ACRONYMS/DEFINITIONS
HSTS - Home Sewage Treatment Systems are a type of sewage treatment system (STS) that serve a 1-, 2-, or 3-family home dwelling unit. SCPH regulates these systems from evaluation to abandonment.
PWS - Private Water Systems refer to water wells, springs,ponds, hauled water storage and cisterns. SCPH ensures that water safety is maintained through registration of water system contractors, inspections, water sampling for lab analysis, technical assistance, and public education. Water hauler vehicles are inspected annually.
STS - Sewage Treatment Systems are individual systems that treat and dispose of the sewage generated from a household or small business where a sanitary sewer collection system is not available. These individual systems typically serve one occupied structure.
SFOSTS - Small Flow Onsite Sewage Treatment Systems are a type of STS that serve occupied structures that are not 1-, 2-, or 3-family home dwelling units, generate less than 1000 gallons of sewage flow per day, and the treated sewage effluent is dispersed by soil absorption rather than being discharged to a ditch, creek or stream. SCPH regulates all aspects of these systems from evaluation to abandonment.
Semi-Public Wastewater Treatment Systems serve occupied structures that are not 1-, 2-, or 3-family home dwelling units, generate less than 25,000 gallons of sewage flow per day, but do not include SFOSTS. The treated sewage effluent is either treated onsite through soil absorption or discharged to a roadside ditch, creek or stream. The Ohio EPA is responsible for the evaluation and approval of designs for these systems, but SCPH inspects the installation and operation of over 600 semi-public systems at least once each year.