Septic Re-Inspection Program

Home Open For BusinessSeptic Re-Inspection Program

The objective of the Sewage System Re-Inspection Program is to aid in keeping our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater pollution free. Systems that are improperly maintained, older or outdated or malfunctioning may have a negative impact on the environment, lakes and groundwater. The Council of North Frontenac is committed to the preservation of the environment and natural resources in the area and have initiated the implementation of this program to continue for years to come. The program was first initiated in 2005 and has had a great response from full time residents and cottage owners with accepting the offer to have their septic systems voluntarily inspected.

The Program will be conducted by the Mississippi Rideau Office from May until late August. They will collect information on existing systems and properties and look for visual signs that may indicate that a system may need attention. Historically, many systems are found to have no issues at the time of inspection (35% - 45%), while others require routine maintenance or work that can be completed without a permit. Only a very small percentage of systems require replacement (2-3%).

Septic Smart Booklet

What the Program will Entail

The selection of properties which comes with the aid of existing mapping, County GIS and information from our Lake Associations.
A letter is sent to the property owner informing them of the re-inspection program and what their participation would entail, a description of the inspection to take place and a two sided questionnaire to be completed by the homeowner and returned to the Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office.
Permission is considered granted by receipt of a completed questionnaire; if explicit permission has not been granted, then no inspection of the property will be conducted.
We encourage property owners to participate; if property owners choose not to participate we ask that the office is contacted so that the information can be recorded.
Our goal is to get enough responses to inspect up to 100 properties from May to August.
Please refer to the Voluntary Sewage System Re-Inspection Program Procedure below for distinct details.

Voluntary Sewage System Re-Inspection Program Procedure

The primary role of the Mississippi-Rideau Septic System Office (MRSSO), as the administrators of the re-inspection program, is to educate property owners about their onsite waste treatment system and any deficiencies with it. Our secondary role is to ensure that unsafe systems are required to meet the requirements of Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code. As the property owner you can expect that re-inspection, communication of results, and all inquiries to be dealt with in a professional manner.

Step 1: Questionnaire

The first step in your participation is completing and returning the questionnaire. Please fill in, sign and return questionnaire by fax, email or mail as soon as possible to the number or address provided. Do not feel as though the form must be fully completed to return it to us, every bit of information is useful.

The intention of the Questionnaire is to provide our office with basic information regarding your septic system and its location on your property. Unfortunately the Township does not have this information for every property.

Step 2: Appointments

Appointments are not required but can be made between 8 am – 4pm on a first come, first served basis, by contacted the MRSSO. If an appointment is not arranged, the MRSSO will schedule the re-inspection and notify you one week in advance.

Step 3: Inspections

The Septic re-inspection will include the following items:

Determining location of all systems
Measurement of separation distances to key lot features
Visual inspection of tank structure
Measurement of tank contents
Visual inspection of bed
Briefing the homeowner on proper system maintenance and operation

The MRSSO requests that both septic tank lids are exposed for the re-inspection (most tanks have 2). There will be a $40 ($20/lid) maximum charge for the MRSSO to assist in locating and excavating the septic tank lids. This fee will be invoiced upon completion of the re-inspection. No costs will be incurred if excavation is not required. The MRSSO will re-cover the tank when the inspection is completed at no cost. Unless it is determined that a pump-out is required. A copy of the septic re-inspection report will be left on-site with an invoice for tank excavation, if required.