Thank you all for making the 2025 continuing education training a huge success!
As you know, the legislature is in session, and all representatives and senators are working very hard on many topics. I cannot stress enough how blessed we, the citizens of North Dakota, are to have these dedicated people working for us.
Regarding our septic field, there are three bills we should all be aware of. If you feel compelled, please let the NDOWRA board know your thoughts.
I will highlight the main points as I see them, but I encourage you to look up the bills, read them yourself, and share your thoughts and positions with us and/or with your representatives and senators. If we don’t communicate our positions, we have no right to be disappointed in the outcome.
Bill 1541 (click here to view the bill online) is a bill that gives the DEQ total control over the field of on-site septic systems. While this bill has some very good points, I believe it goes too far. It has been amended, and the appropriated funding has been reduced from what appears on the legislative site, but it is still much higher than necessary. The board makeup would consist of three installers and three Health Department representatives-all knowledgeable in septic systems. The selling point was that with a 3-3 split, no changes could occur unless one side persuaded a member of the other side to vote with them. However, this setup could lead to ongoing division and conflict. The board would be housed in the DEQ, with one DEQ advisor who would have no voting rights. Please read the bill and provide feedback.
Bill 2267 (click here to view the bill online) removes health departments from overseeing on-site septic systems and shifts that responsibility to the North Dakota Plumbing Board. There have been numerous committee meetings and discussions, and this bill remains fluid, evolving in many directions. It has several strong points, and we are closely monitoring it to ensure that on-site installers have a voice in the final outcome. Please read the bill and share your thoughts with the board, as well as with your representatives and senators.
Bill 2308 (click here to view the bill online) reviews the continuing need for numerous committees and boards that have either stopped meeting or have fulfilled their purpose. The On-Site Technical Wastewater Committee is included in this bill. As a member of this committee, I believe it has reached the end of its usefulness and should be shut down. However, on a side note, the Board of Soil Classifiers is also included in the bill for termination, and I completely disagree with that decision. They are a valuable and much-needed organization, and I hope you all support them in staying active.
Again, thank you all for taking the time to read this. Please provide any and all feedback to the NDOWRA Board, myself, and/or your representatives and senators.
Thank you,
Bruce Ellingson
President, NDOWRA
