Notice October 25, 2024: The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) phone system has returned to normal operations. Community members can contact SMCHD at 301-475-4330.

Regulatory Changes to Installation and Maintenance of Septic Systems Announced

LEONARDTOWN, MD (November 16, 2016) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health announces regulatory changes to Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 26, Maryland Department of the Environment, Subtitle 04: Regulation of Water Supply, Sewage Disposal and Solid Waste. These regulations relate to the installation and maintenance of septic systems for homes and businesses not utilizing public sewage systems.

Effective November 24, 2016, properties located outside of the 1000-foot Critical Area buffer are no longer required to install the Best Available Technology (BAT) for nitrogen removal. The BAT may be required on properties with existing homes or businesses outside of the Critical Area in situations where soil conditions prohibit the installation of a conventional septic system.  Other regulatory changes are being issued and anyone planning to install a septic system should visit the COMAR website to learn more.

If the owner of a property outside the 1000-foot Critical Area is preparing to install a septic system and plans call for the installation of a BAT, please call the Division of Environmental Health at 301-475-4321 to discuss possible options.

For more information about septic system installation, repair or to download an application, please visit the St. Mary’s County Health Department’s website at www.smchd.org.

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