A Florida law recently passed requires Florida residents who use a septic system to shell out hundreds of dollars in cash for inspections. But Collier County leaders are asing state law makers to repeal it.
Lee McCaskey uses a septic tank at his home and he thinks the new septic tank inspection law stinks.
“You have to pay a rather high fee to have the system inspected and approved by someone who claims to be or have authority on the subject,” he said.
The law, approved by the legislature last year, requires residents to have their septic systems inspected every five years.
“If the system is set up properly from day one, you’ll never have to touch it,” McCaskey said.
But the new law doesn’t exclude septic systems - good or bad.
“I think the law is poorly written as it is,” said McCaskey.
Poorly written or a total rip off is how many people have many described it - including county leaders.
“I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel on this and we definitely do not have to cause residents any financial harm,” said Collier County Commissioner Jim Coletta.
Though it may cause financial harm for some, lawmakers originally put the law on the books to help protect spring waters - something Coletta says isn’t a problem in Collier.
And, he says, it’s certainly not a good reason for residents to shell out hundreds of dollars.
“It would be a private contractor. He would charge you a fee and if there was something wrong with your septic system, real or imaginary, you would have no recourse,” he said.
No recourse, meaning no second opinion and potentially a big bill.
“You don’t have the ability according to law to get a second opinion or even a third opinion,” said McCaskey.
County leaders say they plan to do all they can to put an end to this law by asking for a repeal. Until then, residents like McCaskey will have to just have to wait and see.
A number of rural Ontario home inspectors are inspecting septics by opening the lid and draining a full tub, thereby watching for fluctuations in effluent levels. Also they evaluate the baffles and watch for any anomalies in the weeping bed. Opinions?
Personally, I don’t do them and refer my clients to a septic tech.
I expect some one is going to get a big surprise . I also see some Ontario Homies are doing well testing , some have taken a one day course . The well testers no my area did two years to become qualified .
We do not do wells or septic , leave them to those who are qualified to do… Roy Cooke
This is a law that should be enforced. Who knows how many septic systems we have that don’t work as intended anymore. I know one homeowner who just cut the drain pipe so that the system would flush into his yard instead of backing up into the house.
I agree Roy. The homies doing this are catering to the agent’s desire to keep things simple. I know that they find the odd tank that’s fubared or metal but I woudn’t want to be the one that missed things because the tank wasn’t pumped out and properly inspected by a “qualified” tech.
Ray, not being argumentative, but where is it stipulated that one “must” be licenced by the MOE to inspect septics? Although I refuse to do them, I have a close friend that likes to claim that I’m an idiot because I don’t. I tell him that he’s an idiot because he does!
Since only a licenced pumper can pump septic tanks and repair, and one should pump the tank in order to inspect the tank, baffles, lids, sludge and scum levels, pumps if installed only his report is valid as being acceptable under law.
A home inspector who is not licenced and is providing a report or supposing to be qualified is at the very least negligent misrepresentation and further without a licence is implying he is licenced and qualified which is a big misnomer.
Simply put one can not successfully inspect the septic system without pumping.