TCEQ-Required Aerobic Septic Inspections in Montgomery County

How often does an aerobic septic system have to be inspected?

Under Texas Health & Safety Code §366.0515 and 30 TAC §285.7, every aerobic treatment unit (ATU) in Texas — including the thousands installed across the newer subdivisions around Lake Conroe, the FM 1488 corridor, Willis, Montgomery, Magnolia and Pinehurst — must be inspected at least once every four months, which works out to three inspections a year. That's the default schedule for essentially every aerobic system on a standard maintenance contract. The only way to drop to two inspections a year is if your system has TCEQ-approved electronic remote monitoring installed and functioning — a specific piece of hardware that reports certain alarm and operating conditions automatically. Most homes we service in Montgomery County don't have that monitoring installed, which means the 3×/year schedule applies.

What actually gets checked during an inspection

A proper aerobic septic inspection isn't a quick drive-by. On each visit our licensed technician checks the components that keep your system legal and functioning: the aerator (is it running and pushing air into the tank the way it should), the effluent pump and floats that control when treated water discharges, the chlorinator or disinfection unit, the sprinkler heads that spray effluent across your yard, the control panel and any alarm that would warn you of a failure, and the general condition of the tank and lid. We check chlorine residual where applicable, look for pooling or odors in the spray field, and confirm the system is discharging the way it was designed to. If we find something wearing out — a weak aerator, a sticking float, a clogged sprinkler head — we tell you before it becomes an alarm going off at 2am or a spray field that's soaking your yard.

Where the inspection report goes

Every inspection generates a written report. Under state rule, that report has to go to two places: Montgomery County Environmental Health, the local permitting authority that tracks compliance for every ATU in the county, and you, the homeowner, as the person legally responsible for the system. We handle the county filing as part of every inspection — you don't have to submit anything yourself, and you get a copy for your own records. This paper trail matters more than most homeowners realize: it's what proves your system has been maintained if the county ever questions your compliance status, and it's often requested during a home sale.

What happens if inspections get missed

Montgomery County Environmental Health tracks which properties have a current maintenance contract and current inspection reports on file. When a contract lapses or reports stop coming in — usually because a homeowner's initial builder-provided contract expired and was never renewed, or a previous provider stopped showing up — the county can and does send a violation notice. That notice doesn't mean your system is broken; it usually just means the paperwork trail went cold. The fix is straightforward: get a current, TCEQ-licensed provider back on the account, get an inspection done, and get the report filed. See our violation notice page if that's the situation you're in.

Buying or selling a home with an aerobic septic system

Aerobic septic systems come up constantly in Montgomery County real-estate transactions, especially around Lake Conroe and the newer subdivisions off FM 1488 where lot sizes don't support a conventional drainfield. Buyers want to know the system is in working order and the maintenance contract is current before closing; sellers want documentation showing the system has been properly maintained. We provide point-of-sale inspections that give both sides a clear picture — condition of the components, current contract status, and a written report you can hand to a title company or buyer's agent. If you're new to owning one of these systems, our new homeowner guide walks through what you're now responsible for and how to transfer or set up your maintenance contract.

Serving Conroe, Willis and Magnolia, plus Montgomery, Pinehurst and Dobbin. Not sure if your system is due? Call us and we'll check.