Septic System Regulations in Conway, MA

Conway is a rural Franklin County hilltowns community. The town has no municipal sewer system; all properties use private onsite septic systems. Conway is notable among the CPHS-served towns because it has confirmed local septic regulations that go beyond the Massachusetts Title 5 state minimum.

Health Services

Conway’s Board of Health is served by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) Cooperative Public Health Service (CPHS). The CPHS provides professional staff and a shared permitting infrastructure. However, Conway’s local regulations are applied on top of the CPHS standard process.

Local Regulations — Stricter Than Title 5

Conway has adopted local Board of Health regulations that include specific setback requirements more stringent than those found in Massachusetts Title 5. This means that when siting a new system or evaluating repair options, you must satisfy both state law and Conway’s local rules.

Key points:

• Setback requirements: Conway’s local regulations impose setbacks from certain resources (such as wells, property lines, and possibly wetlands or surface water) that exceed the Title 5 minimums. The specific distances should be confirmed with the CPHS/Conway Board of Health at the start of any project.
• CPHS permitting process applies: Even with local rules, all applications go through the regional CPHS workflow.
• Board of Health approval required: Because of local regulations, the Board of Health may scrutinize system placement more carefully than in towns without additional requirements.

What This Means for Your Project

If you are designing a new system, repairing an existing system, or purchasing a property in Conway:

1. Contact CPHS early to understand which local regulations apply to your specific parcel
2. Inform your engineer or designer that Conway has stricter setback rules so the design accounts for them from the start
3. Budget additional time for review if your project is near a sensitive resource that triggers local setbacks
4. A system that would be approvable in a Title 5-only town might not be approvable in Conway without modifications

Permitting Process

1. Contact FRCOG/CPHS to initiate the application
2. Obtain a site evaluation and soil assessment
3. Work with a licensed engineer familiar with Conway’s local rules
4. Submit completed application through CPHS
5. Attend Board of Health review as required

Contact Information

As of our last verification, specific BOH contact details for Conway through CPHS were not confirmed in our records. Contact FRCOG in Greenfield or Conway Town Hall for current information.

Important for homeowners: Do not assume Title 5 compliance is sufficient in Conway. Always verify current local setback requirements with the Board of Health before beginning design work.