Weber-Morgan Health Department

Onsite Wastewater Permit Process

In order for this office to recommend further development, the following steps must be completed:

1.                   Complete the Application for Wastewater Site and Soil Evaluation and return it to this office along with the appropriate fees.  Notify this office when the exploration pits are available for evaluation.

Exploration pits are to be in the location of the proposed absorption fields with consideration given to maintaining the required separation distances from wells, ditches, watercourses, and other surface features.  Exploration pits are to be dug with a backhoe to a minimum depth of six feet or four feet below the bottom of the proposed absorption fields with a vertical sidewall and sloped for entry.

Exploration pits are required on each lot of a proposed subdivision.  An additional exploration pit may be required in areas where our records indicate generally infeasible soils exist.  For determining feasibility only, developers may elect to provide exploration pits at the rate of one per three acres or where surface features indicate different subsoil characteristics.

Soil and site evaluations cannot be completed when weather or other site conditions prevent a thorough evaluation.

2.                   This office will make a site and soil evaluation. During the evaluation, a map of the location of the exploration pits will be developed, the soil horizons will be logged, the appropriate level for percolation testing will be determined, determination for monitoring of the maximum ground water table will be made, and any site limitations will be recorded.

If the evaluation is unfavorable, reasonable effort is to be made to determine a more suitable site on the property for further evaluation.

3.                  Following the evaluation, a letter will be sent with the following information:

a.      Location of the exploration pit

b.      Soil log of each exploration pit

c.      Site and soil suitability

d.      Required percolation testing depth

e.      Ground water table monitoring requirements

f.        Suggested alternate location if the initial evaluation is unfavorable.

4.                  Arrange for percolation tests to be performed and provide the stabilized rates to this office for review.

Absorption systems are not permitted in areas where the percolation rate is slower than 60 minutes per inch or faster than 1 minute per inch (5 minutes per inch in the Upper Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon).

Percolation tests shall not be conducted in test holes that extend into ground water, bedrock, or frozen ground.  Percolation test shall not be conducted when the temperature falls below 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

A prolonged saturation period is not to be used to produce a slower percolation rate in soils that would otherwise show excessively fast percolation rates.

5.           If required, complete an Application for Maximum Ground Water Table Monitoring and return it to this office along with the appropriate fees.

Monitoring is completed during the season of peak ground water flow.  Monitoring begins by the first of January and, generally, runs through the month of March in Western Weber County and through May in the Upper Ogden Valley and Morgan County.  Monitoring may be required during the irrigation season to determine the effects of flood irrigation.  Final determination of the peak ground water table can be made only after a review of the completed record.

Monitoring of the maximum ground water table is required at all sites in Western Weber County and at those sites in the Upper Ogden County and Morgan County where experience, soil profiles, or site conditions indicate that the ground water table may rise to less than 48 inches below the bottom of the proposed absorption system.

Monitoring is required at the rate of one site per three acres or one site per lot if lots are larger than two acres.

6.           Monitoring of the maximum ground water table is completed by this office on a weekly basis with consecutive readings whenever the ground water table reaches thirty-six, twenty-four, and twelve inches below the original ground surface.  You will be notified when the water table reaches these levels.  If you feel that the ground water table levels have been influenced by factors related to site conditions, please make any corrections as soon as possible.  If any corrections or modifications occur outside the season of maximum ground water table, monitoring through the next season will be necessary.  Adjustments to the official records can be made only during the season of maximum ground water flow.

7.          When the soil, ground water table, and site requirements are met on each lot, a recommendation for further development will be sent to the appropriate planning agency.  A copy of the recommendations will be sent to the applicant.

Soil characteristics and percolation rates must fall within the range of acceptability for a minimum of four feet below the bottom of the proposed absorption field.

The maximum ground water table must remain at least two feet fellow the bottom of the proposed absorption field.

                The site must provide at least 20,000 square feet of continuous buildable area with a slope of less than 25%, 15% if impervious layers are present, and provide a suitable location for both the original absorption field and a replacement field.

If culinary water is provided by a private well, the property must be so sized and shaped to provide a 100 foot zone of protection entirely within the boundaries of the property served by the well.  The minimum lot size with private wells is:

8.         The location of all soil exploration pits and percolation test holes shall be clearly identified on the subdivision final plat and identified by the numerical code assigned by this office.  The results of such soil tests, including stratified depths of soils and final percolation rates for each lot shall be recorded on or with the final plat.

If you have any questions, please contact this office at 399-8381.