Working on your building or property
You may need a District permit
The District wants to ensure access to your building lower sewer lateral meets standards in order for District Operations staff to perform maintenance activities. We also want to ensure your property is protected from backups in the District sanitary sewer system, any disconnection and/or connection to the District sanitary sewer system is properly being made, and you have the appropriate capacity buy-in to transport and treat your wastewater.
Steps
Visit building department
Visit your local jurisdiction building department first to apply for a building permit.
Describe your work and District reviews your work
Describe your proposed work and submit any and all plan sets showing your proposed work using the form below and a determination of a permit will be made.
If no District permit is required, then a "No District Permit Required" letter will be emailed to you typically the next business day (after receiving all required scope of work information) to deliver to the agency building permit staff.
Permit Residential Application Form
District determines your requirements
If the District determines a District permit is required, your work will be analyzed and a field investigation may need to be performed to outline your District requirements. Typically, three business days (after receiving all required scope of work information) are needed to issue a District permit. For accessory dwelling units (ADU) up to ten business days may be required for issuance of a District permit.
Pay fees and issue permit
When you are informed a permit is ready for you, make a counter appointment with this form. Pay by check or cash (based on our fees and charges schedule (PDF) and examples below) and give your issued District permit copy to your agency building permit staff.
Ensure your District requirements are met
Install all required infrastructure per your District issued permit handouts. Required property line cleanout shall meet the District standards. Be sure to have underground utilities, such as gas lines and potable water pipes, located before you dig by contacting USA 811 North and follow their five easy steps (PNG).
Example Fees
Building plumbing work may require a property line cleanout to be replaced or a new property line cleanout to be installed, and/or may require a device for wastewater backflow protection, or no District permit may be required.
A $425 fee will need to be paid when a property line cleanout is required to recover the cost of investigating your field conditions and ensuring your construction meets District requirements. Otherwise, a $250 processing fee will need to be paid when a District permit is required to recover the cost of reviewing your scope of work and your site District records.
When a new building lower sewer lateral needs to be constructed in the right-of-way, an $800 fee will need to be paid to recover the cost of ensuring your construction meets District requirements.
The District will also ensure your property buildings have the correct amount of buy-in capacity reserved for their wastewater discharge that must be accommodated in the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. See the "New House" tab and the "ADU" tab for more information.
Depending on the nature of your renovation and the District's investigation; a property line cleanout may need to be replaced or a new property line cleanout installed, and/or a device for wastewater backflow protection may be required, or no District permit may be required.
A $425 fee will need to be paid when a property line cleanout is required to recover the cost of investigating your field conditions and ensuring your construction meets District requirements. Otherwise, a $250 processing fee will need to be paid when a District permit is required to recover the cost of reviewing your scope of work and your site District records.
The District will also ensure your property buildings have the correct amount of buy-in capacity reserved for their wastewater discharge that must be accommodated in the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. See the "New House" tab and the "ADU" tab for more information.
The demolition of an existing residence will require temporarily disconnecting from the District sanitary sewer system and a $135 fee will be imposed to ensure the disconnection was properly made.
The new residence will require a new property line cleanout and may require a device for wastewater backflow protection; and $425 fee will be imposed ensure the property line cleanout meets District requirements.
In addition, the District's monthly Sewer Service and Use Charge (billed annually on your property tax bill) will be prorated based on the date your permit is issued, and can range from $55 to $700.
A new (or newly discovered) house wastewater discharge must be accommodated in the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The approximate buy-in capacity fees are:
Fee Description | Amount |
---|---|
District Sewer Connection | $11,000 |
Treatment Plant Capacity | $1,700 |
In addition, the District's monthly Sewer Service and Use Charge (billed annually on your property tax bill) is prorated based on the date your permit is issued, and can range from $55 to $700.
A permit processing fee will vary depending if there is an existing building sewer lateral serving your property or if a new building sewer lateral needs to be constructed, and can range from $250 to $800 to recover the cost of investigating your field conditions and/or ensuring your construction meets District requirements.
A new (or newly discovered) accessory dwelling unit (ADU) wastewater discharge must be accommodated in the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The fees to buy-in capacity for these infrastructures is based on the number of drainage fixture units as defined in the California Plumbing Code, Chapter 7, "Sanitary Drainage," Section 702.0, "Fixture Unit Equivalents." The approximate capacity buy-in fees are:
Fee Description | Amount |
---|---|
District Sewer Connection | $568 per drainage fixture unit (maximum $6,800) |
Treatment Plant Capacity | $87 per drainage fixture unit (maximum $1,100) |
An ADU built within an existing building (as designated by the local jurisdication) is not required to buy-in capacity for the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility.
In addition, the District's monthly Sewer Service and Use Charge (billed annually on your property tax bill) is prorated based on the date your permit is issued, and can range from $35 to $400.
A permit processing fee will vary depending if there is an existing building sewer lateral serving your property or if a new building sewer lateral needs to be constructed, and can range from $250 to $800 to recover the cost of investigating your field conditions and/or ensuring your construction meets District requirements.
When you need to abandon your septic tank due to Santa Clara County Environmental Health Department requirements or you are proactively abandoning your septic tank, your building(s) wastewater discharge must be accommodated in the District's piping transport system and for processing at the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. The approximate fees to buy-in capacity for these infrastructures will depend on the number and type of buildings that will be discharging and whether a previous District sanitary sewer main extension project was constructed to solely serve your property.
The fees to buy-in capacity when a previous District sanitary sewer main extension project was constructed to solely serve your property depend on your pro rata share of actual construction cost identified in the District Engineer's Report and adjusted based on the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index. Otherwise, the approximate fees to buy-in capacity are identified in the "New House" tab and the "ADU" tab.
In addition, the District's monthly Sewer Service and Use Charge (billed annually on your property tax bill) is prorated based on the date your permit is issued, and can range from $55 to $700.
A permit processing fee will vary depending if there is an existing building sewer lateral serving your property or if a new building sewer lateral needs to be constructed, and can range from $250 to $800 to recover the cost of investigating your field conditions and/or ensuring your construction meets District requirements.