HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1381 FILED ON: 2/4/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Steven S. Howitt
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act enhancing the sewage disposal system inspection process.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Steven S. Howitt 4th Bristol 2/4/2021
1 of 1
 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1381 FILED ON: 2/4/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
[Pin Slip]
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 803 OF 2019-2020.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
_______________
An Act enhancing the sewage disposal system inspection process.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 21A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 13A, as
2 appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following:-
3 Section 13A. No individual shall be approved by the department of environmental
4 protection as a system inspector of on-site sewage disposal systems who is also approved as a
5 disposal system installer or has a financial interest in the work of any other approved disposal
6 system installer, including but not limited to a partner, employer, employee or co-worker of said
7 system inspector.
8 A system inspector who performs an on-site inspection of a sewage disposal system
9 pursuant to the state environmental code, shall not recommend a specific disposal system
10 installer to perform any work related to the replacement, repair, alteration or design of said
11 system; provided, however, that all system inspectors shall, at the time of inspection, provide to
1 of 2
12 the property owner a list prepared by the local board of health of local disposal system installers
13 who are approved to perform such work; provided, however, that no disposal system installer
14 may be approved as such if the installer is also approved by the department of environmental
15 protection as a system inspector of on-site sewage. Each board of health shall prepare and make
16 available a list containing the name, address, and phone number for at least 5 such installers who
17 request to be included on such list.
18 A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.
2 of 2