The Bernalillo County Commission unanimously approved a new waste-water ordinance Tuesday that imposes stricter requirements on septic systems and system installers. The ordinance also increases the fee county residents must pay for a permit to install a new septic system. The new ordinance requires septic systems to have effluent filters that keep large waste particles from entering the ground.
Septic tanks collect waste water, which then flows into a drain field and seeps into the soil.
County residents, including those in the East Mountains, will have 15 years to comply with the new ordinance unless their septic systems are failing, in which case they may have to comply with the new regulations sooner. The new ordinance also requires installers of septic and alternative systems to be certified by the county. Garcia said the county has one year to develop the certification process before that requirement goes into effect. County officials have said the ordinance is necessary because studies of county wells have shown that effluent is getting into the ground water. County Commissioner Les Houston said Wednesday that county staff held numerous meetings throughout the county to get citizen comments on the ordinance.