paration distance. Without addressing the technical merits of such requirements at this point, it is sufficient to say that private liquid waste disposal is typically regulated by state, county, or local authorities. Parameters regulated are related to protection of health and environment, such as setback distances to wells and watercourses, and those related to system performance, such as size of leach field and septic tank ONSITE WASTEWATER DISPOSAL design. The latter parameters presumably ensure that the consumer builds or purchases a system that can be expected to work for at least as long as municipal treatment plants can be expected to work prop- erly, perhaps 25 years. When planning an onsite system, you must find out, typically through the health department, whether any regulations cover what it is that you want to do. Get a copy of all those regulations. Regulations by necessity address general conditions over broad geo- graphic areas, as well as broad hydrologic and geologic conditions. As the term implies, onsite conditions are site-specific to the point that every lot is to some degree unique. The regulations were not written with your lot and project in mind. You may be told by an enforcement official that you can't do what it is that you propose to do. If you are familiar with the regulations, you may realize that what you propose to do is legal. Most regulations have provisions for variances. If what you plan to do is reasonable and will not result in a potential health hazard or pollution problem, a request for a variance to the regulations may be in order. If you are right, and if you are persistent enough, most state regulatory agencies will be reasonable, particularly if you have documented your position with information from an authoritative source. Another problem often is that of multiple permits. Just because you finally got a building permit, don't assume that's all you need to install an onsite disposal system. Check with the city, county, and the state to be sure you've covered all the b