Title 36, Public Health and Safety

As used in ORS 454.105 to 454.175, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Disposal system” means that term as defined in ORS 468B.005. (2) “Municipality” means a city, county, county service district, sanitary authority or sanitary district. [Formerly 449.405]

(1) In order to facilitate the abatement, elimination or control of the pollution of waters and streams, any municipality may: (a) Construct, reconstruct, improve, extend, repair, equip or acquire disposal systems, within or without the municipality. (b) Accept grants or loans or…

Before any bonds may be issued under ORS 454.115, their issuance must first be approved by a majority of the electors voting on the proposition at either a general election or at a special election, to be called, held and conducted in the same manner as special elections on the p…

(1) The bonds issued under ORS 454.115 shall be payable from that portion of the earnings of the disposal system of the municipality which is pledged to their payment, and they shall have a lien of such priority on the earnings as is specified in the proceedings providing for the…

Bonds issued under ORS 454.115 or the proceedings of the governing body authorizing their issuance may contain such covenants as the governing body considers advisable concerning: (1) Rates or fees to be charged for services rendered by the disposal system, the revenue of which i…

(1) The governing body of every municipality by ordinance or resolution without prior approval of the electors may issue and exchange or sell refunding revenue bonds to refund, pay or discharge all or any part of its outstanding revenue bonds, including interest thereon, if any, …

(1) Any two, or more, municipalities, counties or other political subdivisions, notwithstanding any limitation or provision of municipal charter to the contrary, may, through their respective governing bodies, enter into and perform such contracts and agreements as they consider …

When determined by its governing body to be in the public interest and necessary for the protection of the public health, any municipality may enter into and perform contracts, whether long-term or short-term, with any industrial establishment for the provision and operation by t…

As used in ORS 454.205 to 454.255, “municipality” includes an incorporated city, a metropolitan service district, a sanitary district, a sanitary authority, a county service district, or any other special district authorized to treat and dispose of sewage. [1973 c.213 §2]

(1) Any municipality may own, acquire, construct, equip, operate and maintain, either within or without its statutory or corporate limits, in whole or in part, disposal systems with all appurtenances necessary, useful or convenient for the collection, treatment and disposal of se…

The governing body of the municipality may establish just and equitable rates or charges to be paid for the use of the disposal system by each person, firm or corporation whose premises are served thereby, or upon subsequent service thereto. If the service charges so established …

(1) The governing body of the municipality, by proposed charter amendment or ordinance, may refer the question of acquiring and constructing a disposal or water system, as defined in ORS 448.115, to a vote of its electors, and after approval thereof by a majority of such electors…

(1) The governing body of the municipality may determine the maturities and tenor of the bonds issued under ORS 454.235. However, the bonds shall be serial in character in accordance with present or future provisions of law or the charter. They shall be payable in not to exceed 4…

Before calling any election under ORS 454.235, the governing body of the municipality shall cause to be prepared plans, specifications and estimates of costs of any proposed disposal or water system, as defined in ORS 448.115, to be voted upon, which may be examined by any electo…

As used in ORS 454.275 to 454.380: (1) “Affected area” means an area subject to an order of the commission issued under ORS 454.305. (2) “Commission” means the Environmental Quality Commission. (3) “Governing body” means a board of commissioners, county court or other managing bo…

Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS chapters 450, 451 and 454, or any city or county charter, treatment works may be constructed by a municipality and financed by the sale of general obligation bonds, revenue bonds or assessments against the benefited property without a vote in…

(1) The governing body may adopt by resolution or ordinance a proposal to construct sewage treatment works and to finance the construction by revenue bonds, general obligation bonds or by assessment against the benefited property. (2) The resolution or ordinance shall: (a) Descri…

(1) The governing body shall order a study and the preparation of preliminary plans and specifications for the treatment works. (2) The study shall include: (a) Engineering plans demonstrating the feasibility of the treatment works and conformance of the plan with regional treatm…

(1) After receiving a certified copy of a resolution or ordinance adopted under ORS 454.285, the Environmental Quality Commission shall review and investigate conditions in the affected area. If substantial evidence reveals the existence of a threat to drinking water, the commiss…

(1) At the hearing on the resolution or ordinance, any interested person shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to present written testimony. The hearing shall be for the purpose of determining whether a threat to drinking water exists in the affected area, whether th…

(1) If the Environmental Quality Commission finds a threat to drinking water does exist but treatment works would not alleviate the conditions, the commission shall terminate the proceedings. (2) If the commission finds a threat to drinking water exists within the territory and t…

(1) When a certified copy of the findings and order approving the proposal is filed with the governing body, the governing body shall order construction of the treatment works and proceed with the financing plan as specified in the order. As part of the construction of the treatm…

(1) When a certified copy of the findings and order approving the proposal is filed with the governing body as provided in ORS 454.305, the governing body may adopt a resolution or ordinance authorizing the levy and collection of a seepage charge upon all real properties served b…

(1) The governing body shall give notice of the time and place of the hearing on the resolution or ordinance by publishing the notice of the intent to adopt the resolution or ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation within the affected area once each week for four successi…

(1) The county in which a municipality is levying a seepage charge under ORS 454.317 to 454.350 shall collect the seepage charge for the municipality. (2) The county shall establish a separate account for each ordinance or resolution adopted by a municipality and imposing a seepa…

(1) All seepage charges levied and collected by the governing body shall be used for the construction of treatment works. (2) System development charges for the installation or replacement of cesspools or septic tanks shall not be imposed by a municipality in any area in which se…

Nothing in ORS 454.317 to 454.350 prohibits contracts between municipalities under which a municipality may provide treatment facilities or services to another municipality. [1983 c.235 §5]

The Areawide 208 Plan, adopted pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, P.L. 92-500, as amended, and any sewer implementation plan approved by the Environmental Quality Commission under ORS 454.275 to 454.380 shall be the governing master plan for the provisio…

(1) Any municipality providing sewage collection, treatment and disposal services within an affected area shall approve and adopt a safety net program designed to provide financial relief to eligible property owners who would experience extreme financial hardship if required to p…

(1) Each municipality providing sewage collection, treatment and disposal services within an affected area shall, after consultation with elected officials of the affected area, establish a citizens sewer advisory committee composed of persons directly affected by the order issue…

(1) Before any property owner is required to pay for construction of or connection to treatment works constructed pursuant to ORS 454.275 to 454.380, the local governing body shall file with the Environmental Quality Commission documentation that connection charges and user charg…

(1) Not more than 20 percent of an assessment imposed by a municipality through a local improvement district for the construction of treatment works in an affected area pursuant to an order of the Environmental Quality Commission under ORS 454.305 shall be used to pay for noncons…

As used in ORS 454.430 to 454.445: (1) “Assessment” includes all costs, fees or other charges for the construction of or connection to sewage treatment works that are eligible for installment payments under ORS 223.205 to 223.775. (2) “Commission” means the Environmental Quality …

It is declared to be the policy of this state: (1) To provide assistance to property owners who will experience extreme financial hardship resulting from payment of assessed costs for the construction of treatment works required by a federal grant agreement or an order issued by …

(1) There is established the Assessment Deferral Loan Program Revolving Fund separate and distinct from the General Fund in the State Treasury. The moneys in the Assessment Deferral Loan Program Revolving Fund are appropriated continuously to the Department of Environmental Quali…

(1) The Department of Environmental Quality shall use the moneys in the Assessment Deferral Loan Program Revolving Fund to provide funds for assessment deferral loan programs administered by public agencies that meet all of the following conditions: (a) The program demonstrates t…

Any public agency desiring funding of its assessment deferral loan program from the Assessment Deferral Loan Program Revolving Fund may borrow from the Assessment Deferral Loan Program Revolving Fund in accordance with the procedures contained in ORS 454.430 to 454.445 and 468.22…

(1) Any public agency that pays all or part of a property owner’s assessment pursuant to the public agency’s adopted assessment deferral loan program shall have a lien against the assessed property for the amount of the public agency’s payment and interest thereon as specified in…

As used in ORS 454.505 to 454.535, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Construction” means the erection, building, acquisition, alteration, reconstruction, improvement or extension of sewage treatment works, preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering f…

(1) The State of Oregon may make grants, as funds are available, to any municipality to assist the municipality in the construction of sewage treatment works. (2) The Environmental Quality Commission shall be the agency for administration of funds granted by this state pursuant t…

(1) The Environmental Quality Commission and any municipality may enter into contracts with each other concerning eligible projects. Any such contract may include such provisions as may be agreed upon by the parties thereto, and shall include the following provisions: (a) An esti…

There is established in the General Fund of the State Treasury a Sewage Treatment Works Construction Account. All moneys in the Sewage Treatment Works Construction Account are appropriated continuously for and shall be used by the Environmental Quality Commission in carrying out …

As used in ORS 454.605 to 454.755, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Absorption facility” means a system of open-jointed or perforated piping, alternate distribution units or other seepage systems for receiving the flow from septic tanks or other treatment units and des…

It is the public policy of the State of Oregon to encourage: (1) Improvements to, maintenance of and innovative technology for subsurface and alternative sewage disposal systems and nonwater-carried sewage disposal facilities consistent with the protection of the public health an…

(1) A person may not construct, install or operate a gray water reuse and disposal system without first obtaining a permit from the Department of Environmental Quality. A gray water reuse and disposal system for which a permit has been issued under this section is exempt from the…

The Environmental Quality Commission shall adopt rules that: (1) Prescribe minimum requirements for the design and construction of subsurface sewage disposal systems, alternative sewage disposal systems and nonwater-carried sewage disposal facilities or parts thereof including gr…

The Environmental Quality Commission shall adopt rules setting forth the conditions for approving a proposal to permanently connect an accessory dwelling unit located on the same lot or parcel as a single-family dwelling to the same subsurface sewage disposal system or alternativ…

In accordance with the applicable provisions of ORS chapter 183, the Environmental Quality Commission shall adopt such rules as it considers necessary for the purpose of carrying out ORS 454.605 to 454.755. [1973 c.835 §210]

(1) Whenever the Department of Environmental Quality has reasonable grounds for believing that any subsurface sewage disposal system, alternative sewage disposal system or nonwater-carried sewage disposal facility or part thereof is being operated or maintained in violation of an…

In order to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens, a contract agent may enforce, consistent with state enforcement, standards for subsurface sewage disposal systems, alternative sewage disposal systems and nonwater-carried sewage disposal facilities established i…