For septic systems or septic system holding tanks subject to an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA), that are a significant drinking water threat, the Province (Ministry of Environment) should develop a compliance monitoring program. The compliance monitoring should include inspection of the system to ensure that it:

continues to function as designed;
meets applicable design standards; and
is being properly maintained.

Priorities for the compliance monitoring program should include areas where known septic failures have been identified and areas where older systems have not recently been inspected. Systems found to be deficient are required to undertake improvements to be in compliance.

Where the system is subject to a mandatory inspection as per conditions on the ECA as outlined in policy 2.14, the compliance monitoring program may consider a certificate produced by a qualified person as proof that the system has been inspected and is properly functioning.

(5.04): Ministry of Environment, and all other implementers, shall establish monitoring programs as per Section 45 of the Clean Water Act. The information collected through these monitoring programs shall be included in a monitoring report that shall be submitted annually to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. The information submitted to the Conservation Authority shall be consistent with the guidance developed pursuant to policy 5.02. Monitoring reports are to be submitted by February 1 of each year following the first anniversary of the effective date of the Source Protection Plan. Monitoring reports shall include information since the submission of the previous monitoring report to December 31 of the year previous to the deadline for report submission. For the first report, the information shall include information from the effective date of the Source Protection Plan.