Oregon Administrative Code

340-071-0215 Repair of Existing Systems (1) The system owner must ensure a failing system is immediately repaired unless, in the opinion of the agent, adverse soil conditions resulting from climatic conditions would likely preclude a successful repair. In that circumstance, the a…

340-071-0220 Standard Subsurface Systems (1) Criteria For standard subsurface systems. Each site must meet all of the conditions in this section to be approved for a standard subsurface system. (a) Effective soil depth must extend 30 inches or more below the ground surface as sho…

340-071-0260 Alternative Systems, General (1) Application requirements. The requirements in this division and OAR chapter 340, division 073 for siting, constructing, and maintaining standard subsurface systems apply to alternative systems unless the standards for alternative syst…

340-071-0265 Capping Fills (1) Criteria for approval. Each site approved for a capping fill system must meet all the following conditions: (a) Slope does not exceed 12 percent. (b) Temporary water table is not closer than 18 inches to the ground surface at any time during the yea…

340-071-0275 Pressurized Distribution Systems (1) Pressurized distribution systems receiving residential strength wastewater may be permitted on any site meeting the requirements for installation of a standard onsite system and on other sites where this method of effluent distrib…

340-071-0280 Seepage Trench System (1) Criteria for approval. Construction permits may be issued for seepage trench systems on lots created before January 1, 1974, for sites that meet all the following conditions. (a) Groundwater will not be degraded. (b) Lot or parcel size will …

340-071-0285 Redundant Systems (1) Criteria for approval. Construction permits may be issued for redundant absorption field systems to serve single family dwellings on sites that meet both of the following conditions. (a) The lot or parcel was created before January 1, 1974. (b) …

340-071-0290 Conventional Sand Filter Systems (1) Criteria for approval. Construction of conventional sand filter systems may be approved for single-family dwellings or commercial facilities. (2) Sites approved for sand filter systems. Sand filters may be permitted on any site me…

340-071-0295 Conventional Sand Filter Design and Construction (1) Criteria for sizing. Systems must be sized based on quantities of sewage flow under OAR 340-071-0220(2)(a). (2) Minimum filter area: (a) A sand filter proposed to serve a single-family dwelling must have an effecti…

340-071-0302 Recirculating Gravel Filter (RGF) (1) Siting and absorption area construction criteria. (a) RGFs approved for treatment standard 1 may be sited and sized as follows. (A) In areas with a temporary water table, as specifications for sand filters in areas with temporary…

340-071-0310 Steep Slope Systems (1) General conditions for approval. Construction-installation permits may be issued for steep slope systems serving single-family dwellings on slopes in excess of 30 percent if all the following requirements can be met. (a) Slope does not exceed …

340-071-0315 Tile Dewatering System (1) General conditions for approval. Construction permits may be issued for tile dewatering systems if the following requirements can be met: (a) The site has a natural outlet that will allow a field tile installed on a proper grade around the …

340-071-0320 Split Waste Method Criteria for approval. In a split waste method, wastes may be disposed of as follows. (1) Black wastes may be disposed of using nonwater-carried plumbing units such as recirculating oil flush toilets or compost toilets approved by the State Buildin…

340-071-0325 Gray Water Waste Disposal Sumps (1) Criteria for approval. (a) Hand-carried graywater may be disposed of in graywater waste disposal sumps that serve facilities, including but not limited to recreation parks, camp sites, or construction sites, if the projected daily …

340-071-0330 Nonwater-Carried Systems (1) A person may not cause or allow the installation, placement, or use of a nonwater-carried waste disposal facility without a letter of authorization or permit from the agent, except as this section specifies. (a) Temporary-use pit privies …

340-071-0335 Cesspools and Seepage Pits (1) A person may not construct new cesspool sewage disposal systems in Oregon. (2) Seepage pit sewage disposal systems may be used only to serve existing sewage loads and replace existing failing seepage pit and cesspool systems on lots tha…

340-071-0340 Holding Tanks (1) Criteria for approval. Except as section (5) of this rule provides, installing a holding tank system requires a construction-installation or WPCF permit. A construction-installation permit may be issued for sites that meet all the following conditio…

340-071-0345 Alternative Treatment Technologies (ATTs) (1) Criteria for approval. Construction-installation permits may be issued for onsite systems incorporating alternative treatment technologies (ATTs) for single-family dwellings and commercial facilities if the following crit…

340-071-0360 Absorption Trenches in Saprolite (1) General conditions for approval. An onsite system construction-installation permit may be issued for a single-family dwelling on a site with soil shallow to saprolite if requirements in either paragraph (a) or (b) of this section …

340-071-0400 Geographic Area Special Considerations. (1) General North Florence Aquifer, North Florence Dunal Aquifer Area, Lane County. (a) Within the area described in paragraph (b) of this section, an agent may approve sites or issue construction-installation permits for new o…

340-071-0410 Rural Area Consideration An agent may approve designing and constructing standard and alternative systems that depart from any standard in OAR 340-071-0220(1) (a) through (i) in designated rural zones if the following requirements are met: (1) The county designates s…

340-071-0415 For Cause Variances (1) An applicant may request variances from any rule or standard in this division. (2) Variances. Variance officers the director appoints may, after a public hearing, grant variances from any rule in this division to permit applicants. (3) To gran…

340-071-0420 Hardship Variances (1) In cases of extreme and unusual hardship, the commission may, after a public hearing, grant hardship variances from rules or standards in this division to applicants for onsite permits. (2) Applications. (a) Applicants must submit applications …

340-071-0425 Variance Officers (1) To qualify for appointment as a variance officer, an individual must: (a) Have the equivalent of five years of full time experience in onsite wastewater treatment methods since January 1, 1974; three years must have been in Oregon; and (b) Have …

340-071-0430 Variance Hearings and Decisions (1) A variance officer must hold a public information hearing on each variance application for a for cause or hardship variance within 30 days after receiving a completed application. (2) The hearing must be held in the county where th…

340-071-0435 Variance Permit Issuance, Inspections, Certificate of Satisfactory Completion (1) The variance officer or, for hardship variances, DEQ must notify the appropriate agent in writing of each variance granted. (2) Agents must issue system construction-installation permit…

340-071-0440 Variance Appeals (1) For cause variance approvals. Any person adversely affected by a variance officer’s approval of a variance under OAR 340-071-0415 may appeal that decision to the commission under ORS 454.660(1). The appeal must be in writing and submitted to the …

340-071-0445 Variance Administrative Review DEQ may review all records and files of variance officers to determine compliance with these rules. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 454.625 & 468.020 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 454.660 History: DEQ 14-2013, f. 12-20-13, cert. ef. 1-…

340-071-0460 Moratorium Areas (1) Under ORS 454.685, whenever the Commission finds that construction of subsurface, non-water-carried, or alternative onsite systems should be limited or prohibited in an area, it must issue an order limiting or prohibiting such construction. (2) T…

340-071-0500 Community Systems (1) A person may not construct a community system without a permit. (2) Plans for all community systems must describe the system and how it is to be operated, maintained, and financed. (3) Community systems must satisfy the siting criteria in this d…

340-071-0520 Large Systems Unless DEQ authorizes otherwise, large systems must comply with the following requirements. (1) Large system absorption facilities must be designed with distribution to the cells by means of pumps. (2) The absorption area must be divided into relatively…

340-071-0600 Sewage Disposal Service Licenses (1) License required. A person may not perform sewage disposal services or advertise or represent himself as being in the business of performing such services without a valid license issued by DEQ to perform those services. A separate…

340-071-0650 Training and Certification Requirements for System Installers and Maintenance Providers (1) Certification required. (a) A person who supervises or is responsible for constructing or installing onsite systems must be a certified installer unless the person is the perm…

340-071-0800 Tables Tables for Division 071. [ED. NOTE: To view attachments referenced in rule text, click here for PDF copy.] Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 454.615, 454.625 & 468.020 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 454.775, 454.780, 454.784, 468.020, 454.605, 454.607, 454.610, …

340-073-0025 Tank Construction The following construction and manufacturing requirements apply to all septic tanks, holding tanks, dosing tanks, multiple-compartment combination septic and dosing tanks, and dosing septic tanks manufactured for use in Oregon unless specifically ex…

340-073-0026 Septic Tanks Septic tanks must be constructed of concrete, fiberglass, or other non-corrosive materials approved by DEQ. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 454.625 & 468.020 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 454.615 History: DEQ 29-2025, amend filed 10/01/2025, effective 0…

340-073-0030 Dosing Septic Tank (1) A dosing septic tank may discharge effluent with a pump from the clear zone at the outlet end of the tank. These may be considered for installations where the design flow does not exceed 600 gallons per day. (2) Special Configuration: (a) The m…

340-073-0035 Distribution Boxes (1) Distribution boxes must be constructed of concrete, fiberglass, or other materials acceptable to DEQ. (2) Distribution boxes must be constructed of durable, watertight materials resistant to deterioration and be designed to accommodate watertig…

340-073-0040 Drop Boxes (1) Drop boxes must be constructed of concrete, fiberglass, or other materials acceptable to DEQ. (2) Drop boxes must be constructed of durable, watertight materials resistant to deterioration and be designed to accommodate watertight connections for the e…

340-073-0045 Distribution Boxes, Drop Boxes, and Diversion Valves: Diversion Valves (1) Diversion valves must be constructed of material that is durable, corrosion-resistant, watertight, and designed to accommodate the inlet and outlet pipes in a secure and watertight manner. (2)…

340-073-0050 Distribution Boxes, Drop Boxes, and Diversion Valves: Dosing Tanks (1) Dosing tanks must meet the standards described in OAR 340-073-0025, except as otherwise allowed in this rule. (2) Each dosing tank employing one or more pumps must have a minimum liquid capacity e…

340-073-0055 Dosing Assemblies: Effluent Pumps, Controls and Alarms (1) Design and equipment must emphasize ease of maintenance, longevity, and reliability of components and must be proven suitable by operational experience, test, or analysis acceptable to DEQ. (2) Easy means of …

340-073-0056 Distribution Boxes, Drop Boxes, and Diversion Valves: Effluent Filters Effluent filters used in onsite systems must meet the following criteria. (1) Filters must be of durable, resilient, corrosion resistant, non-degradable materials resistant to deformation under no…

340-073-0060 Distribution Boxes, Drop Boxes, and Diversion Valves: Pipe Materials and Construction (1) Effluent Sewer Pipe and Header Pipe: The effluent sewer and header must be constructed with materials that conform to state building sewer standards. The effluent sewer and head…

340-073-0065 Non-water-Carried Waste Disposal Facilities, Materials, and Construction: Privies and Portable Toilet Shelters (1) Privies and portable toilet shelters must comply with the following general requirements. (a) Structures must be free of hostile surface features, such …

340-073-0070 Non-water-Carried Waste Disposal Facilities, Materials, and Construction: Unsealed Earth Pits for Privies (1) The pit must be constructed with material and in a manner to prevent rapid deterioration, provide adequate capacity, and facilitate maintenance under ordinar…

340-073-0075 Non-water-Carried Waste Disposal Facilities, Materials, and Construction: Self-Contained Nonwater-Carried Toilet Facilities (1) General Standards. All self-contained, nonwater-carried toilet facilities must comply with the following requirements. (a) They must have w…

340-073-0080 Non-water-Carried Waste Disposal Facilities, Materials, and Construction: Construction of Gray Water Waste Disposal Sumps A gray water waste disposal sump must consist of a receiving chamber, settling chamber, and either a seepage chamber or absorption trench. Statut…

340-073-0085 Non-water-Carried Waste Disposal Facilities, Materials, and Construction: Flexible Membrane Liners for Sand Filters Treating Septic Tank Effluent (1) Unsupported polyvinyl chloride (PVC) must have the following properties (Property -- Test Method). (a) Thickness -- A…

340-081-0005 Purpose The purpose of these rules is to prescribe procedures and requirements for obtaining state financial assistance for the construction of water pollution control facilities pursuant to Article XI-H of the Oregon Constitution and ORS 468.195 et seq. Statutory/Ot…