Septic Maintenance Program

This schedule sets out a progressive audit approach to maintenance inspections for private sewage systems, as with most inspections under the Building Code Act, 1992. Under this approach, initial inspections are designed to be non‐intrusive tests and will generally avoid significant disturbance to the septic system and to the surrounding soil area. Where concerns are identified, more tests may follow.

A Phase I maintenance inspection may be sufficient to establish compliance with Section 8.9. of the Building Code or with the standards enforced under the Septic Maintenance Program. A follow‐up Phase II inspection (described below) is required where the Phase I inspection indicates a defect or possible failure of the system.

The owner of the septic system is responsible for all costs related to inspections, investigations, tests, reports, and other services required to determine the condition of the septic system.

Program Exemptions

If your septic system was installed within two years of the intended inspection date, your property is exempt from the inspection. We will inspect your system in five years.

If you have an Advanced Treatment Unit, your septic system will be exempt from this program if you submit:

• a current service agreement
• annual service reports

Please submit these documents to us every year. If you don't submit these documents, we will inspect your system to ensure that the Advanced Treatment Unit is in compliance with the Ontario Building Code.

What We Look For

During an inspection, the Inspector will look for signs of damage or system malfunction, including but not limited to:

• ponding (or water) on the top or sides of the bed
• sewage odours
• damage or cracking of the septic tank
• any washing away of the septic bed soil

With older systems, the Inspector will look for components that are no longer deemed acceptable, including but not limited to:

• steel septic tanks
• direct deposits of gray water
• weak or no lid structures on gray water pits
• outhouses that are in poor condition
• the program also ensures that you are keeping up with all required maintenance, such as:
• septic tank or holding tank pumping
• vegetation removal
• electrical and alarm maintenance
• soil maintenance
• grading around the septic bed

Phase 1 Maintenance Inspection

Inspections generally begin with a review of available material including material collected in the identification phase and reports from previous inspections.

The purpose of Phase I maintenance inspections is to:

1. Locate the septic system’s components;
2. Identify any obvious or outward signs of malfunction or failure; and
3. Identify systems that are at risk of malfunction or failure.

Phase I maintenance inspections generally avoid significant disturbance to the system and the surrounding soil area. During a Phase I maintenance inspection, the Inspector may:

• Make observations of surface conditions and features such as structures, surface drainage, ponding, trees, vegetation, patios, swimming pools, etc.
• Require confirmation of the general nature of the system (class, components, type, layout, etc.);
• Require confirmation of the location of the system’s components with respect to wells, surface water, and other environmental features;
• Require confirmation of the size, material and condition of the septic tank, or the holding tank;
• Require confirmation of the frequency of tank pump‐out and the last time the tank was cleaned;
• Require confirmation of any indication of sewage system failure, including evidence of backup of effluent, signs of hydraulic failure (breakout of sewage, wetting conditions in the leaching bed area), condition of surface vegetation, and odour problems;
• The existence of a maintenance agreement for a tertiary treatment system and the date of the latest servicing; and
• Give consideration of a report, completed by a qualified third-party contractor hired by the owner, on a Ministry-prescribed form, or other forms as deemed necessary by the Chief Building Official.

Phase II Follow-up Maintenance Inspection

It may be appropriate to undertake more intensive follow‐up maintenance inspections where:

1. The Phase I maintenance inspection has identified that the septic system is at risk of future malfunction or failure, or
2. The Phase I inspection detected a malfunction or failure but did not reveal the reason (e.g., location or nature) for the malfunction or failure.

For septic systems utilizing tertiary treatment units, Phase II inspections may also include a review of the following:

1. The test results of a new round of effluent sampling (if otherwise required by the Building Code, or by an authorization issued by the BMEC); and
2. Operational problems or system malfunction before or, at the time of inspection.
3. Where used in sewage systems, distribution boxes, dosing tanks and pumps may be required to be uncovered, at the owner’s expense, to be inspected to determine their condition and functionality.

Phase II inspections of septic systems may also consider the following:

• Soil type and its permeability;
• Additional sources of hydraulic loading (e.g. surface discharge, roof drains);
• Trees and deep-rooting shrubs in the vicinity of the sewage system;
• Require documentation of previous effluent sampling test results where required (i.e., under Article 8.9.2.4. of the Building Code);
• Evaluation of in‐home plumbing and estimates of water usage;
• Conducting a leak diagnostics;
• Conducting a flow trial;
• Conducting a dye tracing test; or
• Excavating a cross-section of the leaching bed.

A Phase I or Phase II inspection may result in an Order to Comply being issued by the Inspector and require remedial work to be undertaken by the owner at the owner’s expense.

Inspection Report

The Building Division will maintain documentation in respect of maintenance inspections, including:

1. Identification of the property attended;
2. Identification of any pertinent information collected as part of the inspection; and
3. Deficiencies identified and remedial action required if any.

If deficiencies are found during the inspection, you'll receive a report outlining the requirements you will need to complete to pass the inspection. The report will also include a deadline to complete the work.

Once you've completed the work, please notify us at building@orillia.ca  and we will complete a re-inspection. An extension may be granted or an Order to Comply under the Building Code Act may be issued if the Inspector determines that the required work has not been completed.

Enforcement

BCA 8.9.1.2 General Requirements for Operation and Maintenance:

(1) Every sewage system shall be operated and maintained so that,

• the sewage system or any part thereof shall not emit, discharge, or deposit sanitary sewage or effluent onto the surface of the ground,
• sanitary sewage or effluent shall not emit, discharge, seep, leek or otherwise escape from the sewage system or part thereof other than from a place or part of the sewage system where the system is designed or intended to discharge the sanitary sewage or effluent, and
• except as provided in sentence (2), sanitary, sewage or effluent shall not emit, discharge, seep, leak or otherwise escape from the sewage system or any part thereof into a piped water supply, well water supply, a watercourse, ground water or surface water.

If Code violations or signs of possible future problems are detected, then the Inspector will follow up on those matters with the owner. This may involve undertaking some or all the steps pertaining to Phase II maintenance inspections.

If an Inspector finds that a septic system is malfunctioning or failing or has malfunctioned or failed, the Inspector will assess the severity of the matter. The Inspector may require additional inspections, investigations, tests, reports, or other services at the owner’s cost to determine the condition of the septic system.

The Inspector may issue an Order to notify the owner of the problem and provide directions to the owner to correct the deficiency. Where a septic system is beyond repair, a new system may need to be constructed.

In all cases, the Inspector’s first approach will be to encourage the owner to remedy any deficiencies.

Sewage Systems and Property Sales

• The BCA does not require re-inspection of septic systems upon the sale of a property. Lenders, realtors, and lawyers involved in the sale of properties with a septic system should be knowledgeable about operation and maintenance issues.
• A compliance letter for sewage system related inquiries is available for a fee as per the Building By-law. The compliance letter will provide information on file, if any, for the subject property’s septic system.
• Owners and purchasers should determine if there is a septic system on the property and satisfy themselves that it is working properly.
• If up-to-date septic system records are available to potential property buyers (either from the previous owner or on file with the City), then purchasers should be able to investigate a septic system’s health further, based on such risk factors as age, previous orders, etc.
• Based on this investigation and availability of records, a professional inspection by a contractor retained by a person and at the person’s expense may be appropriate.