Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 310 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Title 310 CMR 15.000 - The State Environmental Code, Title 5: Standard Requirements for the Siting, Construction, Inspection, Upgrade and Expansion of On-site Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems and for the Transport and Disposal of Septage › Subpart D - INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS › Section 15.302 - Criteria for Inspection

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1) The intent of
				310 CMR 15.302 is to provide reasonable guidance for the inspection of existing
				systems in as non-intrusive a manner as possible, set forth the requirements
				for conducting an inspection, and to avoid damage to the system and any
				unnecessary disturbance of the surrounding soil area which is related to the
				treatment process. At a minimum, the septic tank and distribution box, if
				present, or cesspool, if present, shall be located, uncovered and inspected,
				and reasonable professional efforts shall be made to locate and identify other
				components and features, as described in 310 CMR 15.302(2) and (3). The
				inspection is not designed to provide information to demonstrate that the
				system will adequately serve the use to be placed upon it by the new owner. The
				inspection criteria are intended to allow for timely inspection to avoid undue
				delay in the transfer of property.
(2) An inspection shall consist of the
				collection and recording of the following information:
(a) a general description of the system
				components and layout;
(b)
				quantification of the source/type of sanitary sewage. This should include type
				of use (domestic or commercial/industrial) as well as the design flow and
				whether or not the facility being served is occupied at the time of the
				inspection;
(c) an analysis of the
				factors set forth in
				310
				CMR 15.303 (failure criteria) and, if the
				system has a design flow of 10,000 gpd or greater, 15.304 (threats to public
				health and environment);
(d) water
				use records for the previous two years for facilities served by public water
				supply, if available from the supplier;
(e) a description of the septic tank
				including:
1. approximate age, size, and
				condition of the tank;
2. distance
				between bottom of grease/scum layer and the bottom of the outlet
				baffle;
3. distance between the top
				of the scum layer and the top of the outlet tee;
4. thickness of the grease/scum
				layer;
5. depth of the sludge layer
				and distance from sludge to outlet tee;
6. physical condition of inlet and outlet
				tees;
7. any evidence of leakage
				into or out of tank; and
8. any
				evidence of backup of effluent.
9.
				a characterization of the distribution box, and of dosing tanks with pumps, if
				any, including:
a. any evidence of solids
				carryover;
b. leakage into or out
				of the distribution box;
c. whether
				the flow is equally divided; and
d.
				any evidence of backup.
10. a description of the condition of the
				soil absorption system including:
a. any signs
				of hydraulic failure;
b. condition
				of surface vegetation;
c. level of
				ponding within disposal area;
d.
				encroachments into disposal area; and
e. other sources of hydraulic
				loading.
11. the
				location of private water supply well (if any) in relation to system
				components; and
12. a copy of
				pump-out records on file with the local Approving Authority.