On-Site Sewage Facilities

What is OSSF?

On‐Site Sewage Facilities (OSSF) are wastewater disposal systems designed to treat and dispose of effluent (wastewater from kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry) on the same property that produces it. An OSSF is more commonly referred to as “septic system”, OSSF systems account for about 25% of all wastewater treatment in Bexar County and across the United States.

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What We Do

Permits

Bexar County requires that all on‐site sewage facilities within Bexar County have to be permitted. For a copy of the Bexar County Commissioners Court Order authorizing regulation of septic systems in Bexar County click HERE. 

There are four (4) instances when a permit is required: 

  • New Permit: Required when installing a new system.  Approves a License to Operate.
  • Repair Permit: Required when making a repair or making changes to an existing system.  Approves a License to Operate.
  • Renewal of Permit: Required for a:
    • Standard System: Renewed every 5 years by pumping the tank and submitting a pump receipt and a renewal fee of $30.00 to Bexar County.
    • Aerobic Systems: Initial permit is valid for 2 years after installation. After the initial permit expires the homeowner is responsible for maintaining a service contract with a service provider and submitting that contract to Bexar County. The service provider is responsible for submitting quarterly maintenance reports to the Designated Representative.
  • Existing System Permit (Registration): Required when an existing system is found to not have a permit. In order to obtain a permit for an existing septic system, the property owner is required to hire a sanitarian or engineer to complete a site survey and septic design. A pump manifest (may not be older than one year) must also be submitted with a septic application.

Records of Permits

To request any records, constituents should please submit a request.

Permit Inspections

All installations of septic tanks are inspected at various points during the installation. The inspectors make sure the tank is installed according to regulation to ensure the system will work correctly. 

Complaint Process 

When a complaint is received by Bexar County, or a Health and Safety problem is found in the field, an inspection is conducted. If a violation is verified, a notice of violation is sent by certified mail to the owner of the property detailing what violations were found at the site.  

There are seven (7) types of common violations that can be received: 

  • Expired Septic Permit
  • Expired Service Contract
  • Illegally Discharging – this is the most serious problem and requires immediate action
  • Inadequate Capacity
  • Unpermitted or Unlicensed System
  • Unsatisfactory On‐Site System
  • Other
Violation Information
ViolationsTypical Compliance Activity
Expired Septic PermitPump your tank and renew the existing permit
Expired Service ContractRenew or Obtain a Service Contract
Illegally DischargingVaries; Please contact our office for assistance
Inadequate CapacityVaries; Please contact our office for assistance
Unpermitted or Unlicensed SystemObtain a Permit or License

Unsatisfactory On‐Site System		Must remediate problems and perform whatever other modifications are necessary to obtain a valid permit ‐ Please call for assistance
Other ViolationsPlease contact our office for assistance