Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Lawmakers on a panel that reviews state regulations have temporarily blocked a proposed change in state guidelines for a specific type of septic system, a change that would make it cheaper to install. Republican Representative Mike Sexton, a farmer from Rockwell City, proposed the delay.
There are tens of thousands of homes and businesses in Iowa that are not connected to a public sewer system and use a septic system to trap and filter toilet waste. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has proposed ending the requirement that aerobic treatment units which circulate air to treat sewage have a final step that sends discharged water through soil or sand filters. Sexton says blocking that change from going into effect until at least the middle of next year will hopefully pressure lawmakers to crack down on a related issue.
The legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee voted eight-to-two to block the rule from taking effect now — a delay that will last until the 2026 legislature ends. The vote came after more than 40 minutes of public testimony from people who strongly supported or opposed changing state guidelines for aerobic treatment units. Nick Laning is a lobbyist for Infiltrator Water Technologies — a company that makes these type of septic units. Laning told legislators very few aerobic treatment units are being installed in Iowa today because state regulations are outdated and unnecessary.
NR and EPC identified an outdated, unnecessary regulation, Laning said. Jim Carroll, a licensed engineer who designs and maintains wastewater systems in Iowa, opposed getting rid of the filtering requirement for aerobic treatment units.
The water quality bureau chief in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources told legislators the proposed change creates a level playing field for all types of septic systems, and it fulfills the governor’s executive order that requires agencies to reduce regulatory burdens.
KIWA Staff Photo
