New Mexico Administrative Code

A. For liquid waste systems utilizing conventional treatment and conventional disposal, the department shall require the following information to be included with the application. (1) A detailed site plan, completely dimensioned, showing direction and approximate slope of surface…

A. An application for a permit proposing advanced treatment (with conventional or alternative disposal) or alternative disposal (with conventional treatment) may be submitted. B. Applications shall include the information required for a conventional treatment or disposal system, …

A. The department may issue a permit, on an individual basis, for the installation of an on-site liquid waste system that has received experimental or conditional approval. The permit applicant must demonstrate that the proposed system, by itself or in combination with other on-s…

A. Any person seeking a variance from the requirements contained in 20.7.3 NMAC shall do so by filing a written petition with the field office of the department having jurisdiction for the area where the system is to be installed. B. The petition shall be made on a form provided …

A. Any affected person who is dissatisfied with action taken by the department on a permit application or variance petition may appeal to the secretary. The request must be made in writing to the secretary within 15 working days after notice of the department's action has been is…

September 1, 2013, except where a later effective date is indicated in the history note at the end of a section.

A. Plans for treatment units that have not been previously approved by the department, including septic tanks, shall be submitted to the department for approval and certification. Such plans shall show all dimensions, reinforcement, structural calculations and such other pertinen…

A. All conventional treatment units, regardless of material or method of construction and unless otherwise specified in this part, shall be designed to produce a clarified effluent and shall provide adequate space for sludge and scum accumulations based on a minimum hydraulic ret…

A. Pump stations or pump chambers shall be watertight and shall be constructed of concrete, plastic, fiberglass or other approved material. Tanks and chambers shall be designed and constructed so as to serve their intended purpose, meet appropriate material and structural require…

A. The building sewer connects the building drain to the septic tank or liquid waste treatment unit. Horizontal building sewer piping shall be run in practical alignment and a uniform slope of not less than 1/4 of an inch per foot or 2% toward the point of disposal provided that …

To protect the health and welfare of present and future citizens of New Mexico by providing for the prevention and abatement of public health hazards and surface and groundwater contamination from on-site liquid waste disposal practices.

A. The level of treatment required and the type of disposal allowed shall be determined by the site evaluation and the character of the waste to be treated and disposed using 20.3.7.605 NMAC. A liquid waste system with an approved non-discharging disposal design may be installed …

A. Secondary treatment systems shall produce an effluent that meets the following requirements: (1) 5-day biochemical oxygen demand of 30 mg/l; and (2) total suspended solids of 30 mg/l. B. Secondary treatment systems may be installed to overcome site conditions set forth in 20.7…

A. Tertiary treatment systems shall provide total nitrogen (TN) removal in addition to secondary treatment. B. For lots that exceed the allowable hydraulic loading pursuant to Subsection C of 20.7.3.301 NMAC, a department approved tertiary treatment unit may be installed. The tre…

A. Systems requiring disinfection shall provide treated effluent that shall not exceed 126 colony forming units (CFUs) of E. coli bacteria per 100 ml. B. Disinfection is required to meet the specific site conditions set forth in 20.7.3.605 NMAC. C. When disinfection is required, …

A. The required level of treatment shall be based on the most restrictive combination of siting conditions. B. The following treatment levels are required for the soil types as described in Table 703.1: (1) type Ia - secondary treatment and disinfection except as noted in Subsect…

As used in 20.7.3 NMAC. A. Terms starting with the letter 'A' are defined as follows:(1) "absorption area" means the area in square feet of infiltrative surface in a soil disposal system designated to receive effluent from a treatment unit; (2) "absorption bed" means a convention…

A. Disposal trenches shall conform to the following: (1) the trench width shall be no less than one foot or no more than three feet; (2) a minimum of six inches of aggregate shall be placed below the invert of the distribution pipe; and (3) up to a maximum of three feet of aggreg…

Seepage pits should only be installed on sites where conventional disposal systems cannot be installed due to site restrictions. A. The minimum capacity of seepage pits shall conform to the requirements of 20.7.3.703 NMAC. B. Multiple seepage pit installations shall be served thr…

A. The minimum required absorption area in a disposal field in square feet, and in seepage pits in square feet of side wall, shall be predicated on the liquid waste design flow rate and shall be determined by utilizing the following Table 703.1 based on the soil classification fo…

A. Interpretation: The definitions in 20.7.3.7 NMAC shall be construed so as to achieve the objective of 20.7.3 NMAC. B. Alternative resources: When guidance is sought in areas not covered by 20.7.3 NMAC, the most recent version of the following resources may provide guidance. In…

A. A privy may be used to dispose of non-liquid-carried human excreta directly to the soil. A vault may be used to dispose of non-liquid-carried human excreta for subsequent pumping and disposal in accordance with 20.7.3.306 NMAC. In addition to all setback and clearance requirem…

A. Use of a cluster system may be considered when lot sizes, location or site conditions make conventional disposal unacceptable. B. Cluster systems shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of this regulation. In addition, cluster systems shall be mai…

A. The installation of composting and incinerating toilets shall be in accordance with the New Mexico plumbing code and the local plumbing authority. B. The installation of a composting/incinerating toilet shall not reduce the design flow for the property.

A. Effluent used for irrigation shall meet secondary treatment standards. B. The effluent may only be utilized subsurface. C. Application of the effluent resulting in standing or ponding of the effluent, whether liquid or frozen, shall be prohibited. The application of effluent s…

A. Evapotranspiration systems shall consist of a treatment unit and an evapotranspiration bed (ET bed) for disposal. Evapotranspiration systems shall meet the requirements of 20.7.3.302 NMAC. Unlined ET beds are a discharging system and shall meet the clearance, set back and lot …

A. Mound systems shall meet the requirements of 20.7.3.302 NMAC. B. Mounds are generally constructed entirely above the surrounding ground surface, however, the mound may be partially buried. C. The design of the mound system shall be in accordance with the most current design st…

A. Low pressure dosed (LPD) disposal systems are used to achieve uniform distribution of wastewater throughout the entire disposal system. Effluent is pumped under low pressure through solid pipe into perforated lateral lines installed within a disposal system. (1) Low pressure d…

A. The installation of holding tanks for the disposal of liquid wastes shall be authorized on a temporary basis only and only for residential units where conventional or alternative liquid waste treatment systems cannot be installed, except where noted in Subsection E below. B. T…

Graywater systems not meeting the requirements of 20.7.3.810 NMAC shall meet the following requirements. A. The installation of separate graywater systems shall be authorized for residential units and shall be located on the lot served. The capacity of the on-site liquid waste sy…

Graywater discharge of less than 250 gallons per day of private residential graywater originating from a residence for the resident's household flower gardening, composting or landscaping irrigation shall be allowed if: A. a constructed graywater distribution system provides for …

Split flow systems may be installed for the purpose of reduction of total nitrogen discharges in lieu of installation of non-discharging or tertiary treatment systems. A. Based on the assumption that toilet waste contains 80% of the total nitrogen in domestic liquid waste and tha…

A. Effluent applied to a sand-lined trench shall not exceed primary treatment standards. B. The required absorption area shall be calculated based on a maximum loading rate of 1.00 gallon per day per square foot of sand surface. No sidewall credit is allowed. C. The distribution …

A. As a condition to any permit, the owner of an on-site liquid waste system shall allow department personnel or maintenance service provider personnel right of entry to the property at reasonable times to allow for maintenance, system monitoring, effluent sampling or evaluating …

A. The owner of an on-site liquid waste system, including systems existing prior to the effective date of this regulation, shall be responsible for properly operating and maintaining the system in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer or designer of the system. …

A. Maintenance service providers (MSP) shall at a minimum: (1) inspect, operate and maintain the system in accordance with the manufacturer's specification and permit requirements; and (2) submit pumping and inspection records as requested by the department. B. The MSP personnel …

A. Qualified homeowner. (1) A homeowner must become qualified to install an on-site liquid waste system by passing an exam administered by the department. (2) Homeowner training materials and opportunities for exams, by appointment, shall be available at all department field offi…

Technical product review and approval shall be in accordance with 9-7A-15 NMSA 1978.

A. Any violation of these regulations is a petty misdemeanor subject to criminal penalties as authorized by NMSA 74-1-10. B. The department may appear and prosecute any misdemeanor proceeding if the appearance is by an employee authorized by the secretary to institute or cause to…

After due process is provided, the department may disconnect the source of water supply to a commercial or residential unit that is served by any on-site liquid waste system that has become a failed system and that presents an imminent hazard to public health. This authority incl…

Water Quality Control Commission.

A. The levels of general certification for operators of public water supply systems from lowest to highest shall be: (1) level 1 water supply (WS1); (2) level 2 water supply (WS2); (3) level 3 water supply (WS3); and (4) level 4 water supply (WS4). B. The levels of special certif…

A. Public water supply systems and public wastewater facilities are classified based on: (1) the size and type of the system or facility; (2) the capacity of the system or facility in terms of size service area and number of users served; (3) the type and character of the water o…

A. In order to operate the various types of treatment processes at public water supply systems, the indicated level of certification shall be required: Type of Treatment Process Population Served 25 to 500 501 to 5,000 5,001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,000+ Filtration (sand, gr…

A. In order to operate the various types of treatment processes at public wastewater facilities, the indicated level of certification shall be required: Type of Treatment Process Population Served 25 to 500 501 to 5,000 5,001 to 10,000 10,001 to 20,000 20,000+ Raw wastewater lago…

A. An operator holding a SWA certification is certified to perform any activity or function or make any process control or system integrity decision which requires a SW certification. B. An operator holding a SWWA certification is certified to perform any activity or function or …

A. A public wastewater facility or public water supply system shall provide the minimum number of certified operators needed to operate the system or facility to protect human health, public welfare or the environment. B. If the department determines a public wastewater facility …