Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Hickory Flat, Mississippi

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hickory Flat

Town of Hickory Flat does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Individual on-site wastewater disposal systems, including systems serving property inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • The Mississippi State Department of Health Division of On-Site Wastewater administers this program.
  • Benton County is listed in the program's North Region.

  “The On-site Wastewater program develops policy and regulations and provides technical assistance to regional environmentalists in designing and inspecting Individual On-site Wastewater Disposal Systems (IOWDS), recreational vehicle campgrounds/lodging parks, septage pumpers/haulers and individual water supplies.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system for property inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • MSDH states that the permit is required for installation and for a water meter.
  • For a permanent water meter, state law requires a permanent sewage-disposal solution: a sewer line or septic system.
  • A statutory exemption application is available only for a first single-family residence on two or more acres, or a second residence on five or more acres; it does not eliminate the required application and permit.

  “The Permit is required for a water meter and the installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Installation inspections for individual on-site wastewater systems inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • MSDH's on-site wastewater program provides assistance in designing and inspecting IOWDS.
  • For the statutory exemption application, MSDH does not inspect installation.
  • The exemption application is limited to a first single-family residence on a parcel of two or more acres or a second residence on a parcel of five or more acres.

  “The Department WILL NOT inspect your system during installation.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid wastewater disposal serving property inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • Wastewater must be piped to a central sewer system or septic system.
  • Gray water is classified as wastewater.
  • Gray water may not be discharged onto the ground, into ditches, or into bodies of water.

  “Mississippi does not recognize gray water. Anything that could be considered gray water in other states is classified as wastewater in Mississippi. All wastewater is required to pipe into a central sewer system or a septic system for proper disposal. No “gray water” can be discharged on the ground, ditches, or bodies of water.”

• Well permitLimited

  Water wells serving property inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • A groundwater withdrawal permit is required before drilling a new water well with surface casing six inches or greater.
  • Domestic wells, regardless of casing size, are excluded from these water-use permit requirements.

  surface casing diameter: >= 6 inches (Domestic wells are excluded from these water-use permit requirements.)

  “Large-capacity wells with surface casing of six inches or greater in diameter must be permitted according to state statute. Domestic wells, regardless of casing size, are excluded from these requirements and thus do not have to be permitted for use.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  A new permanent water-meter connection serving property inside Hickory Flat town limits.

  • A permanent water meter requires a permanent sewage-disposal solution: a sewer line or septic system.
  • MSDH automatically refers an application within one mile of a sewer line to connect.
  • Before MSDH proceeds with an on-site wastewater application, it must receive a Letter of Rejection from the sewer provider.

  sewer-line referral distance: <= 1 mile (MSDH automatically refers applications within this distance to connect.)

  “By law, sewer systems have first-right to provide sewer to everyone. As such, MSDH automatically refers applications within one (1) mile of a sewer line to connect. We must receive a Letter of Rejection from the sewer provider before we can proceed with the application.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Hickory Flat or Benton County directly.

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Hickory Flat town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Hickory Flat town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Hickory Flat town limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Hickory Flat town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered residential occupancy inside Hickory Flat town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.