Effective Jan. 15, all pumpers must have completed the National Association of Wastewater Technicians vacuum truck training course or an equivalent certification program approved by the state Environment Department. The new regulations also require at least one qualified person on site during every pump-out.

Changes to the regulations include making owners explicitly responsible for their onsite systems and no longer requiring a 50 percent replacement area. Other changes include requiring the live load-bearing capacity of riser lids to equal the live load-bearing capacity of septic tanks, and increase the strength of concrete used in septic tanks to 4,000 psi. Elevated systems, sand-lined trenches and bottomless sand filters are added to the options to overcome insufficient clearance.

Florida

All 19 counties with first-magnitude springs voted to opt out of septic tank inspections as required by the Florida Department of Health. Three cities with first-magnitude springs also voted to opt out. The deadline to do so was Jan. 1.