Board of Health updates septic tank regulation

Perhaps no one was more relieved than Environmental Health Specialist Jake Mertes when the City-County Board of Health Wednesday night approved two updates to a regulation governing wastewater treatment.

“I request you adopt (these updates) as soon as possible so I can start writing some tickets,” Mertes said before the board voted unanimously in favor.

On the surface the adjustments to Regulation 3 seem simple — local codes were brought up-to-date with Montana standards, and the Board of Health was given authority over setting fee schedules, a task previously handled by Lincoln County Commissioners. Yet these updates would give Mertes, who oversees air quality and septic licenses, the proper backing to crack down on unlicensed installation and improper use of septic tanks.

“I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent on this” issue, he told the board.

Mertes encouraged the board to revisit the fee schedule in the future, with an eye on increasing fees to discourage the illegal installations in the first place. Currently the fee is $150, whether or not an installation is illegal, Mertes said.