Installing a Wayne County sewage system, changing an existing one and retiring one are different requests. Start with Wayne County Health Department’s Environmental Health division before arranging the work; the County requires the applicable permit before installation or alteration begins. County sewage program
Site suitability comes before the construction permit
For installation or alteration, the County describes a site-and-soil review followed by design approval and the permit application. Its January 5, 2026 site-review form makes those separate decisions visible:
| Decision or submission | What the County form records |
|---|---|
| Site application | Address, township, property size, water supply, intended use and supporting soil analysis or NPDES permit. |
| Site evaluation | Approval and identification of the system area. |
| Final design | Submission, review and a separate approval entry. |
| Installation or alteration permit | Application and issuance entries, including the permit number. |
The form’s $100 site-application fee is not the full project permit price. It separately lists $125 for final design review and $475 for an installation permit or $275 for alteration, with other review categories also present. Have the department identify the applicable items; do not add every printed amount as though all apply to one project. Site-review form
The program page asks applicants to allow five working days for design review. That is not a promise that site evaluation, revisions, permitting and construction will all finish in five days. It also requires prior Environmental Health approval for soil-based construction between November 1 and April 30. Review and seasonal conditions
Protect the approved location while other trades work
The site-review form directs applicants to stake or flag both the primary and replacement septic areas and protect them from traffic, stored materials and other damage. Give that information to the people arranging deliveries and excavation; an approved plan is not protection against a truck being sent through the wrong area. Do not infer an acceptable replacement location from an unverified sketch. Site protection instructions
The County allows a qualifying owner to install a system at their primary residence after passing its homeowner test with at least 80%. This is not a general owner-work exemption. Confirm the process before performing work or selecting an installer. After installation, the County describes approval for use, an as-built record and a 12-month inspection leading to the operating permit. Keep those distinct from the initial construction permit. Owner work and follow-up
Abandonment needs a completion record
The separately linked abandonment permit/report asks why the system is being retired, which components are involved and how they were abandoned. Its completion section calls for a pumping report, the registered hauler, disposal destinations, completion date and responsible installer/person. A new connection receipt alone does not provide that record. Abandonment permit/report
Ask the department who must complete and return the report and whether an inspection is required for the particular work. This guide does not instruct an owner to pump, enter, break up or fill a tank.
Review boundary
LSL compared the County program, January 2026 site-review form and linked abandonment form on September 20, 2026. The comparison separates decisions that the old generic checklist blurred. It does not approve a design, verify an installer or determine which system can serve a property. Interior work may also need the separate Wayne plumbing permit.