As used in this article, the following terms shall be defined
and interpreted as follows:
FACILITY
Any real property (including any abutting real property),
and any buildings thereon, which is served, is proposed to be served,
or could in the future be served by a system or systems, where:
A.
Legal title is held or controlled by the same owner or owners;
or
B.
The local approving authority or the Board of Health otherwise
determines such real property is in single ownership or control pursuant
to 310 CMR 15.011 (aggregation).
FORCED MAIN
A sewer line that is under pressure from a pump rather than
being supplied by gravity.
LARGER, PRIVATE ON-SITE SUBSURFACE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
Subsurface disposal systems with design flows which are greater
than 2,000 gallons per day. Included in this category are systems
which have design flows greater than 10,000 gallons per day and require
a permit of the Board of Health in addition to DEP approval.
LOCAL APPROVING AUTHORITY
The Board of Health or its authorized agent or an agent of
a health district constituted pursuant to MGL c. 111, § 27
acting on behalf of the applicable Board of Health.
LONG SEWER LINE
A pipe, exceeding 100 feet in length, which connects components
of a septic system.
ON-SITE SYSTEM OR DISPOSAL SYSTEM OR ON-SITE SUBSURFACE SEWAGE
DISPOSAL SYSTEM OR SYSTEM
A system or series of systems for the treatment and disposal
of sanitary sewage below the ground surface on a facility.
A.
The standard components of a system are: a building sewer; a
septic tank to retain solids and scum; a distribution system; a soil
absorption system containing effluent distribution lines to distribute
and treat septic tank effluent prior to discharge to appropriate subsurface
soils; and a reserve area.
B.
These terms also include tight tanks, shared systems and alternative
systems. Unless the text of 310 CMR 15.000 indicates otherwise, these
terms also include nonconforming systems.
OWNER
A person who, alone or together with other persons, has legal
title to any facility served by a system or control of the facility,
including but not limited to any agent, executor, administrator, trustee,
lessee, or guardian of the estate for the holder of legal title.
SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEM
A system of trenches, galleries, chambers, pits, field(s),
or bed(s), together with effluent distribution lines and aggregate
which receives effluent from a septic tank or treatment system.
TIGHT TANK
A watertight vessel having an inlet to receive raw sewage
but no outlet and which is designed and used to collect and store
sewage until it is removed for disposal.
TITLE 5 OF THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL CODE, 310 CMR 15.000
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's
regulation to provide for the protection of public health, safety,
welfare and the environment by requiring the proper siting, construction,
upgrade and maintenance of on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems
and the appropriate means for the transport and disposal of septage.
These regulations are supplemental to 310 CMR 15.000: The State
Environmental Code, Title 5: Standard Requirements for the Siting,
Construction, Inspection, Upgrade and Expansion of On-Site Sewage
Treatment and Disposal Systems and for the Transport and Disposal
of Septage. This article is adopted by the authority of MGL c. 111,
§ 31. These regulations supersede all previous regulations
adopted by the Board of Health.
Pursuant to Chapter III, Section 122 of the Laws Pertaining
to Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, all test holes and
percolation tests excavated for observation by the Board of Health
or its agent will be required to be completely backfilled upon completion
of the test.
The following requirements shall apply to gravity flow and pressure-pumped
collection systems:
A. Private wastewater collection systems shall be designed and construction
in accordance with the standards found in "Guides for the Design of
Wastewater Treatment Works," Publication TR-16, New England Interstate
Water Pollution Control Commission, 1980 (NEIWPCC, 85 Merrimac Street,
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114).
The following regulations apply to all larger on-site subsurface
disposal systems:
A. The minimum vertical distance from the bottom of the leaching area
to bedrock (or refusal) shall be five feet for systems with design
flows of 2,000 gallons per day plus an added increment of 0.5 foot
for every additional 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof. In addition,
systems which have design flows greater than 10,000 gallons per day
shall require an engineering report which describes existing groundwater
quality and high groundwater elevations before construction and calculates
estimated mounding due to the effluent discharge, capacity of aquifer
to accept effluent and movement of the effluent plume.
B. Additional deep hole testing will be required for systems in this
category. This will be required by the Board of Health or its Agent.
While such a requirement is generally site-specific, one additional
deep hole for every additional 2,000 gallons per day of capacity or
fraction thereof should be the expected minimum. For systems which
have design flows greater than 10,000 gallons per day, soil test borings
and groundwater level monitoring wells are also required as part of
the field-testing program.
C. To ensure adequate field testing, it is required that the Board of
Health Agent be notified at the time of field-testing application
and submission of the desired system capacity for all subsurface disposal
systems with an intended capacity greater than 2,000 gallons per day.
D. Industrial wastewater systems will be separated from sanitary flows
and may be permitted or denied on a case-specific basis by the Board.
A public rest room, consisting of a toilet and washbasin, connected
to a potable water supply and an approved sewage disposal system,
shall be provided for any food service establishment with seating.
Temporary sanitary facilities are required on work sites which
require a building permit or Board of Health permit and approved sanitary
facilities are not preexisting. These temporary sanitary facilities
shall remain on the site from the first day of operation until a certificate
of compliance is issued by the Board of Health.
Any person aggrieved by the final decision of the Board may
seek relief therefrom within 30 days in any court of competent jurisdiction,
as provided by the laws of this commonwealth.
Amendments approved May 9, 2023, shall be effective beginning
June 1, 2023.