Please see the attached fact sheet for information about our inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hamilton County Public Health’s Division of Water Quality manages a set of diverse programs to help protect the environment and public from hazards which may result from faulty sewage treatment systems  (STS), stormwater pollution, and private (drinking) water system (PWS) contamination.

The division employs Environmental Health Specialists registered under the Ohio Revised Codes 4736 and educated water quality technicians who perform operation permit inspections of existing STS, mapping/sampling of streams/storm sewers/collector lines and community education.

Registered Environmental Health Specialists within the Division of Water Quality review proposed new parcels of land and existing lots of record to determine the feasibility of installing an STS in compliance with the Ohio Revised Code 3718, Ohio Administrate Code 3701-29, and Hamilton County Policies and Standards about OAC 3701-29.  The same Environmental Health Specialists review and approve the installation, alteration and repair of new or replacement STS following the same set of rules.  Similarly, private water system installations, alterations or abandonments are inspected by division Environmental Health Specialists to verify compliance with the Ohio Administrative Code 3701-28.

The Division of Water Quality staff perform inspections of sewage treatment systems for real estate transfers and before a “property addition” can proceed.  The division registers contractors who work on STS and haul drinking water including STS installer/repairers, STS service providers, STS cleaners, STS Maintenance Monitoring and Service Providers and Private (Drinking) Water Haulers.

Click here to use the Well Water Interpretation Tool from the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio EPA and the Ohio State University: http://ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/well-educated-ohio/well-water-interpretation-tool

Click here for the new Statewide Sewage Rules Effective 1/1/15.

Water Quality Environmental Health Specialists

Water Quality Environmental Health Specialists help assure that the residents of Hamilton County are not exposed to sewage from failing or malfunctioning household sewage treatment systems. This is accomplished through routine inspections of current treatment systems, as well as review and approval of designs for new and replacement treatment systems. Additionally, Environmental Health Specialists help assure the safety of private drinking water and monitor streams and collector lines throughout the county.

 

Additional Resources