Washington County Texas

CHECK LIST FOR SEPTIC PERMITS

Printable pdf

Please email completed application packet to: wcrboffice@washingtoncountytx.gov

See Fee Schedule for payment amount, all fees are non-refundable

To pay online: Go to Certified Payments (enter Bureau Code 9235584 and Account Number 1 if needed).

To pay by phone: Call Certified Payments toll-free at 1-866-549-1010 (enter Bureau Code 9235584 and Account Number 1 when prompted).

For assistance with online and phone payments, call Certified Payments at 1-866-539-2020.

_____ Permit application

1. Single Family Residential is one residence and/or one auxiliary structure on one system Single Family Residential Permit Application
2. Multi-Unit Residential or Non-Residential is two or more residences on one system or any non-residential or commercial structure Multi-Unit Residential or Non-Residential Permit Application

_____ Legal Description

1. Copy of filed Deed or
2. Property Details Document from Washington County Appraisal District

_____ Joined Properties Affidavit (If house/structure and septic are on 2 tracts of land.  If more than          2 tracts contact our office for the proper affidavit) Joined Prop Aff - 2

1. Signed by Owner, Notarized
2. Filed at the Washington County Clerk’s Office

_____ Water Well Report (If well is less than 100’ from drainfield) 2003-Present or 2002 & Prior

_____ Soil Evaluation Soil Evaluation

_____ Site Plan/Drawing Site Plan with Grid

_____ Calculations Page (by RS or PE if an Aerobic or LPD is installed)

_____ Aerobic Information Sheet (Signed by Owner, for Aerobic systems only) ATU Owner Info

_____ Affidavit to the Public for Aerobic systems only Aerobic Affidavit

1. Signed by Owner, Notarized
2. Filed at the Washington County Clerk’s Office

_____ 2 Year Maintenance Contract (for Aerobic systems only)

1. Signed by Owner and Maintenance Provider

_____ Maintenance Company Registration must be on file (for Aerobic systems only)

Septic System Maintenance Providers working in Washington County are required to register with Washington County Environmental Health.  Maintenance contracts are only accepted from maintenance providers whose registration is current and in good standing.

Maintenance Providers: registration is free of charge, please complete our Maintenance Provider Registration Form and email it to rhamilton@washingtoncountytx.gov or otherwise deliver it to our office.

Homeowner Maintenance of Aerobic System Training.  Successful completion of this course satisfies Washington County training requirement for homeowners wanting to maintain their own aerobic septic system, rather than hiring a maintenance provider.

Septic systems are designed based on water usage rates and wastewater strength. If you are on a public water system, providing a copy of your water records from the previous twelve months to your septic designer/installer and our office will help insure that the system is sized correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions about OSSFs

To help keep your septic system working properly or if it does not appear to be working well, see our Septic System Troubleshooting Guide.

Septic system components must be installed certain distances from other features, such as water wells.  For a complete list, see Minimum Required Separation Distances.

The TCEQ compiles a list of court judgements against OSSF licensees that may be viewed here: List of OSSF Licensing Court Judgements

Funding assistance with the cost of septic system installation or repair for low income and indigent persons click here for information.

Floodplain maps of Washington County are available online from several sources.

1. The floodplain may be viewed on the Washington County Engineering and Development Services Web Map Application.  After opening the map, select "Washington County Floodplain" from the Layers List.

2. The floodplain may be viewed on the Washington County Appraisal District Interactive Map.  After opening the map, select "Floodplain" from the Map Contents Layer List.

3. The Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is available from FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center.

Option A: Enter an address, a place, or longitude/latitude coordinates for the location, and click “Search”.

Option B: If the address is unknown, or you want to see a list of all flood maps for a given jurisdiction, click “Search All Products”.

4. The FEMA flood hazard file is available in Google Earth.  You must first have Google Earth installed on your computer before downloading and viewing the FEMA flood hazard file.  Click this “Stay Dry” link for information and instructions.

Washington County Rules for Flood Damage Prevention (County Order)

Base Level Engineering (BLE) data has been developed for some areas of Washington County that includes estimated Base Flood Elevations, and Flood Depths.  BLE results are available for use by the public on the Estimated Base Flood Elevation Viewer.

For floodplain information on property in the City of Brenham contact City of Brenham Development Services.

For floodplain information on property in the City of Burton email Burton City Secretary at burtonsecr@cityofburton-tx.gov or call 979-289-3400.

Find floodplain administrators in other areas here. 

Reduce Flood Risk is an online interactive flood mitigation resource that aims to help property owners better understand their flood risk and the most effective flood mitigation strategies for their particular property.

TexasFlood.org is a website of the Texas Water Development Board that provides flood-related data and information on what to do before, during, and after a flooding event.

Additional permits may be required to comply with state, and federal regulations for development within areas designated as wetlands.  For information on wetlands determination and regulation see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  For information on flood insurance see the National Flood Insurance Program or contact an insurance agent.