HomeMy WebLinkAboutNotice of OWTS ViolationGarfield County Public Health Department – working to promote health and prevent disease
Public Health
195 West 14th Street 2014 Blake Avenue
Rifle, CO 81650 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(970) 625-5200 (970) 945-6614
Richard Ross December 4, 2025
3726 County Road 214
Silt, CO 81652
Notice of Violation
On April 16, 2021, Garfield County Public Health (GCPH) issued an Onsite Wastewater Treatment
System (OWTS) permit (Permit No. SEPT-6794) for a repair to an existing OWTS for the property
located at 3726 County Road 214 near Silt in Garfield County, Colorado. Through discussions with you,
the property owner, we understand the OWTS was installed and buried without a call to GCPH, the
permitting agency in Garfield County for residential OWTS, for its final inspection.
All new, repaired, or altered OWTSs must be inspected by GCPH prior to covering the system
components. As stated on the OWTS Permit issued on April 16, 2021:
“Contact the designer and Garfield County Public Health at least 48 hours prior to
requesting final inspection of the installed system prior to backfill.”
GCPH has no record of being contacted for final inspection. As a result of the actions taken by you, the
owner, your installer, and the system designer, GCPH cannot issue a final acceptance letter for this
system.
The following steps must be taken by you, the property owner, to correct this violation such that GCPH
can issue a final acceptance letter:
1. Owners shall contact GCPH within 48 hours of receipt of this letter to acknowledge receipt of this
NOV and to discuss the process and timeline to bring SEPT-6794 into compliance.
2. The owner or owner’s installer/designer shall submit all inspection documents within one week.
3. After the installation documents of the OWTS are received, GCPH staff will review the submitted
materials and schedule a site visit to inspect any visible components of the system.
4. If our review indicates the installation of the OWTS meets current Garfield County OWTS
Regulations, GCPH will issue its final acceptance letter.
5. If our review and site visit indicate the installed OWTS components do not meet current Garfield
County OWTS Regulations, sections of the system will be uncovered for GCPH to inspect.
6. If any alterations to the installed system are necessary, the Owners shall apply for the appropriate
permit to make the required repairs to the system and contact GCPH for a final inspection of all
alterations to the system, prior to backfilling any components of the system.
Garfield County Public Health Department – working to promote health and prevent disease
Failure to correct this violation will result in the scheduling of a Cease-and-Desist Order Hearing with
the Garfield County Board of Health to determine immediate corrective actions, which may include:
A Cease-and-Desist Order – requires the owner to stop using the OWTS;
Monetary Fines; and
Other remedies available by law.
Please contact Ted White with GCPH at (970) 665-6383 or twhite@garfieldcountyco.gov to discuss this
notice of violation and answer questions you may have on the above steps to correct this OWTS
violation.
Sincerely,
Jannette Whitcomb, REHS
Environmental Health Manager
OWTS Enforcement Officer
Garfield County Public Health
cc: Edward R. “Ted” White, P.E., Garfield County Environmental Health Specialist III
Teresa Bianco, Garfield County community Development Permit Technician
Brooke Winschell, Garfield County Community Development Technician
Graham Jackson, Garfield County Assistant County Attorney