Approved Sewer Service Area - Board Amendment to Sewer Policies

On July 2, 1979, the Board of Supervisors adopted the following wording to clarify Board policies on extending sanitary sewer service:

The delineation of the sewer service area boundary is determined to include the immediately adjacent area which can be served by the smallest allowable gravity lines installed in accord with the normal engineering practices which will result in the safest and most cost-effective operations and, further, any extension of a sewer line across the surface drainage divide of an approved sewer service area shall not exceed a distance of 400 feet nor a manhole depth of 12 feet without approval by the Board of Supervisors. View the Board Amendment to Sewer Policy (PDF).

To request public sewer extension outside the ASSA, please contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-324-1380, TTY 711.

For questions about the Fairfax County Sewer Service Area, call the Wastewater Planning and Monitoring Division at 703-324-5030, TTY 711.

Manhole Taps

Direct service connections to a sanitary sewer manhole must be inspected by the Wastewater Collection Division. The plumber must call the Wastewater Collection Division at 703-250-2003, TTY 711 at least 48 hours prior to actual connection.

Acceptance of Availability Fee

Effective September 25, 1986, payment of availability fee will not be accepted for any type of project or area that is not in an approved sewer service area.

Public Sanitary Sewer Availability

Sanitary discharge shall be conveyed from a building by gravity to the sanitary sewer wherever public sewer is available. A sanitary sewer main shall be deemed available when the main is within the distances specified below:

• For one- and two-family dwellings: within three hundred (300) feet of the property line.
• All other occupants: within five hundred (500) feet of the property line.

Pumped seweage systems will only be permitted in unusual circumstances when it can be proven that connection to the sanitary sewer is technically unfeasible.

Any extension of public sewer shall be made at the expense of the owner of the premises to be served.