Miami-Dade County Passes Septic Disclosure Ordinance

On July 20, 2021, Miami-Dade County passed a septic tank disclosure ordinance. The ordinance requires all sellers of land in the County prominently disclose to the buyer that they have an on-site sewage treatment system. If you have a septic tank, sewage is treated in your backyard rather than at a sewage treatment plant. 

Due to South Florida’s porous limestone geology and shallow water table, this sewage treatment method does not work well. The small spaces and holes in our geology do not adequately filter septic waste before it reaches the groundwater. This means nutrient-rich septic waste can pass through the groundwater system and quickly flow into nearby waterways. As a result, septic systems significantly threaten public health and our environment even when functioning correctly.

The disclosure ordinance explicitly requires that buyers recognize that improperly maintaining these systems may post substantial human and environmental risks. Additionally, the ordinance recommends that buyers obtain an inspection of the septic tank system.

 

Are you on septic? Learn more here!