Citing a desire to avoid additional government regulation, Bay County commissioners have decided to "opt out" of a new state septic tank inspection law.
Florida gives counties that meet certain conditions the choice of whether to participate or not and, at Tuesday's commission meeting, the board decided to go its own way.
The county is able to keep its existing septic tank monitoring program in place because Gainer Spring is considered a "first magnitude spring" and the county already has a monitoring program in place.
The bill passed last year would have required inspections of septic systems every five years, whether or not there was a problem. Inspections can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.
"People understand when they have to have their septic tank pumped out and we just don't need to pile regulations on them," said Commissioner Bill Dozier.
Most septic tank work requires a permit, and the county's Builder's Services Department won't issue a building permit or Certificate of Occupancy for new construction without an inspection.
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