How Septic Permits Work in Comal County

Who Oversees Septic Permits

In Texas, septic systems are officially called On-Site Sewage Facilities, or OSSFs, and the rules are set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Most counties handle permitting locally. In Comal County, that responsibility belongs to the Environmental Health department of the Comal County Engineer’s Office, on David Jonas Drive in New Braunfels.

The Steps

1. Site Evaluation

A licensed site evaluator digs soil test holes where the system will go and records the findings: soil type, depth to rock, slope and any other conditions that limit the design. This step determines whether the property needs a conventional system or an aerobic one. We do not perform site evaluations ourselves. We will put you in contact with an engineer we have a great relationship with, who handles the site evaluation and design and guides you through the process.

2. Design

Texas requires septic designs to be prepared by a registered sanitarian (RS) or a professional engineer (PE). The system is sized for the house based on bedrooms, living area and expected water use, and laid out to meet setbacks from the house, property lines, wells and water. The engineer we refer you to prepares the design. If you already have a design, we can price and install from it.

3. Permit Application

The engineer’s design and the permit application go to the county for review. The application generally includes the site evaluation, the design, a copy of the recorded deed, the fee and, for aerobic systems, a signed maintenance contract. Properties over the Edwards Aquifer contributing or recharge zones receive additional review and may need a TCEQ plan.

4. Installation

Once the permit is issued, a TCEQ-licensed installer builds the system exactly as approved. This is our part of the job, under TCEQ OSSF installer license OS0031132. Any changes in the field, such as relocating a tank, must be approved by the designer and the county.

5. Inspection

Comal County inspects the work before it is covered, checking setbacks, pipe type and slope, tank placement and the disposal field. We schedule the inspection and meet the inspector on site. If any item is flagged, we correct it and the inspector returns.

6. License to Operate

When the system passes, the county issues a license to operate. In Comal County that license stays with the property and transfers to the next owner if you sell.

After the Permit: What to Know

• Aerobic maintenance. New aerobic systems require a two-year maintenance contract from day one. After that, owners must keep the system maintained, either by renewing the contract or, where allowed, performing the maintenance themselves after training.
• Selling the house. If the property has an aerobic system, the new owner must file a maintenance contract with the county within a set time after the sale.
• Adding on. Adding bedrooms, increasing living area or changing how a building is used can require a new septic permit, even if the existing system is working properly.
• Looking up an old permit. Comal County maintains a searchable online archive of septic permits, which is useful when buying an older home.

Outside Comal County

The process is nearly the same in neighboring counties because the state rules are the same. Only the permitting office changes: Blanco County, Kendall County and Guadalupe County each handle their own. Fees and local requirements vary, so check with the county where the property is located.