Monterey County Code Section 15.20 - Sewage Disposal

The Environmental Health Bureau has prepared an amendment to Monterey County Code Chapter 15.20 to refine and better reflect current practices and design criteria established by the adopted LAMP (Local Agency Management Program for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems), which was approved on May 10, 2018.  EHB presented the final language to the Board of Supervisors on May 23, 2023 and the amendment has since been adopted and subsequently went into effect starting  June 14, 2023. 

Summary of approved changes and program enhancements included in MCC 15.20 amendment: 

• Establishment of qualified professional registration program  
• Establishment of operating permit program  
• Codify septic tank pumper reporting program  
• Reorganization and refinement of MCC 15.20 to align with new elements of the LAMP and lessons learned since its implementation  
• Consolidation of rainwater and gray water system requirements for consistency with current plumbing code standards

More information and a copy of the ordinance is available on our website: http://www.mtyhd.org/LAMP

The ordinance will be reflected in municode in the following weeks at the following link: Chapter 15.20 - SEWAGE DISPOSAL | Code of Ordinances | Monterey County, CA | Municode Library

Please direct any questions to wastewater@co

LINK TO MONTEREY COUNTY CODE 15.20 (15.20 - SEWAGE ORDINANCE)

MAY 11, 2018

APPROVED MONTEREY COUNTY LAMP (DOWNLOAD PDF)

The Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau (EHB), has received approval of their Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS, also called septic systems). The LAMP details new regulations and site evaluation requirements that will be applied to any OWTS (septic system) permit issued on or after May 11, 2018. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved the program on April 3rd and it was subsequently approved by the Central Coast Water Board on May 10, 2018.

The LAMP was developed in response to the State Water Resources Control Board's OWTS Policy. The primary goals of the OWTS policy are to improve protection of groundwater, surface water and public health by assigning minimum standards for OWTS. The restrictive standards in Tier 1 of the OWTS Policy apply throughout California unless the local jurisdictions prepared a LAMP (Tier 2), essentially customizing the requirements to take local geology and OWTS practices into consideration, and also authorizing the use of alternative (supplemental) treatment systems when a conventional septic tank and leachfield system are not suitable for use based on site or soil conditions. Monterey County EHB issued a draft in May 2016 and held 7 public meetings with OWTS stakeholders throughout the past 2 years that resulted in the approved LAMP. The EHB will enforce the requirements and intent of the LAMP immediately. However, minor clarifications and adjustments to the LAMP are anticipated during the first few months of implementation; therefore, Monterey County Code, Chapter 15.20 (Sewage Disposal) will not be formally amended for another 12-18 months.

A copy of the approved LAMP and a summary of the changes it will invoke, compared to the previous OWTS rules and regulations, is available at: www.MtyHD.org/LAMP

Important notes:

• Conventional OWTS (septic tank and rock-filled leachfield) will continue to be utilized as the preferred method of onsite wastewater disposal.
• Alternative OWTS with supplemental treatment will only be required when site and/or soil conditions are not suitable to provide adequate treatment of wastewater.
• Septic tank pumper reports will be furnished to EHB by liquid waste haulers whenever they conduct a septic tank pump out. EHB will utilize this information to identify regional trends, such as incidences of seasonally high groundwater, and as an evaluation tool when an OWTS is proposed to receive additional wastewater (i.e. during review of a construction permit). EHB does not intend to use these reports as an enforcement tool, unless it identifies an imminent threat to groundwater, surface water or public health.

For additional information, contact Ms. Nicki Fowler, Supervisor of the Environmental Health Review Services team in EHB at (831) 755-4584 or by email at fowlerne@countyofmonterey.gov.

LAMP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

LAMP on the Radio - February 24, 2018 (KION 1460 AM)

LAMP Informational Meeting - February 7, 2018

LAMP Overview
Monterey County has drafted a Local Agency Management Program (“LAMP”) for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (“OWTS”, also commonly called septic systems). In June 2012, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted the OWTS Policy, intended to increase protection of water quality and public health in California by establishing uniform regulations for OWTS that apply throughout the state. The LAMP has been developed in accordance with Tier 2 of the Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (“OWTS Policy”), to provide local designers, installers and regulators more flexibility when designing, installing and permitting OWTS while still ensuring the goals of the OWTS Policy, adopted by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (“Central Coast Water Board”), can be met. The LAMP will supplement Monterey County Code, Chapter 15.20, Sewage Disposal, and calls for it to be updated to conform to the LAMP once it is approved by the Board of Supervisors (on or about May 2018). The LAMP does not require changes to existing, properly functioning OWTS. New OWTS and repairs, expansions or replacement of existing OWTS will be required to meet the requirements of the LAMP. Existing OWTS that are found to clearly degrade groundwater or surface water quality or could otherwise contribute to public health impacts may also require upgrade or replacement. Here is a list of some of the changes proposed by the LAMP, compared to current County standards:

• Specifies more comprehensive site evaluation requirements (including groundwater monitoring borings, soil profile analysis and for new systems, percolation testing)
• Limits the depth of dispersal fields
• Limits the use of seepage pits
• Requires septic tank pumpers to submit a report on every septic tank pump out within Monterey County
• Allows consideration for an alternative OWTS if a property is so constrained (for example, high groundwater, shallow soils or slow-percolating soils) that a conventional OWTS (septic tank and gravity disposal field) cannot be installed

Common Acronyms

• EHB means Environmental Health Bureau, Monterey County Health Department
• LAMP means Local Agency Management Program (“LAMP”) for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
• OWTS means Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
• TAC means Technical Advisory Committee

State OWTS Policy
Water Quality Control Plan for Siting, Design, Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems by State Water Resources Control Board dated June 19, 2012

OWTS Policy Website

Current Local OWTS Regulations

Monterey County Code, Chapter 15.20

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