Environmental Health Office

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ON-SITE WASTEWATER PROGRAM

On-site wastewater program in Union County consists of permitting, site evaluations and soil analysis.

Applications for permits to construct on-site wastewater systems can be obtain at the County Environmental Health Office located at 1701 Commerce Road in Creston, Iowa.  Fees for wastewater permits are $100 and soil analysis is $150.

When the application is complete, the County Environmental Health Specialist conducts the site evaluation and the soil analysis to determine suitable soils for the type of on-site wastewater system that can be installed for a home site.  After the analysis is complete, a design of the wastewater system is prepared for the home site.

The approval of the permit is subject to the results of the analysis and the system is ready to construct.  It is recommended to make application early.  Depending on the number of requests, it could take as along as 2 weeks to schedule activities to complete the application process.

Download Application for On-Site Waste Water Treatment System

In some cases request are made to inspect on-site wastewater systems at the time of sale or time of transfer.  An on-site wastewater real estate inspection is available to the buyer or seller.  Application can be made at the Environmental health office.  Application must be signed by both the buyer or lending institution.  Fee for this service is $ 100.

Report is prepared to indicate if the existing system meets the compliance of the Iowa Administrative Code 567, Chapter 69.  Recommendations are made to bring the existing system into compliance of these rules.

Download Real Estate Inspection Application

WASTEWATER SYSTEMS

All systems are required to have a primary system which includes a septic tank. The size of the septic tank for a home is determined by the number of bedrooms, high water use appliances, and/or by the type of secondary treatment system.

There are several kinds of secondary wastewater treatment systems used in Union County.  The type of system generally is determined by soil type and space availability of the home site.

1. Most popular is the soil absorption field, , or sometimes called leach field.  Following a septic tank, this system is constructed with a series of trenches to obtain the total footage for a particular home site.  Footage of trenches is calculated based on the amount of water usage and soil type.

This system can be distributed as a gravity system or by pump system.  Pump system may be required when suitable soils are not available by gravity.  A pump system can be set with pressure dosing or pump to a distribution box which can be distributed by gravity.

2. When sites are not suitable for an absorption field, one of filter systems can be used.  There are several types of filter systems:

a. Intermittent subsurface sand filter are common through out the county as one of the alternative systems.  This filter is buried filter.  They are constructed with washed gravel and sand media.  Collection pipe is placed at the bottom of the filter provide outlet of filter.  Distribution pipes are installed on top of the sand filter to provide equal distribution of the effluent water from septic tank(s).  This system requires vents on the bottom of the filter and on the distribution line to provide a better oxygen exchange throughout the filter.

Sizing of the filter is determined by the number of bedrooms.  The minimum is 240 square feet per bedroom.

b. Free Access Sand Filter is another alternative system.  This filter is exposed to the surface and has an opening to conduct maintenance to the filter.  It is constructed with washed coarse sand media.  Collection pipe is constructed at the bottom of the filter.  Distribution can be done by loop or series of distribution line on top of the sand media.

This system requires general maintenance of the sand 2 to 4 times per year.  Maintenance schedule on this system will depend on the occupancy of the home and the loading into the septic system.

Sizing of the filter is constructed between 2 to 5 gallons per square feet.  This is determined by the number of bedrooms of the home.  Better performance is at the 2 or 3 gallons per square feet.

c. Peat filter, , is most recent new technology used in the county.  This filter is uses peat as the media for treatment system.  It is accessible to the surface.  It comes with a maintenance contract by a service provider.  This system warranties the media for a period of 8-10 years.  However, service contract must be current for the duration of the filter.  Peat media is generally replaced every 8-10 years.

Sizing generally is for 3 or 4 bedroom homes.

These filters can be constructed on sites that lace adequate space for a soil absorption field.  However, soil conditions not suitable for soil absorption field, accommodate one of these filter systems.

These systems can be constructed as gravity or pump system.  Research shows that pressurized pump systems offers better distribution over the whole filter system and better performance of the filter.

These filter systems require annual and semi annual sampling and monitoring of discharge water from these wastewater systems to check performance of the system.

Other alterative systems are mechanical systems.  These systems are motorized systems, which injects air into the effluent wastewater for treatment.  This type of system requires a maintenance contract with a service provider.  It is required to have this contract recorded at the County Recorder’s Office.  Contact the County Recorder’s Office at the County Courthouse for requirements to place this recordable item to property abstract.

ON-SITE WASTEWATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

A new program began in June of 2002 to assist homeowners in the financial costs to construct on-site wastewater system when a repair is needed for existing systems to eliminate existing sewer discharge to the surface.

The On-Site Wastewater Assistance Program can help obtain low interest loans for wastewater systems.  Interest rates are generally process with less than 3 percent loans.

Several homeowners in Union County have taken advantage of these funds.  As of March 2004, a total of $26,637 funds have been issued for 5 homeowners.

Application for these funds can be made at the Union County Environmental Health office in Creston.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa DNR Onsite Wastewater Program

ON-SITE WASTEWATER PROJECTS

Several projects have been completed or some are still underway in Union County.  Most of these projects center around the lakes in Union County.

Some of these projects are Lake McKinnley and Summit Lake watershed areas.  Hurley Creek and the City of Creston are most recent projects.

Projects such as these had existing systems with open discharges to the ditch.  Most cases in the City of Creston, homeowners eliminated their discharge by either hooking on to city sewer or installed secondary treatment system.

Most recent project is nearing completion in Shannon City.  USDA Rural Development funding assisted in the financial cost of the project.  The project is being maintained by Southern Iowa Rural Water Association.  A similar project is planned for the un-incorporated community of Kent.