Environmental Management

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The Environmental Management Department Liquid Waste Program oversees the following activities throughout the County of Sacramento:

• Design, construction, and installation of on-site wa​stewater treatment systems and wastewater holding tanks.
• Businesses and vehicles engaged in the cleaning of septic tanks, portable toilets, and wastewater holding tanks.
• On-site wastewater processing and or treatment facilities

Installing an on-site wastewater treatment system (septic system) within Sacramento County

The type of system your parcel will require depends primarily on where the parcel is located.  The most frequently installed system is the standard pit system.  This type of system is used in areas where it has been determined that the system would be less likely to degrade groundwater quality, and the soil conditions are such that effluent will be more readily absorbed into the pit area.  If your parcel is in an area where the water table is high, or soil conditions are poor, a shallow leach field or deep trench type disposal field may be required. 

There are cases where it is not possible to install any of the above systems.  In these situations, an engineered or alternative system, designed by a registered professional, will be required.  Registered professionals include Registered Environmental Health Specialists, Civil Engineers, or professional Geologists.

Regardless of the system that is installed on your parcel, it is important that the septic tank be approved for use in Sacramento County. 

You may notice that the regulations for septic systems vary from county to county.  The regulations for Sacramento County are dictated by the geology of the region where the system is installed.

Environmental Compliance Staff:

• Issue permits
• Inspect installation of septic systems
• Review engineering/Percolation test documents
• Approve plot plans as part of the building permit issuance process
• Maintain a database that includes information on permitted septic systems in Sacramento County
• Respond to complaints relating to surfacing sewage and/or septic system failures

Forms, Documents & Applications

• Septic System Permit Process
  
• Septic System FAQs
• Test Drill Map for Septic Sys​tems in Sacramento County​ Updated 03/30/06
• Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.32 - (On-site Management of Wastewater) (Adopted 08/10/2010)
• OWTS Guidance Manual
• Septic Tank Abandonment/Destruction Procedure​  Updated 07/05/2022
• Septic System Setback Distance Requirements Summary  Updated 03/31/2014
• Onsite Wastewater System Design Consultant List (formerly Percolation Testing List)   Updated 12/09/2020
• Septic Tanks, Chemical Toilet, Sewage Pumpers and Grease Trap Cleaners List  Updated 12/09/2020
• ​ Liquid Waste (Septic) Permit Application Form Updated​ 07/08/2021​        
• Application for Registration of Septic Tank, Chemical Toilet & Grease Trap Cleaners   Updated 7/05/2022
•   Liquid Waste Request for Service Form ​ Updated 07/02/2024​
• Septic Site Plan  Updated 11/13/2020
• Septic System Flood Outreach Flyer​ ​(2021) 

Sacramento County Environmental Management Department
Environmental Compliance Division
11080 White Rock Rd., Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

916-875-8400
916-875-7649 (fax)
SepticInfo@saccounty.gov​​