WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER ON-SITE SEWAGE FACILITY REGULATIONS

  

Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday will possibly adopt rules relating to on-site sewage facilities (OSSF) within the county.

The vote on an order regulating the facilities will come after a public hearing to receive any comments.

The proposed order states that the commissioners court finds that the use of the facilities “is causing or may cause pollution, and is injuring or may injure the public health.”  The county is seeking to adopt more stringent standards than what the state requires in order to “protect human health and the environment.”

The county’s more stringent requirements proposed include, but are not limited to:

• Each new, altered, repaired or extended OSSF shall require a permit, regardless of acreage.
• Parcels, lots or tracts of land subdivided or created on or after the effective date of the order that are not served by a centralized wastewater treatment facility shall be subject to minimum acreage requirements.  They are at least 1 acre for land served by a public water system and at least 1.5 acres for land not served by a public water system.
• A tiny home, cabin, casita, cottage, park model recreational vehicle or similar structure shall be sized as a single-family dwelling.  The county says this is meant to reduce the likelihood of undersized OSSF systems.
• Existing tanks that will be utilized in a newly permitted OSSF shall have the wastewater removed within the previous five years by a sludge transported holding current registration with TCEQ. 
• Holding tanks, including portable ones, shall not be used on properties with more than one dwelling unit, single-family dwelling, recreational vehicle or similar structure, or more than one commercial or institutional structure on the subject property that may produce sewage.  The holding tank provisions do not apply to portable toilets, RVs utilizing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) factory-installed integrated wastewater holding tanks, or to an office trailer at a construction site.
• Each maintenance provider having contracts in Washington County shall register with Washington County Environmental Health.
• All sprinkler operation shall by controlled by timers set to spray between midnight at 5 a.m.

After that, commissioners will look to adopt a revised fee schedule for Washington County Environmental Health, in connection to OSSF permit applications.

After that, commissioners will look to adopt a revised fee schedule for Washington County Environmental Health, in connection to OSSF permit applications.

Also in session, the court will consider the purchase of an ambulance module from Frazer, Inc. in the amount of $285,189.

In other business, commissioners will act on:

• An amendment to the professional services agreement between the county and PlanNorth, LLC for the Washington County Expo and other county sites.
• Rescinding the termination notice dated October 7, 2024 and sent to Central Square, previously known as Zuercher, for software maintenance.  They will then vote on an extension amendment to the software license and service agreement.
• Approval of a transition agreement with the Texas Association of Counties Health and Employee Benefits Pool (TAC HEBP) for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) administration services.
• Authorizing the Engineering and Development Services Department to advertise for sealed bids for seal coating services.  Bids will be due May 15^th at 10 a.m. in the county clerk’s office and reviewed by commissioners on May 27^th at 9 a.m.
• Approval of right-of-way permit applications for the MS150 on April 26-27 and the Ready 2 Roll Cycling event on April 19.
• Approval of pay rate for jail lieutenant.  According to the agenda packet, Lieutenant David Blakey is being transferred from patrol lieutenant to jail lieutenant.  While his pay rate is not changing, it is 8 percent over the midpoint of the range for the position, so it requires commissioners court approval.
• Approval of renewal bonds for Daniel Gaskamp and Floyd Mathis, reserve sheriff deputies. 
• A proclamation declaring April 13-19 as Public Safety Telecommunications Week.

Commissioners will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse.