Waco would require bigger lots for septic tanks under Plan Commission recommendation | Local Govt. and Politics

The risk of septic tanks causing contamination increases as more are added, Peters said.

“In order for it to work on a half acre lot, especially if you have a dense subdivision of half an acre lot, maintenance needs to be done or you will have problems,” Peters said. “Full maintenance of a 50-lot subdivision of half an acre over time is almost impossible.”

The Texas Environmental Quality Commission mandates a half-acre minimum lot size across the state, and the Heart of Texas Builders Association will likely ask the city to abide by it, even though the association hasn’t officially considered the proposal or taken a position, Executive Officer Kay Vinzant said.

“When the state authorities ask for half an acre property, we don’t think the city should be stricter,” said Vinzant.

If approved by the city council, the change cannot take effect until September 1 at the earliest and any previously plated land would not be affected, Peters said.

“Any future subdivisions in which they are creating new lots should be at least 1 acre,” Peters said.

The 1 acre minimum is becoming more common in Texas cities, he said. Fort Worth, for example, uses this standard. Certain types of wastewater treatment plants already require at least one hectare of land in Waco.