(a) No system of wastewater collection, treatment and disposal shall be covered or placed into use by any person until an inspection by the local health department has determined that the system has been installed or repaired in accordance with any conditions of the Improvement Permit, the rules, and this Article.

(a1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, an applicant may contract with an Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator certified pursuant to Article 5 of Chapter 90A of the N.C. Gen. Stat. to conduct any required verifications or inspections. The evaluator shall provide the applicant with written verification that all conditions of the Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization have been met, including an as-built drawing meeting the standards and scale of the local health department issuing the Construction Authorization as certified by the evaluator. The applicant may cover the system and place it into operation upon receipt of the evaluator’s written verification and shall submit the verification to the local health department within two business days of receipt of the verification. The Department, the Department’s authorized agents, and the local health department shall be discharged and released from any liabilities, duties, and responsibilities imposed by statute or common law from any claim arising out of or attributed to the on-site wastewater system installation.

(b) Upon determining that the system is properly installed or repaired and that the system is capable of being operated in accordance with the conditions of the Improvement Permit, the rules, this Article and any conditions to be imposed in the operation permit, as applicable, the local health department shall issue an operation permit authorizing the residence, place of business or place of public assembly to be occupied and for the system to be placed into use or reuse.

(c) Upon determination that an existing wastewater system has a valid operation permit and is operating properly in a manufactured home park, the local health department shall issue authorization in writing for a manufactured home to be connected to the existing system and to be occupied. Notwithstanding N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-336, an Improvement Permit is not required for the connection of a manufactured home to an existing system with a valid operation permit in a manufactured home park.

(d) No person shall occupy a residence, place of business or place of public assembly, or place a wastewater system into use or reuse for a residence, place of business or place of public assembly until an operation permit has been issued or authorization has been obtained pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-337(c). (1973, c. 452, s. 6; 1981, c. 949, s. 3; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 1985, c. 487, s. 9; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 944, s. 6; 1995, c. 285, s. 1; 2023-90, s. 5.)