[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Town of Ashland
1988. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following guidelines are provided to aid in the process
of installing a well or a septic system in new construction or repair.
The first step involved with installing a septic system or a
well is to contact a professional civil engineer or a registered sanitarian
to draft a septic system and/or well.
If the land to be used has not been tested for groundwater or
soil conditions, then soil tests are to be arranged with the engineer
and the Board of Health Department. Soil testing is only allowed from
March 15 through April 30 of each year for groundwater testing, and
these observations have to be applied for by March 13 of each year
or as otherwise approved by the Board of Health.
A.
Permits. All the necessary permits are to be obtained from the Ashland
Board of Health. The applications for the septic system (standard
state form) are to be provided by the engineer. The well application
is obtained at the Ashland Board of Health office.
B.
Fees. All proper fees are to be paid at the time of application.
The fee schedule can be obtained at the Board of Health office.
C.
Plans.
(1)
Four (4) plans of the septic system/well are to be submitted at the
time the applications are submitted.
(2)
Once the application, fees and plans are received, the plans will
be reviewed by the Ashland Board of Health environmental consultant.
The time required to have the plans reviewed is from two (2) to four
(4) weeks in most cases and up to six (6) weeks during busy periods,
which generally occur in the spring and summer.
The following list is for the installation of a septic system
and well together. Once the plans are approved by the Ashland Board
of Health, then the plans are submitted to the Building Department,
and the owner's copy can be obtained at the Ashland Board of
Health office. The following is a step-by-step procedure list. Note:
Copies of the Ashland regulations for septic systems and wells should
be obtained for reference and any supplement to these guidelines.[1]
A.
Well.
(1)
The well is to be staked out by the engineer as it is indicated on
the plans.
(2)
The well is to be drilled by a state-certified well driller. The
well driller is responsible for submitting his or her certification
to the Ashland Board of Health office.
(3)
Once the well is drilled, a well pump test is to be scheduled with
the Ashland Board of Health environmental consultant. The amount of
time required to be placed on the schedule for a pump test is five
(5) to seven (7) days in most cases. A qualified well driller is to
conduct the well pump tests.
(4)
A water sample is to be taken from the well and submitted to a state-certified
lab for the quality water tests. (See Ashland well regulations.[2]) The collection for this test is usually taken by the
well pump company at the end of the pump test. Note: This is the first
of the two (2) water quality tests required (at the well and at the
tap once the plumbing is installed).
(5)
The water quality report is to be submitted to the Ashland Board
of Health office by the applicant for the well so that the submitted
documents can be signed by the applicant once they are stamped at
the office.
(6)
The well results will be reviewed by the Ashland Board of Health
environmental consultant and, if the well water meets all the criteria
for issuing a building permit, then the Building Inspector and the
applicant will be notified, in writing, of this approval. A building
permit cannot be issued until the well water has been approved.
(7)
A well curtain is to be placed around the well: two-foot radius curtain
of cement sloping to the ground and sealed at the pipe.
B.
Septic system.
(1)
A licensed installer with the Ashland Board of Health is the only
person allowed to install a septic system. All inspections for septic
systems are to be arranged by the installer.
(2)
A guideline of the as-builts required can be obtained at the Ashland
Board of Health office.
(3)
Any changes to the house or septic system plans are not to be done
until reviewed by the design engineer and the Ashland Board of Health
environmental consultant.
(4)
It is recommended that the septic system be installed after the construction
and plumbing in the house has been completed to avoid any damages
to the septic system.
(5)
Once the septic system has been completely installed and final graded
with all the necessary as-builts and inspections completed, then the
final procedures for occupancy permit can commence.
