SECTION 285.7. Maintenance Requirements

(a) Maintenance contract requirements. Maintenance contract requirements for all on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs) are identified in §285.91(12) of this title (relating to Tables). The permit holder shall ensure that the OSSF is properly operated and maintained in accordance with this chapter. Homeowners who maintain their own systems are exempt from contract requirements, as provided in subsection (d)(4) of this section.

(b) Maintenance provider.

(1) Effective September 1, 2009, in order to perform maintenance on an OSSF, an individual must either be licensed by the TCEQ as a maintenance provider or registered by the TCEQ as a maintenance technician and employed by a licensed maintenance provider. Prior to September 1, 2009, in order to perform maintenance on an OSSF, an individual must be registered by the TCEQ as a maintenance provider.

(2) Effective September 1, 2009, the maintenance provider will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the maintenance contract. The maintenance provider will be responsible for the work performed by registered maintenance technicians under their direct supervision. Prior to September 1, 2009, the maintenance company will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the maintenance contract.

(3) Effective September 1, 2009, the maintenance provider must sign all maintenance reports.

(c) Initial Two-Year Service Policy. The initial two-year service policy shall be effective for two years from the date the OSSF is first used. For a new single family dwelling, this date is the date of sale by the builder. For an existing single family dwelling this date is the date the notice of approval is issued by the permitting authority. The owner, or owner's agent shall provide the permitting authority with a copy of the signed initial two-year service policy before the system is approved for use. The initial service policy shall meet the minimum guidelines for maintenance contracts, as described in subsection (d)(1)(A) - (F) of this section and the individual fulfilling the service policy shall be a maintenance provider or a maintenance technician working under the supervision of a maintenance provider.

(d) Maintenance contracts. OSSFs required to have maintenance contracts are identified in §285.91(12) of this title.

(1) Contract provisions. The OSSF maintenance contract shall, at a minimum:

(A) list items that are covered by the contract;

(B) specify a time frame in which the maintenance provider or maintenance technician will visit the property in response to a complaint by the property owner regarding the operation of the system;

(C) specify the name of the maintenance provider who is responsible for fulfilling the terms of the maintenance contract;

(D) identify the frequency of routine maintenance and the frequency of the required testing and reporting;

(E) identify who is responsible for maintaining the disinfection unit; and

(F) indicate the business physical address and telephone number for the maintenance provider.

(2) Contract submittals. Unless the owner maintains the system, as excepted by paragraph (4) of this subsection, a copy of the signed maintenance contract shall be provided by the owner to the permitting authority 30 days before the expiration of the initial two-year service policy. For the time period after the initial two-year service policy, the owner is required to have a new maintenance contract signed and submitted to the permitting authority at least 30 days before the contract expires unless the owner maintains the system, as excepted by paragraph (4) of this subsection.

(3) Amendments or terminations.

(A) Effective September 1, 2009, if the maintenance provider discontinues the maintenance contract, the maintenance provider shall notify, in writing, the permitting authority, the manufacturer, and the owner at least 30 days before the date service will cease. Prior to September 1, 2009, if the maintenance company discontinues the maintenance contract, the maintenance company shall notify, in writing, the permitting authority, the manufacturer, and the owner at least 30 days before the date service will cease.

(B) Effective September 1, 2009, if the owner discontinues the maintenance contract, the maintenance provider shall notify, in writing, the permitting authority and the manufacturer at least 30 days before the date service will cease. Prior to September 1, 2009, if the owner discontinues the maintenance contract, the maintenance company shall notify, in writing, the permitting authority and the manufacturer at least 30 days before the date service will cease.

(C) Effective September 1, 2009, if a maintenance contract is discontinued or terminated, the owner shall contract with another maintenance provider and provide the permitting authority with a copy of the new signed maintenance contract no later than 30 days after termination, unless the owner meets the requirements of paragraph (4) of this subsection. Prior to September 1, 2009, if a maintenance contract is discontinued or terminated, the owner shall contract with another maintenance company and provide the permitting authority with a copy of the new signed maintenance contract no later than 30 days after termination, unless the owner meets the requirements of paragraph (4) of this subsection.

(4) Exceptions to maintenance contract. At the end of the initial two-year service policy, the owner of an OSSF for a single family residence shall either maintain the system personally or obtain a new maintenance contract.

(A) If the residence is sold before the end of the initial two-year service policy period, the terms of the initial service policy will apply to the new owner.

(B) An owner may not maintain an OSSF under the provisions of this section for commercial, speculative residential, or multifamily property.

(e) Testing and reporting. OSSFs that must be tested are identified in §285.91(12) of this title.

(1) Effective September 1, 2009, the maintenance provider shall test and report for each system as required in §285.91(12) of this title. Prior to September 1, 2009, the maintenance company shall test and report for each system as required in §285.91(12) of this title. The report must:

(A) include any responses to owner complaints; the results of the maintenance provider's findings as described in §285.90(3) of this title (relating to Figures) and the test results as required in §285.91(4) of this title, including procedures for the maintenance of the unit approved by the executive director; and

(B) be submitted to the permitting authority and the owner within 14 days after the date the test is performed.

(2) To provide the owner with a record of the maintenance check, the maintenance provider shall install a weather resistant tag, or some other form of weather resistant identification, on the system at the beginning of each maintenance contract. The weather resistant tag or other form of weather resistant identification must be located on the outside of the motor cover, control panel, or breaker box. This identification shall:

(A) identify the maintenance provider;

(B) list the telephone number of the maintenance provider;

(C) specify the start date of the contract; and

(D) be either punched or indelibly marked with the date the system was checked at the time of each maintenance check, including any maintenance check in response to owner complaints.

(3) The number of required tests may be reduced to two per year for all systems having electronic monitoring and automatic telephone or radio access that will notify the maintenance provider of system or components failure and will monitor the amount of disinfection in the system. The maintenance provider shall be responsible for ensuring that the electronic monitoring and automatic telephone or radio access systems are working properly.

(4) The owner of an OSSF for a single family residence who elects to maintain their unit through the exemption described in subsection (d)(4) of this section is not subject to testing and reporting requirements.

(f) Replacement parts. The manufacturer of the installed on-site aerobic system shall make available to the homeowner all replacement parts for that aerobic system to any homeowner who elects to maintain the on-site aerobic system as identified in subsection (d)(4) of this section. The manufacturer shall also make replacement parts available to installers and maintenance providers. Failure to do so may result in removal of the manufacturer's product(s) from the list of approved systems.

(g) Inspections by authorized agents or commission. An authorized agent or the commission may inspect an on-site sewage system using aerobic treatment at any time.

Source Note: The provisions of this §285.7 adopted to be effective September 11, 2008, 33 TexReg 7536; amended to be effective July 6, 2023, 48 TexReg 3508