Title 23
Health and Safety

Chapter 19.15
The Rhode Island Cesspool Act of 2007

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-19.15-8

§ 23-19.15-8. Exemption.

(a) The provisions of §§ 23-19.15-5, 23-19.15-6(a) and 23-19.15-12(a) shall not apply to any cesspool located in an area of a community covered by municipal, on-site wastewater management ordinance that requires the risk-based phase out of cesspools on an alternative schedule that meets the purposes of this act.

(b) The provisions of §§ 23-19.15-6(b)(2) and 23-19.15-12 shall not apply to any cesspool located on a property that is properly designated to be sewered no later than six (6) years after the applicable deadlines provided in § 23-19.15-6(b)(3) provided: (1) The sewering project is identified in the city, town, or sewer district’s wastewater facilities plan as approved by DEM prior to January 1, 2013; (2) The municipality, acting through its city or town council, states in writing to the director of the department of environmental management by January 1, 2013, that the municipality will complete construction of the sewering project on or before January 1, 2020; and (3) The property owner certifies, in writing, that the dwelling/building will be connected to the sewer system within six (6) months of receipt of the notification to connect to the sewer system and that no increase in the design sewage flow or number of bedrooms in the building will occur until the connection is made.

(c) In addition to subdivision (b)(2) of this section, the municipality must demonstrate by December 31, 2014, that it has bond authorization or some other dedicated financial surety for expansion of sewers to the area of the building served by the cesspool. If the municipality fails to demonstrate such surety, this exemption shall terminate and the cesspool shall be replaced by June 30, 2015.

History of Section.
P.L. 2007, ch. 136, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 233, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 475, § 61; P.L. 2011, ch. 285, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 380, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 163, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 185, § 1.