Septic & Well Services in Doylestown, PA

Areas covered on this page: Doylestown Borough, Doylestown Township, Plumstead Township, Buckingham Township, New Britain Township (Bucks County).

Septic rules in Doylestown Township and Plumstead

Doylestown Township has had a Septage Management Program since it adopted Ordinance No. 299 in 2001. Every property on an on-lot system must be pumped and inspected every three years by a Township-approved pumper/hauler, and the hauler's inspection report goes to the Township (Doylestown Township: Septic, Sewer & Water). The Township's ordinance also asks the hauler to check that the tank's baffles are working (Code §136-35).

Next door, Plumstead Township's Sewage Management Ordinance (No. 2021-05) took effect in January 2023. It requires pumping by a licensed pumper/hauler at least once every three years, with the pumping form returned to the Township within 30 days. Plumstead keeps a list of pumpers registered with the Township, and they must hold both Bucks County Health Department and PA DEP licenses (Plumstead Township: Sewage Management Program). If you're in Buckingham, New Britain or another nearby township, call the township office to ask whether a pumping schedule applies to you.

Private wells: Doylestown Township asks for a water test too

Doylestown Township is unusual: if your home has a private well, the Septage Management Program also requires a coliform (E. coli) water test every three years, with a copy sent to the Township. That's a minimum. PA DEP recommends that well owners test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, total dissolved solids and pH, using a state-certified lab (PA DEP). Pennsylvania has no statewide rules for private well construction or testing, so the upkeep is yours (Penn State Extension). The Bucks County Health Department sells coliform sampling kits (Bucks County Residential Water Testing).

Signs your septic or well needs a look

• Slow drains, gurgling, or sewage smells after heavy rain
• Soggy ground or bright green grass over the drain field
• Low water pressure, a pump that short-cycles, or cloudy water after a storm

Who issues permits

In Bucks County, the Bucks County Health Department is the sewage enforcement agency. It permits new and repaired septic systems, holding tanks and alternate systems under PA Code Title 25, Chapter 73, investigates malfunctioning systems, and licenses every sewage pumping truck that works in the county. Its Sewage Program can be reached at 215-345-3318. Since 2007 the department has also set location and construction standards for new and modified private wells through its Residential Well Inspection Program, so a new well needs a county permit before drilling.

Before you call a provider

• Find your last pumping receipt and, if you have it, your septic permit or system drawing. It shows the tank location and size.
• Ask whether the pumper's truck is licensed by the Bucks County Health Department and whether they will file or give you the receipt your township needs.
• For a home sale, ask whether the inspector is PSMA-certified and what the written report covers.
• For a well, note the pump age, the well depth if known, and what you are seeing (pressure, color, odor, no water).