reports shall be submitted indicating soil boring data related to the undisturbed and finished grade elevations, vertical elevation reference point and horizontal reference point. Surface elevations shall be given for all soil borings. Soil reports shall bear the signature of a soil tester.

106.3.3.1 Reinstatement. A permit that has expired may be reinstated where approved by the Building Official. The request for reinstatement shall be in writing and justifiable caused demonstrated.

106.4.2 Fee schedule. The fees for private sewage disposal work shall be as set forth by the Ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri.

106.4.3 Fee refunds. The Code Official is authorized to establish a refund policy.

Delete remainder of Section.

(SECTION 107 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS)

107.1 General. Submittal documents consisting of construction documents, statement of special inspections, geotechnical report and other data shall be submitted as required by the Building Official, with sufficient clarity and detail dimensions showing the nature and character of the work to be performed each permit application. Specifications shall include pumps and controls, dose volume, elevation differences (vertical lift), pipe friction loss, pump performance curve, pump model and pump manufacturer. The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional where required by the statutes of the jurisdiction in which the project is to be constructed. Where special conditions exist, the Building Official is authorized to require additional construction documents to be prepared by a registered design professional. Where the quality of the materials is essential for conformity to this code, specific information shall be given to establish such quality, and this code shall not be cited, or the term "legal" or its equivalent use as a substitute for specific information.

Exception: The Code Official is authorized to waive the submission of construction documents and other data not required to be prepared by a registered design professional if it is found that the nature of the work applied for is such that review of construction documents is not necessary to obtain compliance with this code.

107.1.2 Electronic submission. Where design documents, including, but not limited to, plot plans, site plans, design drawings, specifications, etc. are originally created electronically, the Building Official is authorized to require electronic submittal of documents in a portable document format (PDF) or similar format for review. Where design documents were originally prepared on paper and are submitted in a paper form, the Code Official is authorized to charge a fee for converting those drawings to PDF equal to the cost incurred by County staff recreating the document and not to exceed more than one dollar ($1.00) per page.

Exception: Where submittal documents were originally prepared by hand and are eleven (11) inches by seventeen (17) inches or less, the fee for document conversion shall not be charged.

(SECTION 112 MEANS OF APPEALS)

112.1 General. For the purposes of this code, all appeals shall be in accordance with the procedure established for the Building Code of St. Charles County, Missouri, in Section 113 of Section 500.100.

112.2 Limitations on authority. Delete in its entirety.

112.3 Qualifications. Delete in its entirety.

112.4 Administration. Delete in its entirety.

(SECTION 113 BOARD OF APPEALS)

113.1 Membership of board. The Board of Appeals shall consist of members as outlined in Article XV, Chapter 500 of the St. Charles County, Missouri, adopting ordinance.

(SECTION 114 VIOLATIONS)

114.4 Violation penalties. Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install, alter or repair private sewage disposal work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the Code Official, or a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00). Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.

(SECTION 115 STOP WORK ORDER)

115.2 Issuance. The stop work order shall be in writing and shall be given to the owner of the property involved, the owner's authorized agent or the person performing the work. Upon issuance of a stop work order, the cited work shall immediately cease. The stop work order shall state the reason for the order and the conditions under which the cited work will be authorized to resume. Any person served with a stop work order shall pay an administrative penalty of up to two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).

(CHAPTER 3 GENERAL REGULATIONS)

(SECTION 302 SPECIFIC LIMITATIONS)

302.6 Water softener and iron filter backwash. Water softener or iron filter discharge shall be discharge onto the ground surface, provided that a nuisance is not created.

(CHAPTER 4 SITE EVALUATION AND REQUIREMENTS)

(SECTION 403 SOIL BORINGS AND EVALUATION)

403.1 Soil borings and profile descriptions. Soil borings shall be conducted on all sites, regardless of the type of private sewage system planned to serve the parcel. Borings shall extend at least three (3) feet (914 mm) below the bottom of the proposed system. Borings shall be of sufficient size and extent to determine the soil characteristics important to an on-site liquid waste disposal system. Borehole data shall be used to determine the suitability of soils at the site with respect to zones of seasonal or permanent soil saturation and the depth to bedrock. The use of power augers for soil borings is prohibited. Soil borings shall be conducted and reported in accordance with Sections 403.1.1 through 403.1.5. Where it is not practical to have borings made with a backhoe, such borings shall be augered or dug by hand.

403.1.1 Number. There shall be not less than two (2) borings per soil absorption site. Where necessary, more soil borings shall be made for an accurate evaluation of a site. Borings shall be constructed to a depth of not less than three (3) feet (914 mm) below the proposed depth of the system.

Exception: Three (3) borings are required for repairs of existing private sewage disposal systems, along with one (1) backhoe excavation at a 5-foot depth.

(SECTION 404 PERCOLATION OR PERMEABILITY EVALUATION)

404.1 General. The permeability of the soil in the proposed absorption system shall be determined by permeability evaluation.

404.2 Percolation tests and procedures. Delete in its entirety.

404.2.1 Percolation test hole. Delete in its entirety.

404.2.2 Test procedure, sandy soils. Delete in its entirety.

404.2.3 Test procedure, other soils. Delete in its entirety.

404.2.4 Mechanical test equipment. Delete in its entirety.

(SECTION 406 SITE REQUIREMENTS)

TABLE 406.1

MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION DISTANCES FOR SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEMS

ELEMENT	DISTANCE (feet)
Cistern	50
Habitable building, below-grade foundation	25
Habitable building, slab-on-grade	15
Lake, high-water mark	50
Lot line (for new construction)	30
Lot line (for repairs)	10
Reservoir	50
Roadway ditches	10
Spring	100
Streams or watercourse^a	50
Swimming pool	15
Uninhabited building	10
Water main	50
Water service	10
Water well	100

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm.
a.	All natural watercourses depicted on the most current United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S) 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic) Maps for St. Charles County, Missouri, shall be left in their natural state.

406.3 Percolation rate, trench or bed. Delete in its entirety.

406.4 Percolation rate, seepage pit. Delete in its entirety.

(CHAPTER 5 MATERIALS)

(SECTION 501 GENERAL)

501.2 Minimum standards. Materials shall conform to the standards referenced in this code for the construction, installation, alteration or repair of private sewage disposal systems or parts thereof. All new construction requires NSF Class 1 tanks, unless otherwise determined by Code Official.

Exception: The extension, addition to or relocation of existing pipes with materials of like grade or quality in accordance with Sections 102.6 and 105.

(SECTION 504 TANKS)

504.1.2 Steel tanks. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 504.1.2 TANK CAPACITY. Delete in its entirety.

(CHAPTER 6 SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEMS)

(SECTION 602 SIZING SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEMS)

602.1 General. Effluent from septic tanks and other approved treatment tanks shall be disposed of by soil absorption or an approved manner. Sizing shall be in accordance with this Chapter for systems with a daily effluent application of three thousand (3,000) gallons (11,356 925 L) or less. Two systems of equal size shall be required for systems receiving effluents exceeding three thousand (3,000) gallons (11,356 L) per day. Each system shall have a minimum capacity of seventy-five percent (75%) of the area required for a single system. An approved means of alternating waste application shall be provided. A dual system shall be considered as one (1) system.

(SECTION 603 RESIDENTIAL SIZING)

603.1 General. All absorption fields shall be designed based on soil morphology revaluation reports prepared by a certified professional soil scientist or by a professional engineer licensed by the State of Missouri.

TABLE 603.1 MINIMUM ABSORPTION AREA FOR ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS Delete in its entirety.

(SECTION 604 OTHER BUILDING SIZING)

604.1 General. Calculations to determine the size of absorption field shall be based upon sewage flow rates in Table 2A and soil groups in Tables 13 and 14 in 19 CSR 20-3.060 as currently promulgated or as amended hereafter and as provided in that rule.

TABLE 604.1(1) MINIMUM ABSORPTION AREA FOR OTHER THAN ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 604.1(2) CONVERSION FACTOR. Delete in its entirety.

604.2 Drain Field Calculations, rounding. Calculation for the length of the drain field shall be rounded up to the next one hundred (100) lineal feet.

(CHAPTER 7 PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS)

(SECTION 706 DOSING)

706.1 General. The dosing frequency shall be not greater than four (4) times daily. A volume per dose shall be established by dividing the daily waste-water flow by the dosing frequency. The dosing volume shall be not less than ten (10) times the capacity of the distribution pipe volume. Table 706.1 provides the estimated volume for various pipe diameters.

TABLE 706.1 ESTIMATED VOLUME FOR VARIOUS DIAMETER PIPES^a
DIAMETER (inches)	VOLUME (gallons per foot length)
1	0.041
1-1/4	0.064
1-1/2	0.092
2	0.164
3	0.368
4	0.655
5	1.47

a.	For any septic system that requires dosing, the pump tank shall be a 1,000-gallon concrete single compartment tank equipped with effluent pump with float and high-water alarm. A timer shall dose over a 24-hour period, instead of on demand.

(CHAPTER 8 TANKS)

(SECTION 802 SEPTIC TANKS AND OTHER TREATMENT TANKS)

802.1 General. Septic tanks shall be fabricated or constructed of monolithic concrete, fiberglass or an approved material. Tanks shall be watertight and fabricated to constitute an individual structure, and shall be designed and constructed to withstand anticipated loads. The design of prefabricated septic tanks shall be approved. Plans for site constructed concrete tanks shall be approved prior to construction.

802.2 Design of septic tanks. Septic tanks shall conform to the design standards set out in 19 CSR 20-3.060(4), as currently promulgated or as amended hereafter.

802.7.1 Sizing of tank. The minimum liquid capacity for one- and two-family dwellings shall be in accordance with Table 802.7.1.

TABLE 802.7.1 SEPTIC TANK CAPACITY FOR ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS
NUMBER OF BEDROOMS		SEPTIC TANK (gallons)
1 - 3		1,000
4		1,250
5		1,500
6 or more		footnote a

For SI: 1 gallon = 3.785 L.
a.	For six (6) or more bedrooms, the septic tank shall be sized on the basis similar to an establishment as set out in 19 CSR 20-3.060(4)(B)17.

802.7.2 Other buildings. For buildings, the liquid capacity shall be increased above the 750-gallon (2839 L) minimum as established in Table 802.7.1. In buildings with kitchen or laundry waste, the tank capacity shall be increased to receive the anticipated volume for a 24-hour period from the kitchen or laundry or both. The liquid capacities established in Table 2A "Quantities of Domestic Sewage Flows" in Section B 19 CSR 20-3.060 do not include employees.

Exception: One- or two-family dwellings.

TABLE 802.7.2 ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR OTHER BUILDINGS. Delete in its entirety.

802.8 Installation. Septic and other treatment tanks shall be located with a horizontal distance not less than specified in Table 1 "Minimum Set-Back Distances" in 19 CSR 20-3.060(4), as currently promulgated or as amended hereafter, except that for new construction: (a) sewage tanks shall be one hundred (100) feet from any private water supply; and (b) both sewage tanks and absorption fields (disposal areas) shall be thirty (30) feet from any property line. Tanks installed in ground water shall be securely anchored. A 3-inch-thick (76 mm) compacted bedding shall be provided for all septic and other treatment tank installations. The bedding material shall be sand, gravel, granite, limerock or other non-corrosive materials of such size that the material passes through a 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) screen.

TABLE 802.8 MINIMUM HORIZONTAL SEPARATION DISTANCES FOR TREATMENT TANKS. Delete in its entirety.

802.11.1 Capacity sizing. The working capacity of the dosing or pumping chamber shall be sized to permit automatic discharge of the total daily sewage flow with discharge occurring not more than 4 times per 24 hours. Minimum capacity of a dosing chamber shall be 1,000 gallons (3,790 L) and a space shall be provided between the bottom of the pump and floor of the dosing or pumping chamber. A dosing chamber shall have a 1-day holding capacity located above the high-water alarm for one- and two-family dwellings based on 120 gallons (455 L) per day per bedroom, or in the case of other buildings, in accordance with Section 802.7. For one- and two-family dwellings, pump chambers shall at a minimum be 1,000-gallon, single compartment, time-dosed tanks. Where the total developed length of distribution piping exceeds 1,000 feet (305 m), the dosing or pumping chamber shall have 2 siphons or pumps dosing alternately and serving 1/2 of the soil absorption system.

TABLE 802.11.1 PUMP CHAMBER SIZES. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(3) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A THREE-BEDRROM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 6% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 450 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(4) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A FOUR-BEDRROM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 6% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 600 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(5) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A ONE-BEDRROM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 150 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL OVER BEDROCK. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(6) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A TWO-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 300 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL OVER BEDROCK. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(7) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A THREE-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 450 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL OVER BEDROCK. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(8) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A FOUR-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 600 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL OVER BEDROCK. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(9) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A ONE-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 150 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL WITH A HIGH WATER TABLE. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(10) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A TWO-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 300 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL WITH A HIGH WATER TABLE. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(11) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A THREE-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 450 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL WITH A HIGH WATER TABLE. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.1(12) DESIGN CRITERIA FOR A FOUR-BEDROOM HOME FOR A MOUND ON A 0% TO 12% SLOPE WITH LOADING RATES OF 600 GALLONS PER DAY FOR SLOWLY PERMEABLE SOIL WITH A HIGH WATER TABLE. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.5.5 DOWNSLOPE AND UPSLOPE WIDTH CORRECTIONS FOR MOUNDS ON SLOPING SITES. Delete in its entirety.

TABLE 903.6 INFILTRATIVE CAPACITY OF NATURAL SOIL. Delete in its entirety.