2025 Program Information
The 2025 Program will be focused on properties located within Harcourt Park as part of Area 5 of our By-law Schedule. This year we will be inspecting properties within 30m of Allen Lake, Big Barnum Lake, East Lake, Straggle Lake, Little Straggle Lake, Charlie George Lake, Kennaway Lake and Long Lake. The program will run from May 20th, 2025, until August 29th, 2025, on a Monday through Friday schedule. All inspections, whether completed by Municipal Inspectors, or by Third Party Inspectors are to be completed by September 1st, 2025. Property owners in the affected area will be notified of their inspection date, preparation details, etc. via letter mail. Initial Notice Letters were sent by letter mail to the mailing address on file on March 14th, 2025.
For information regarding your inspection appointment, results, etc. please contact the Program Supervisor by email at septic@dysartetal.ca. Thank you for your participation in the Septic Maintenance Inspection Program, a significant pillar in protecting the future of your lake.
Program Details
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Preparing for an Inspection |
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What to Expect During the Inspection |
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Rescheduling Requests |
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Property owners will be notified via letter mail of their assigned upcoming inspection date. We understand that these dates may pose a conflict for some people and will do our best to be accommodating with these changes. Owners wishing to make a change to their inspection date are required to provide a minimum of 5 days' notice to the department prior to their assigned inspection date. Complete our online rescheduling Request Form. Upon submission, staff will contact you to coordinate to the best of our ability. |
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Exemption Criteria |
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As per By-Law 2023-03, properties that meet one or more of the following criteria are eligible for exemption from the Maintenance Inspection Program.
If you feel that your property meets any of these criteria, but you have been assigned an inspection date, please contact us at septic@dysartetal.ca and staff will review your claim accordingly. |
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Lake Health Assessment |
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Staff will be completing complimentary Lake Health Assessments. This will include a brief review of the shoreline, as well as the remaining 30m setback. Staff will be looking for natural, or mostly natural shorelines and will be providing informational feedback to property owners on how to improve their property. Following the inspection, property owners will be provided a score out of 100 along with detailed resources on how to make improvements should they desire. This assessment will not result in enforcement as the Site Alteration By-Law is a complaint based and this assessment is designed to be an added effort to promote lake health. Staff will be referencing our Site Alteration Sample Site Plan when assessing and scoring properties. |
| Short Term Rental Inspections |
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Septic Maintenance Inspection Program staff have been tasked with carrying out the Short-Term Rental on-site inspections as required by the Short-Term Rental by-law. These inspections will be completed at the same time as the Septic Maintenance Inspections. Short-Term Rental inspections ineligible for rescheduling requests. For complete details regarding Short-Term Rentals, please visit the Short-Term Rental webpage. |
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Inspection Schedule |
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Under the current By-Law, the Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program has been divided into 5 Areas of Coverage. Presently, we are focused on inspecting properties within 30m of the water in the areas set out in our map. Staff will be working through each area in numerical order. Please view our Area Map to view the intended order of inspections. |
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Fee Schedule |
Note: owners will be charged the Septic Maintenance Inspection Fee for each inspection attempt carried out by the Municipality. Please be sure to pay attention to your inspection date and preparation instructions to avoid unnecessary fees. The above fees are subject to annual review. |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
Third Party Inspections
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A third party inspection is an inspection completed in accordance with the by-law by a private inspector obtained by the property owner directly. Third party inspections provide flexibility with scheduling, etc. Homeowners can choose to hire a Third-Party Inspector, as long as they are approved for the program. To qualify, inspectors must have up-to-date credentials, be properly registered, and have attended a required meeting with the Septic Department. If the inspector you want to hire is not listed below, they must first get approval from the Program Supervisor before doing the inspection. In addition to paying the inspection fee imposed by the private inspector, there will also be a fee issued by the Municipality for the cost of reviewing the inspection reports. All reports must be submitted prior to September 1st. Additionally, any incomplete third party inspection reports that are received will be charges a Failed Attempt fee. |
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Homeowners can choose to hire a Third-Party Inspector, as long as they are approved for the program. To qualify, inspectors must have up-to-date credentials, be properly registered, and have attended a required meeting with the Septic Department. Only reports from inspectors lifted below will be accepted by the Septic Maintenance Program staff unless previously discussed and agreed upon in advance.
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Your inspection must be submitted by September 1st of your scheduled inspection year to avoid being in contravention of the by-law. Your report can be submitted through our online form which will prompt payment via credit card at the time of submission. |
Remedial Action Requirements
There are several reasons a sewage system may be found non-compliant during an inspection. After your inspection, you will receive a written report outlining the results. If your system is deemed non-compliant, the report will include details on what needs to be done to correct the issue.
To help guide you through next steps, staff have prepared information sheets that explain common infractions, required corrective actions, and deadlines for submitting documentation. Please review the materials relevant to your situation.
If you have questions, feel free to contact staff at septic@dysartetal.ca.
| Too Many Bedrooms |
| Remedial Actions for Bedrooms |
| Septic Review |
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If your Septic Maintenance Inspection resulted in a required remedial action to decommission a bedroom to return your property back to the permitted use, a Septic Review is required. This form will also be used in cases where there is an owner dispute based on the number of bedrooms recorded during the inspection. Please complete the septic review application form and submit the required supporting documents and fees. Following submission, a site visit will be completed to confirm bedroom count. |
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Tank Components and Agreements (baffles, lids, alarms) |
| Remedial Actions for Tank Components and Agreements |
| Greywater to Grade |
| Remedial Actions for Greywater to Grade |
| Structures within Setbacks |
| Remedial Actions for Structure within Setbacks |
| Constructed without Permit |
| Remedial Actions for Constructions without Permit |
| Tank or Bed Compromised |
| Remedial Actions for Tank or Bed Compromised |
| Pump Outs |
| Remedial Action for Pump Outs |
| What happens if I don't comply? |
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If a property owner fails to complete the required remedial actions outlined in the septic inspection report within the specified timeframe, the municipality may issue either an Order to Remedy and/or Comply under the Ontario Building Code Act. This legal order requires the property owner to address the outstanding issues and bring the system into compliance. Failure to comply with the order may result in further enforcement measures, including fines or legal action. Timely compliance helps protect public health, water quality, and the long-term sustainability of our lakes and environment. If an order is issued, the property owner is required to comply with the details outlined in the order by the set timeline to avoid further enforcement/ fees. Our fees by-law grants the municipality the authority to issue a monthly fee of $500 of all non-compliant building code orders. How to Appeal an Order If you feel this order has been issued in error you may contact staff at septic@dysartetal.ca and may request to have your concern escalated to the Chief Building official. If you feel the need to escalate this further, you are required to request a hearing with the Ontario Building Code Commission. Please note, municipal council does not have the authority to overrule building code matters. |
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