2007 Minnesota Statutes

115.58 ALTERNATIVE DISCHARGING SEWAGE SYSTEMS; GENERAL PERMITS.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
(b) "Alternative discharging sewage system" means a sewage treatment system serving one or
more dwellings and other establishments that discharges less than 10,000 gallons of water per day
and uses any treatment and disposal methods other than subsurface soil treatment and disposal.
(c) "Permit" means a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit or state disposal
system permit granted to any person for the installation, ownership, management, or control of
alternative discharging sewage systems whose operations, emissions, activities, discharges, or
facilities are the same or substantially similar.
(d) "Water quality cooperative" means an association of persons organized under chapter
308A to install, own, manage, and control individual sewage treatment systems or alternative
discharging sewage systems and provide water quality treatment and management services for its
members within a defined geographical area.
(e) "Water quality treatment and management services" means the monitoring and control
of alternative discharging sewage systems to eliminate or reduce water pollution from point
and nonpoint sources; the management, use, reuse, recycling, or reclamation of land, water, or
wastewater for water supply; geothermal heating and cooling; fire protection; irrigation; drainage;
open space or green belt preservation; storm water management and control; flood management
and control or other purposes that are part of a comprehensive plan to reduce, prevent, or
eliminate water pollution.
    Subd. 2. Areawide permit. The agency may issue an areawide permit for alternative
discharging sewage systems where:
(1) the systems meet all applicable federal and state standards for treatment and discharge
of sewage effluents by the agency;
(2) the systems are part of a water quality treatment and management plan to prevent,
eliminate, or reduce water pollution within a defined geographic area;
(3) the systems are owned or controlled by a water quality cooperative; and
(4) the water quality cooperative has a service agreement with a local unit of government to
provide water quality treatment and management services for the area under section 471A.03.
    Subd. 3. Local ordinance exemption. Any system which is permitted under subdivision 2 is
exempt from the requirements of any local ordinance adopted to conform with section 115.55 if the
system complies with the applicable standards for discharges and treatment of sewage effluents.
History: 1997 c 216 s 94; 1998 c 254 art 1 s 23