Land Services: Individual/Shared Septic Systems
One important potential source of contamination is sewage. In the larger community settings of Missoula County, wastewater treatment plants are used to treat the sewage before the treated sewage is released back into the river. But not all of Missoula County's areas are served by wastewater treatment plants. Many homes in the county have on-site wastewater disposal systems that dispose of sewage into the ground. Gradually that sewage, if not properly treated, can contaminate our groundwater, which is also the source of our drinking water.
- Septic Permits
- Groundwater Testing Word PDF
- Regulation 1: Wastewater Treatment and Disposal
- Excavator licensing
- Site Evaluations
- Septic Determination application/Checklist
- Site Modification
- Alternative Systems Manual
- On-site Wastewater Subsurface Disposal: The Theory
- Rules for Septic tanks
- Homeowner's Guide to Septic Systems (.pdf)
- Septic Maintenance Checklist
- EPA On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual (.pdf)
- Subdivision of Land
Our Health Department has worked very hard to prevent contamination of our underground drinking water sources. You can find out more by visiting the Water Quality website.
The State of Montana also regulates individual septic systems. The document that spells out the state requirements is called DEQ Circular 4. (WARNING: This document takes several minutes to load.)
Alternative Septic Systems
Occasionally, there arises a case where a conventional on-site septic system is not appropriate for a particular piece of land. It might be because there is high groundwater, a steep slope or a well or irrigation ditch too close to the proposed drainfield location. Whatever the reason, there may be an option for the property owner in the Approved Alternative Systems Manual.
Have questions? Contact us at 258-4755, or see our directory.
Liquid waste, also referred to as sewage, black water and grey water is regulated at both the County and State level. Missoula County Board of Health regulates sewage with Health Code Regulation 1. Montana Department of Environmental Quality has several regulations for liquid waste:
Forms - Individual Septic Systems
Most of the following links are Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf).
- Septic and Well Permit Application
- Site Evaluation Application
- Non-Deg Application
- Sewer Determination Application
- Self Inspection Form (PDF Format) for Certified Installers
- Self Inspection Protocol for Certified Installers
Links and Information
- Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, and Repair
- Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Please note some documents are in "Portable Document Format" and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. If you do not have this viewer, visit Adobe.com.