Huron County, ON – All municipalities across Huron will soon be providing plumbing and sewage inspection services. The program has been the responsibility of the County of Huron and has been administered by the Huron County Health Unit. The program includes plumbing installation approvals, issuing permits and performing inspections of plumbing and sewage systems. Plumbing Inspectors are qualified by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
With the amalgamation of the health unit with Perth District Health Unit coming in January 2020, the new health unit gave notice that it would not administer the program in the future as it is not part of the Ontario Public Health Standards. County Council passed a motion to begin the process to download the program to the municipalities pending an agreement from the majority of municipalities serving the majority of the population. This triple majority process was reached this week. Some municipalities have been doing plumbing and sewage inspection for the past few years.
The move to municipalities impacts the two plumbing and sewage inspectors currently employed by the County who have been providing the service from the health unit. The Inspectors will not be part of the new health unit staff. County CAO Meighan Wark says the County has appreciated the work of the Inspectors, “The County very much values the high quality service we’ve been able to provide through the current Inspectors based at the health unit.” Plans are underway to transition the plumbing and septic files and permits to the appropriate municipality.
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