When it comes to installing a new septic system, playing by the county rules can help you make the best choice for your home. Your area’s Public Health Department will often have a strong say in what types of household sewage treatment systems (HSTS) are allowed, as well as who is qualified to install them. For Ohio residents living in Hamilton, Clermont, and Brown Counties, below are the parameters you need to follow when choosing a new septic system. 

The Septic Systems Allowed for Hamilton, Clermont, & Brown Counties in Ohio

Clermont County

The Clermont County Public Health Department allows only two types of septic systems for residential wastewater treatment:

• Soil Absorption System: The wastewater disperses into the surrounding soil, filtering and cleansing said effluent until it is carried away by a source of water.
• Discharging System: The wastewater is treated and then discharged into a stream, ditch, or other surfaced body of water. 

While residents are limited to these two types of HSTS, there are four different brand options for the soil absorption systems and ten options for the discharging systems. These choices fall under the required blanket terms, but the pathology of how they treat wastewater varies from brand to brand. The options chosen are based on distributors in the area that have met Quality Installation Assurance program requirements for septic systems that meet Ohio EPA’s strict discharge permit. These qualified distributors will steer you in the direction of the correct choice for your property’s needs.

Hamilton County

Hamilton County allows several options for homeowners in regards to the design and installation of their septic system. These sewage treatment options are commonly called a leech system and a mound system, though their names are not truly representative of the systems that are allowed. The septic systems that you will most likely see from Hamilton County are:

• Demand Dosed Conventional System: Predetermined volumes of sewage are held in a chamber, then dosed to the next component once the preliminary chamber has reached a certain capacity. 
• Gravity Conventional System: Wastewater flows from one component to the next component positioned downstream by way of gravity.
• Advanced Technology System: Additional waste treatment strategies that are applied when initial systems do not complete the job sufficiently.

Brown County

While there are no requirements for the type of system a resident must have in Brown County, their Public Health Department takes a hands-on approach to household sewage treatment systems since the majority of the county does not have a sanitary sewer system. A Public Health Inspector will evaluate your property to help you choose the best septic system available and will advise you on a registered installer for the suggested HSTS. The inspector will also follow up post-installation for quality assurance. 

If you’re unsure which septic system is right for your home, a licensed installer like the team at Midwestern Plumbing Service will have a thorough knowledge of your county’s rules and will decipher which system fits both those parameters and your own needs. As Clermont, Hamilton, and Brown Counties’ trusted plumbers for over 35 years, Midwestern Plumbing will be your advocate throughout the installation process, as well as provide any needed maintenance on your septic system in the future. For an experienced team that’s on-call for you 24/7, call (513) 753-0050 or visit their website to access a full list of their services.