The St. Charles County Division of Building and Code Enforcement investigates all complaints related to sewage and Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS). For systems treating more than 3,000 gallons per day, complaints are forwarded to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the regulatory agency for those systems.
Typical Concerns
Discharging of Sewage – Sewage is discharged via pipe or other means to waterways or the surface.
Surfacing of Sewage – The OWTS is failing and resulting in sewage surfacing to the ground in the absorption field, near the tank, or any other location along the system.
Tank Failure – The sewage tank has failed and/or collapsed, causing a hazard.
Smell – A functioning OWTS should not have an odor. A smell can be a sign that a system is not working. However, often an unpleasant smell is the result of something other than the OWTS, such as a dead animal, the installation of mulch, etc.
Reporting a Concern
Concerns can be reported to the Division of Building and Code Enforcement through Citizenserve. Concerns may be reported anonymously or with an account.
Please be aware of the following prior to reporting a concern:
The Division of Building and Code Enforcement may not be able to report back to you the outcome of your complaint if you report it anonymously.
In accordance with State of Missouri law, all reported concerns are an “open record” and subject to viewing by the public upon request.