By Sept. 15, Minnesota should know the location of all septic systems in the state. The audit was ordered by legislative action in 2009 and requires “directly or indirectly inspecting and providing an inventory for all subsurface sewage treatment systems.” It calls for direct inspection of each system “on riparian land or lake or near wetlands or other sensitive waters” to see if they are failing or provide an imminent health threat.

Minnesota has seen an increase in funding for sewage programs through the Clean Water Legacy sales tax amendment passed by voters in 2008. It raised the sales tax from 6.5 percent to 6.875 percent from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2034. A third of revenue, about $80 million in fiscal 2010, is earmarked for clean-water projects.

Connecticut

The state Department of Environmental Engineering is changing to an electronic distribution system for all notices, training announcements, and circular letters and will no longer use postal mail. To sign up for the e-mail distribution list, e-mail your electronic contact information to Kathy.graff@ct.gov. The change does not affect notifications from local health departments or sanitarians.

Indiana

The state Court of Appeals has ordered the City of Indianapolis to refund nearly $9,000 to each of 30 homes forced to abandon their septic tanks and hook up to the city’s sewer system. A class action lawsuit sought reimbursement for those who paid the 2004 special assessments in full rather than on installment plans.

When the city later changed its policy to require a flat fee of $2,500, those on payment plans were forgiven their outstanding balances, but those who had already paid received no relief. The city was also ordered to pay interest on the money along with the plaintiffs’ attorney fees.

Maryland

In response to President Barack Obama’s executive order calling for an overhaul of the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration, a 24-point strategy sent to the Administration is said to be more stringent than a plan being developed by the U.S. EPA.

An official with the EPA says local and state cooperation will be necessary because the Clean Water Act does not have authority over septic systems and other matters. Officials promised a cleanup by 2010, but the effort has fallen about 40 percent short of goals. Maryland has funded upgrades to about 1,000 septic systems, according to the Washington Post, but many of the state’s 420,000 systems need upgrades, as well.

Minnesota

Polk and Roseau Counties decided not to adopt the revised Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) rules governing onsite systems, and Beltrami County commissioners let the adoption date pass. The new rules would require pressurized systems in all sandy soils.

Polk and Roseau County Board resolutions, stating that the pressurized systems do not work at minus 39 degrees, demanded the University of Minnesota Extension Service do more research to demonstrate a need for the regulation. The resolutions also objected to the requirement that county regulators must visit sites to certify soils instead of accepting certifications from licensed firms.

Virginia

A proposed bill addressing alternative treatment systems would require regular inspections, maintenance contracts, effluent sampling for systems larger than 1,000 gpd, and a survey plant as part of the application permit. Licensing of soil evaluators, installers, system operators, and owner-operators also would be required. Meanwhile, the Virginia Sewage Handling & Control Board should complete its review of maintenance regulations for alternative systems by the end of the year.

Missouri

Governor Jay Nixon has proposed changes to state law to help clean up the Lake of the Ozarks and other state waters. Among other things, the proposal would give the state power to inspect septic tanks, including 50,000 septic systems near the lake, a popular tourist destination.

The owners of failed septic systems could be ordered to make repairs, connect to a sewer system, or stop using the system. Nixon announced his proposal in December, several months after a newspaper investigation found that the state Department of Natural Resources had withheld a report revealing dangerous levels of E. coli in Lake of the Ozarks. The Senate environmental committee is investigating the incident, which caused five DNR officials to leave the agency, and led to a two-week suspension for its director.

New York

The Catskill Watershed Corporation is offering assistance to homeowners in the Catskill-Delaware watershed who paid for the repair or replacement of septic systems in 2009. The agency will reimburse the costs for work done outside the priority areas for its Septic Repair and Rehabilitation Program if they were approved by the Department of Environmental Protection. Full-time residents are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement. Part-time residents can get 60 percent of their costs covered.