HB1810 • 2026

Sewage

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 68, Chapter 221, relative to unlawful disposal of waste.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Howell, Hatcher
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details about the penalties for each violation beyond stating that licenses can be suspended or revoked. The exact wording of penalties is provided in the official digest and bill text but was removed as it was detailed in the candidate explanation.

Rules for Sewage Disposal

This bill adds penalties for people who clean septic tanks if they break laws about dumping sewage.

What This Bill Does

Adds new rules to the law that say if someone breaks the rules about dumping sewage while working in the business of cleaning septic tanks, their job license can be suspended or taken away.

Who It Names or Affects

People who work in cleaning out septic tanks and other sewage systems.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) which will handle the suspensions and revocations.

Terms To Know

septic tank: A system that collects and treats wastewater from homes or businesses when there is no connection to a public sewer system.
TDEC: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, which oversees environmental regulations in the state.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill only affects people who are working as professionals cleaning septic tanks or similar systems.
It does not change rules for regular citizens who might accidentally break these laws.
The exact date when this law will start is July 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Under present law, it is generally a Class C misdemeanor offense for a person to:

(1) Unlawfully dispose of water carrying human waste, household or business waste, or to pipe or transmit raw sewage or the effluent from any septic tank or other system of any type, into or on public or private property;

(2) Dispose of sewage or effluent from a subsurface sewage disposal system into any existing or abandoned well or well dug or drilled for that purpose, caves, sinkholes, ditches, streams or surface of the ground; or

(3) Discharge sewage or any other waste or contaminant at such proximity to the intake, well or spring serving a public water system in such a manner or quantity that it will, or will likely, endanger the health or safety of customers of the system or c
ause damage to the system.

This bill adds that, if any of the three above-referenced offenses is

committed
by a person while
engaged in the business of removing accumulated wastes from subsurface sewage disposal systems, the court
must
notify the commissioner of
TDEC
who
is then required to
suspend or revoke the person's permit to engage in the business of removing accumulated wastes from subsurface sewage disposal systems, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as follows:

(1) For a first violation, 30 days;

(2) For a second violation, 90 days; or

(3) For a third or subsequent violation, permanent
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2007
By Hatcher

HOUSE BILL 1810
By Howell
HB1810
010800
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 68, Chapter 221, relative to unlawful
disposal of waste.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-102, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(e) Upon a conviction for a violation of this section by a person who committed
the violation while engaged in the business of removing accumulated wastes from
subsurface sewage disposal systems, as defined in § 68-221-402, the court shall notify
the commissioner of environment and conservation who shall suspend or revoke the
person's permit to engage in the business of removing accumulated wastes from
subsurface sewage disposal systems, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as
follows:
(1) For a first violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for thirty (30)
days;
(2) For a second violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for ninety (90)
days; or
(3) For a third or subsequent violation, the commissioner shall
permanently revoke the person's permit or permanently refuse to issue the
person such permit, as applicable.

- 2 - 010800

SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-221-413, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(c) Upon a conviction for a violation of § 68-221-406(a)(7) involving the unlawful
disposal of sewage or effluent from a subsurface sewage disposal system by a person
who committed the violation while engaged in the business of removing accumulated
wastes from subsurface sewage disposal systems, the court shall notify the
commissioner who shall suspend or revoke the person's permit to engage in the
business of removing accumulated wastes from subsurface sewage disposal systems,
or refuse to issue the person such permit, as follows:
(1) For a first violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for thirty (30)
days;
(2) For a second violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for ninety (90)
days; or
(3) For a third or subsequent violation, the commissioner shall
permanently revoke the person's permit or permanently refuse to issue the
person such permit, as applicable.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-221-713, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(i) Upon a conviction for a violation under § 68-221-711(5) involving the unlawful
discharge of sewage or any other waste or contaminant by a person who committed the
violation while engaged in the business of removing accumulated wastes from
subsurface sewage disposal systems, the court shall notify the commissioner who shall
suspend or revoke the person's permit to engage in the business of removing

- 3 - 010800

accumulated wastes from subsurface sewage disposal systems, or refuse to issue the
person such permit, as follows:
(1) For a first violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for thirty (30)
days;
(2) For a second violation, the commissioner shall suspend the person's
permit, or refuse to issue the person such permit, as applicable, for ninety (90)
days; and
(3) For a third or subsequent violation, the commissioner shall
permanently revoke the person's permit or permanently refuse to issue the
person such permit, as applicable.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to violations occurring on or
after that date, the public welfare requiring it.