Overview
Effective July 1, 2014, the Department of Health Services, Office of Wastewater Management will be implementing a new process for submitting residential, subdivision and commercial wastewater permit applications. This document provides a textual description of the details for the new process.
The goal of our new process is to streamline the overall submission process with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of the submissions and reducing the process cycle times by up to 50% by the end of 2014.
If you have any questions or require additional clarification on the new process, please contact the office in any of the following ways:
Preliminary Review Process
The Office of Wastewater Management provides support to all applicants for any type of application prior to the submission of that application in the form of a preliminary advisory meeting. This meeting is optional, however, strongly suggested. To schedule an appointment, simply call our office.
Preliminary Advisory Meeting (Optional) - The Office of Wastewater Management strongly encourages all applicants to schedule a preliminary advisory meeting prior to submitting a residential, subdivision or commercial permit application. At this meeting, various resources currently available within the office will be shared with the applicant to guide the applicant through the entire application process. If there is a major issue or restrictive condition with the site location associated with the application, our technical office staff will provide guidance on how the application should be prepared to address these issues or restrictive conditions. In addition, if the issues or restrictive conditions associated with the site are so significant whereas the ability for the office to eventually approve the proposed application will be limited, those issues can be discussed up front in the process to help support the applicant’s decision to actually submit the application in the future. In addition, a FOIL request for information reviewed at this preliminary advisory meeting can be made at the time of the meeting which will enable the applicant to take home such information and use to complete the application. Information made available for the applicant through a FOIL request at this preliminary advisory meeting will be subject to any restrictions typically associated with the Freedom of Information Law.
Submission And Initial Technical Review Process
Step 1: New Application Received - The applicant and all relevant associated documentation is submitted to the Office of Wastewater Management. The application must include the application checklist appropriate for the specific type of application. The application submission does NOT require any fees to be paid at this step in the process.
Step 2: Mandatory Checklist Submitted/Signed - All applications for residential, subdivisions or commercial permits MUST include the appropriate mandatory checklist (available at our office or on our website). All application materials will be reviewed by our administrative staff and a determination will be made if the mandatory checklist is included and if it has been completed accurately.
Exception Process Path 1A - Mandatory Checklists Are Not Submitted Or Signed
Exception: Mandatory Checklist Not Submitted or Signed - In the event a mandatory checklist is not submitted or signed by the appropriate parties, the application will be rejected by the Office of Wastewater Management. If the application was submitted in-person, the application materials will be given back to the applicant with the request to properly include and/or sign the mandatory checklist associated with the application. In the event the application was submitted via the mail, the applicant will be notified that the application has been rejected and for that applicant to physically come to the Office of Wastewater Management to pick-up the application materials with the request to properly include and/or sign the mandatory checklist associated with the application. Applications that are rejected at this stage of the process will not be provided a reference number and will not be entered into our operational computer system.
Exception Process Path 1B - Required Information Identified On Mandatory Checklists Are Not Included
Exception: Required Information Not Submitted - In the event a required element on the mandatory checklist has not been submitted, the application will be rejected by the Office of Wastewater Management. If the application was submitted in-person, the application materials will be given back to the applicant with the request to properly include all the required elements identified on the mandatory checklist associated with the application. In the event the application was submitted via the mail, the applicant will be notified that the application has been rejected and for that applicant to physically come to the Office of Wastewater Management to pick-up the application materials with the request to properly include all the required elements identified on the mandatory checklist associated with the application. Applications that are rejected at this stage of the process will not be provided a reference number and will not be entered into our operational computer system.
Step 3: Enter into Blacksmith (Intake Only) Pending Number - In the event an application includes a signed mandatory checklist and has all the required elements identified for the associated application, it will be received into the Office of Wastewater Management and assigned a pending number within our operational system. At this point in the process, the application will wait in the “backlog” queue for a period of time until a technical resource can be assigned to conduct a full technical review of the application. Our goal is to reduce this “backlog” queue to two (2) weeks by the end of 2014.
Step 4: Conduct a Full Technical Review - An assigned technical resource will perform a complete review of the application. This initial technical review can take anywhere from 1-2 days to review depending upon the complexities associated with the application.
Technical Review Results Process Flows
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After a full technical review has been completed on an application, The "Revised Permit Process" has three (3) Major Process Paths that an application can follow. These process flow paths are described in detail below. To view an illustration of the entire process flow, click here. In each process flow there are exceptions that are also identified and described within each of the major process paths.
- Path 1 - No Deficiencies Identified
- Path 2 - Minor Deficiencies Identified
- Path 3 - Major Deficiencies Identified
Path 1 - No Deficiencies Identified
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Step 5: Notify All Parties: Enter Reference Number into Database - In the event all the required information has been submitted, there are no deficiencies associated with the submission and the Office of Wastewater Management is able to approve the application, the application information will be entered into the database and a reference number will be created.
Step 6: Application Approved - Once the payment has been received, the application will be officially approved by the Office of Wastewater Management and the appropriate documentation can be physically picked up or mailed to the applicant.
Path 2 - Minor Deficiencies Identified
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Step 5: Minor Deficiency Identified - Notify All Parties: HOLD Application for Minor Deficiency - In the event a minor deficiency has been identified, the application will be accepted, however, will be pending until the minor deficiencies are resolved. General Guidance Memo #30 defines “minor” deficiencies and is available at our office or on our website.
Step 6: Enter Reference Number into Database - For applications with minor deficiencies, the application information will be entered into the database and a reference number will be created.
Step 7: Applicant Resubmits or Provides Additional Information - It will be incumbent on the applicant to provide any additional information required to resolve the deficiencies. When said additional information is submitted to the Office of Wastewater Management, it will be given a higher priority than newly submitted applications and reviewed as quickly as possible.
Step 8: Conduct Full Technical Review - An assigned technical resource will perform a complete review of the application with the additional information received. This subsequent technical review can take anywhere from 1-2 days to review depending upon the complexities associated with the application.
Step 9: Process Continues to All Deficiencies are Resolved - The process will continue through review until all deficiencies are resolved. Once all the deficiencies are resolved, it can be moved into the Approval Step.
Step 10: Application Approved - Once the payment has been received and the Office of Wastewater Management is able to approve the application, the application will be officially approved by the Office of Wastewater Management and the appropriate documentation can be physically picked up or mailed to the applicant.
Path 3 - Major Deficiencies Identified
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Step 5: Major Deficiency Identified - Notify All Parties: REJECT Application for Major Deficiency - In the event a major deficiency has been identified, the application will be rejected. All parties (including the properly owner and design professional) will be notified of the rejection. Applications that are rejected at this stage of the process will not be provided an official reference number (will remain as pending reference number). General Guidance Memo #30 defines “major” deficiencies and is available at our office or on our website.
In addition, applicants may refer to General Guidance Memo #31 for additional information on professional conduct.
Step 6: Schedule Mandatory Review Meeting - The applicant will be contacted by the Office of Wastewater Management to schedule a mandatory meeting to review the major deficiencies on the application.
Step 7: Conduct Mandatory Review Meeting - The applicant and any other representatives deemed required will attend a meeting with the Office of Wastewater Management technical personnel to review the major deficiencies and provide guidance as to how to properly address these deficiencies in future submissions (if applicable).
Step 8: Application Revised by Applicant and Resubmitted - The applicant will revise the application as per the guidance provided in the mandatory review meeting and resubmit to the office when all issues have been properly addressed. Applicants that follow this process path will be required to wait in the “backlog” queue until a technical resource can be assigned. Our goal is to reduce this “backlog” queue to two (2) weeks by the end of 2014.