Macon County Public Health
Environmental Health Services

On-Site Wastewater Program

• NC Certified On-Site Wastewater Contractors
• Septic Permit Application (PDF)
• Fee Schedule (PDF)

NOTICE: Property owners and persons requesting site evaluations for On-Site Wastewater permits are strongly encouraged to determine any other authority having jurisdiction over the property to be evaluated and comply with any and all requirements which the town, municipality, etc. will need to be met before improvements are made to the property. The issuance of a Permit (On-Site Wastewater Permit) by the Health Department in no way guarantees issuance of any other permits.

The application for an Improvement Permit or Authorization For Construction of an on-site wastewater system is not considered complete until payment and site plan have been received.

Before a property/parcel can be evaluated, the following information must be provided:

1. Tax map (parcel ID) of the property to be evaluated.
2. Complete the application for Improvement Permit and/or Authorization for Construction. A site plan or survey plat must accompany each application.
3. Application for an Improvement Permit that is valid for 5 years must include: A site plan or a survey plat of the property that indicating driveway, buildings, well & septic area
4. Application for an Improvement Permit that is valid without expiration must include :
   1. A survey plat of the lot prepared by a Registered Land Surveyor. Prepared at a scale of one inch equals no more than sixty feet and indicates:
      1. Dimensions of the property.
      2. Specific location of the building to be put on the property and driveway access.
      3. Site for the proposed wastewater system.
      4. Location of well water supplies and surface waters.
         - OR -
         
   2. If the lot has been recorded at the Register of Deeds Office, provide a copy of the recorded plat along with a site plan drawn to scale and contains all the information requested in number 3 above.
      

Helpful Hint: Contact the Register of Deeds Office 828-349-2095 to see if a survey map of your property already exists.

The property must be prepared as follows prior to site evaluation by an authorized agent of the Health Department:

1. Locate and mark all survey corners of the lot, or of the proposed lot. If a new lot is proposed that has not been surveyed, locate and mark an existing survey iron, which can be used as a reference point for the new lot. Then mark the proposed corners of the lot in the field. Corners and lot lines must be established prior to any evaluation.
2. Clearly locate and mark on the property all the items identified on the site plan or survey plat.
3. The site must be made readily accessible for the evaluation.

Please call (828) 349-2490 when the site has been prepared in accordance with these instructions. Under normal circumstances site evaluation should be completed within 4 weeks. You will be contacted by phone to co-ordinate meeting Health Department staff during site evaluation activities.

Guidelines for Obtaining Septic permits When Subdividing Property

Before the Health Department can evaluate the property, a preliminary survey plat prepared by a Registered Land Surveyor, drawn to a scale of one inch equals no more than 60 feet, must be submitted. The property lines must be clearly marked. House sites must be staked, and driveway access indicated.

An application for an Improvement Permit/Authorization for Wastewater System Construction must be submitted for each system desired. There is a fee for each application based on the size of system required.

An Environmental Health Specialist will meet with the applicant/authorized representative on the site(s) to evaluate the property suitability for the installation of septic systems.

You may wish to, or be required to, seek the services of a soil scientist or systems designer. Soils reports completed and/or systems staked out prior to site visits by this department can expedite the permitting process.

There are many factors, such as soil texture and depth, topography, and size of the suitable area, which must be considered before a permit can be issued. Also, the law requires that there must be a suitable area in which a replacement system can be installed should the first system fail. This area is designated a "repair" area.

The following list of setback requirements may help you in determining where to divide the property.

A ground absorption sewage treatment and disposal system shall be located at least:

• 100' from any private water supply source
• 100' from any public water supply source
• 50' from any stream, canal, marsh, or coastal waters
• 100' from normal high water line of any class I or II impounded reservoir used as a source of drinking water
• 50' from normal high water line of any other lake or impoundment
• 5' from any building foundation, including a deck
• 15' from any basement
• 10' from any property line
• 15' from the top of a slope of an embankment or cut of two feet or more vertical height
• 10' from any water line
• 10' upslope or 25' downslope from interceptor drains
• 25' from ground water lowering and surface drainage ditches
• 15' from any swimming pool
• 20' from any other nitrification field

Note: These distances represent minimum horizontal distances.