Individual Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Program Goals

To minimize potential health hazards and the contamination of surface and ground waters by ensuring that individual wastewater treatment systems are properly designed and constructed pursuant to Article IIA and Article III of the Monroe County Sanitary Code.

Program Highlights

• Witness field testing (percolation tests and deep holes).
• Review plans and issue approvals for individual wastewater treatment systems.
• Consult with engineers, homeowners, and contractors.
• Perform construction inspections of new on-site sewage treatment systems and repairs.
• Investigate complaints.
• Enforce Article II-A and Article III of the Monroe County Sanitary Code.

Application Procedure

Application is made by submitting a completed “San-72 form” for new developments or the “Application for a Construction Permit for the Installation or Repair of an Individual Wastewater Treatment System.” Copies of these forms are available on this website or from the Monroe County Department of Public Health, Bureau of Public Health Engineering, 111 Westfall Road, Room 938, Rochester, New York 14620.

What You’ll Need

Before an on-site wastewater treatment system can be constructed, the applicant is required to provide a plan prepared by a design professional showing placement of the system on the property.  For simple repair applications, the plan may be prepared by the contractor. 

Other Information

• Individual Sewage Disposal Design Handbook (95 Page .PDF)

Inspection Requirements

A Monroe County Department of Public Health representative must perform construction inspections of the installation of wastewater treatment facilities for both new development and repairs.

Inspections will be completed within 48 hours of request. 

Documents and Permits

• Property Transfer Recommendations (9k PDF)
• SAN 72 (13k PDF)
• Septic System Care and Maintenance (1,004k PDF)
• Application for a Construction Permit for a Repair (29k PDF)
• Instructions for Repair Permit (112k PDF)  
• Monroe County Sanitary Code Article IIa Private Sewage Disposal Systems (32k PDF)
• Monroe County Sanitary Code Article III Realty Subdivisions (21k PDF)  

Online Information

• New York State Department of Health-Septic systems