What is Environmental Health's Land Use Program?

The Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACEH) Land Use Program coordinates with local, regional, state and federal agencies to permit On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) including Septic Systems for sewage disposal and provide domestic water supply on new and existing development projects in Alameda County.

Land Use Program staff works in coordination with local agencies, including Alameda County Community Development Agency, Public Works Department, Fire Department; Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Zone 7); San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board(SFRWQCB); State of California Water Resources Control Board, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 to plan and develop a safe and healthy community and environment in unincorporated areas of Alameda County.

In addition, Land Use Program Staff also provides regulatory oversight of OWTS for the Cities within the incorporated areas of Alameda County.

Land Use Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Environmental Health Land Use Program is to help you maneuver through the planning, development and permitting process, while ensuring safe and healthy communities and environments.
This website is intended to provide information and tools to help you build, expand or maintain your residential or commercial project, and realize your vision for economic growth and development.

One of the primary objectives of the Land Use Program Staff is to act as your liason and facilitate coordinaton and engage with other regulatory agencies and stakeholders to promote economic develpoment.

Alameda County Environmental Health is in the process of re-organizing the Land Use Department in order to streamline this process for you. We encourage your feedback, and will be holding community meetings(link) and informational session(link) as we implement the changes. (click for more informationlinks to jump down to "announcements" section.)

Quick Links

• What's New in California with OWTS?
• Drought
• Nitrate Pollution
• Agencies involved in Permitting
• Interagency Permitting Process
• OWTS Permitting Process
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Areas of Concern
• Applications and Information
• Helpful Resources
• Announcements
• General Information and Handouts
• Agency Websites
• OWTS Laws and Regulations
• Real Estate Transactions
• Complaints
• Failed Systems
• File Review
• Commercial Systems
• Residential Systems
• Contact Us
• Online form for service request?
• Look up an Assessor's Parcel Number (APN)

Please contact the Land Use Support Staff [WHAT IS THE BEST NUMBER?] at (510)567-6700, to submit a Service Request for one of the following items. You may also send us an email at NEW EMAIL ADDRESS Service requests will handled in the order they are recieved and will be prioritized accordingly.

Department Organization

Interagency Permitting Process

The permitting process, schedule and cost will differ depending on the type of project, and where your project is located. The specific permitting process will be identified during both a Pre-Application Meeting at the Alameda County Permit Center (with CDA, PW, FD, and ACEH) and a subsequent Kick-Off Meeting with ACEH (Land Use Program and Food Program, if applicable). The intent of these meetings is to provide sufficient information for project proponents to make informed risk-management decisions prior to committing extensive resources to a project.

It is important to note that continual interagency coordination will be required throughout every step of the permitting process, in order to obtain the neccessary permits, including, but not limited to: Conditional Use Permits, Grading Plans, Building Permits, Stormwater Permits, OWTS Construction and Operating Permits, Commercial Food Permits, and Water Treatment Pond Permits.
-who does these things and how to coordinate.

OWTS Permitting Process

At the conclusion of the Kick-Off Meeting, the appropriate lead regulatory agency (ACEH, SFRWQCB) for the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) will be identified.

The requisite submittals and regulatory approvals in the OWTS permitting process will be dependant on the lead agency, and the type of project (residential or commercial).

Construction Permit Submittals