Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 240-7, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.
Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Washington County Health Department. The owner shall apply for such permit in the manner specified by the Washington County Health Department. The owner shall furnish any and all plans, specifications and other information as is deemed necessary by the Washington County Health Department. The Washington County Health Department shall furnish any and all plans, specifications and other information as is deemed necessary by the approving authority and the City Engineer for review and approval.
A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the approving authority and the Plumbing Inspector. They shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the approving authority and the Plumbing Inspector when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within two working days of the receipt of notice by the approving authority and the Plumbing Inspector. Failure to inspect within said specified time shall not be construed as approval.
The type, capacities, location and layout of a private sewage disposal system shall comply with all requirements of the Maryland State Department of the Environment and all other federal and state agencies and with all recommendations of the approving authority. No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil-absorption facilities where percolation tests have not been made to determine the size of the absorption area. No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.
At such time as a public sanitary sewer becomes available to a property served by a private sewage disposal system, as provided in § 240-11, a direct connection shall be made to the public sanitary sewer within 30 days after the receipt of notice, and any septic tanks, cesspools and/or other private sewage disposal facilities shall be cleaned of sludge and filled with clean bank-run gravel or dirt or as required by the approving authority and/or the City Engineer. If any owner or user shall, after notice as provided herein, refuse or neglect to discontinue the use of cesspools, sinks, wells, privy vaults or other private sewage disposal systems and to clean, fill up and close the same, the City shall cause the same to be cleaned, filled up and closed at the owner's expense. This expense shall be a lien against the property.
The owner shall operate and maintain the private sewage disposal facility in a sanitary manner and in compliance with its intended use at all times, at no expense to the City.
Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to preclude any additional requirements that may be imposed by federal, state, county or City statutes, ordinances or administrative regulations applicable to systems referred to in this Article III.