FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Operation and Maintenance Permit Mailing

April 25, 2022

DEFIANCE, OH- Defiance County General Health District (DCGHD) is entering the fourth year of its Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Program. Through this program, Environmental staff provide education to property owners on proper operation and maintenance of their septic systems. Proper maintenance of septic systems may increase the life of the septic system, and prevent costly repairs.

Ohio Revised Code requires all Health Districts implement an Operation and Maintenance Program for sewage treatment systems. The basic requirements of the program are:

• All private sewage systems must be permitted
• All private sewage systems must be maintained
• Supports lower cost repairs to systems instead of replacement
• Gives existing system an “approved” status, as long as they are functional and not causing a nuisance.

Letters will be mailed on May 13, 2022 to owners of properties in Farmer, Milford, and Washington townships. The mailing will include a cover letter, Terms & Conditions of the O&M Program, a Septic Tank Pumping Schedule, and the O&M Permit Application. The first step for property owners is to submit the permit application and $60.00 permit fee to DCGHD by June 30, 2022. After DCGHD processes the applications, applicants will receive a permit letter from the District. Property owners will then have to meet the terms & conditions of the Program (may include a septic tank pumping and/or inspection/maintenance of their septic system) within the four-year permit period.

The program also allows property owners to register to inspect and perform maintenance on their own systems. Environmental staff use funds generated from the program to provide homeowner education, improve the County’s private sewage system records, and map septic systems using a mapping software.

This year, DCGHD is hosting informational meetings for property owners to attend, ask questions, and learn more about the program. These meetings will be held on:

• Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Farmer American Legion
• Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 6 p.m. Fairview High School.

More program details can be found at https://defiancecohealth.org/myseptic . If you are a property owner and have additional questions, call 419-784-3818 and ask for an Environmental Staff member, or email questions to myseptic@defiancecohealth.org .