Decide for yourself

Rather then listening to the hype in e-mails and blogs, see for your self what is to be added to County Code by Ordinance 08-09 "Mandatory Pump-Out of On-Site Septic Systems." It looks like a painless way to get people to maintain their septic systems if they are not already doing so without establishing a sewer police force.

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§24-166. Mandatory septic tank pump-out.

A. In general. Every on-site sewage treatment system in Queen Anne's County (except holding tanks and those systems capable of biological nutrient removal which are subject to a valid contractual agreement providing maintenance therefore)shall be pumped out at least once every five (5) years. In lieu of such pump-out, the owner or owners of an on-site sewage treatment system may submit documentation to the County Department of Finance, certified by a liquid waste hauler licensed by the Queen Anne's County Department of Environmental Health, that based on an internal measurement of the solids in the tank, such solids are less than one-third of effluent height as measured by such liquid waste hauler and that the on-site sewage treatment system is in good repair and functioning as originally designed.

B. Notification and Phase-In of Effective Date. Within six (6) months of the effective date of this Ordinance and annually thereafter the Queen Anne's County Department of Finance shall notify all owners of property with on-site sewage treatment systems of the requirements of this Section. On the initial notification, approximately one-fifth of such owners shall be notified that within five (5) years of such notice and every five year period thereafter, the owner of a septic system covered by these provisions shall provide the Department of Finance with documentation of pump-out of the tank or a certification in lieu of pump-out as described in the preceding paragraph. In each of the succeeding four years, one-fifth of all owners shall receive a similar notification until all such owners have received notification hereunder. Thereafter, the Department of Finance shall establish procedures for continued notification and monitoring of the requirements of this Section so that approximately one-fifth of all owners of property with on-site sewage treatment systems subject to these provisions are notified each year of the requirements of this Section and so that all onsite sewage treatment systems subject to these requirements are pumped out every five (5) years. The Department of Finance shall also establish procedures for notifying new purchasers and persons installing new on-site sewage treatment systems of these requirements.

C. Costs of Administration. In order to defray the costs of administering and monitoring compliance with the provisions of this Section, the County Commissioners of Queen Anne's County may, by resolution, impose an assessment against each property in Queen Anne's County with an on-site sewage treatment system. Such assessment shall be a lien against the property so assessed and shall be collectible in the same manner as County property taxes.

D. Enforcement. (1) If the owner of an on-site sewage treatment system shall fail to comply with the requirements of this Section 24-166, the Department of Finance shall notify the owner of such non-compliance by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent to the owner's address as listed in the tax and assessment records of Queen Anne's County, Maryland. If such violation is not corrected within thirty (30) days of the mailing of such notice, the owner or owners of the property shall be guilty of a civil infraction and subject to a fine not exceeding $500.00 for a first offense and not exceeding $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent offense.

(2) The County Commissioners shall designate one or more persons or officials to enforce this Section.

(3) Civil citations issued hereunder shall be in a form designated by the District Court of Maryland and shall contain a pre-set fine of $250.00 for a first offense and $500.00 for a second or subsequent offense involving both the same owner or owners and the same property.

(4) Civil citations hereunder shall be governed by and prosecuted as civil infraction under Section 13C of Article 25B of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

(5) All penalties, fines and forfeiture collected by the District Court of Maryland for violations of this Section shall be remitted to the Queen Anne's County Department of Finance and deposited in the general funds of Queen Anne's County.