Richmond, BC onsite wastewater guide

Septic systems in Richmond: permits, records, inspections and property checks

Properties on the same street can have different wastewater servicing. Check the specific parcel before assuming that an old tank lid or a neighbour’s system answers the question. For a Richmond-area property, nearby houses are not evidence of the subject property’s system. Confirm the parcel before planning an inspection, purchase or renovation.

First questionSewer or onsite?
Local lensMetro Vancouver
Before buyingRecords + condition
Before workLocation + capacity

First, confirm this property’s wastewater service

A city-area guide cannot tell whether a specific parcel is connected to sewer or has an onsite system.

Health authority / onsite records route

Use the health authority route below for onsite-system guidance, filings or records. Confirm sewer connection separately with the municipality or utility.

Open health authority onsite-wastewater page →

Onsite system confirmed

Find the parcel’s system approvals and verify current rules with the responsible local authority before work.

Start with provincial guidance →

Service unknown

Check utility bills and permit records; ask the local authority to confirm current service before planning an onsite inspection or repair.

How to confirm service →
Provincial rule: British Columbia’s Sewerage System Regulation requires an authorized person to plan, construct or supervise most onsite sewerage-system work covered by the regulation, with filings made to the health authority before construction and certification after completion. Open provincial / regional onsite-wastewater authority →

Richmond: two records for two different wastewater routes

Richmond operates a sanitary sewer network with mains and pump stations, while Vancouver Coastal Health handles filings for qualifying onsite sewerage systems in its service area. If a Richmond property is said to be septic, check the City’s actual connection record rather than assuming that an old tank or listing description proves current service. If the lot remains onsite, request the VCH filing and certification history, and compare its site plan with current landscaping and access.

For a new connection to Richmond’s sanitary system, the City’s sewer-connection bylaw requires an owner to apply before installation. That is distinct from an authorized person’s health-authority filing for construction or alteration of an onsite system. A proposed addition should therefore identify its service route before a drainage design is prepared. The VCH onsite guidance is the regulatory starting point for an unsewered parcel; the City’s sewer section is the starting point for municipal connection and infrastructure questions.

Who approves septic work around Richmond?

British Columbia’s Sewerage System Regulation uses an Authorized Person model. For typical residential systems, an Authorized Person files the required system information with the regional health authority and later files certification after construction.

For records, ask for the filing/record of sewerage system, site plan or as-built information, and any letter/certification on file. The municipality may control building or zoning issues, but the regional health authority is the key onsite-sewerage records route.

Local approval route: Richmond’s municipal sanitary connection process and VCH’s onsite filing process serve different property situations. Confirm the actual service record first.

Official sources for this guide

If sewage is backing up or surfacing, stop using affected fixtures and contact a qualified professional or the responsible authority. Never enter a septic tank.

Official authority route

Last verified: September 28, 2026. Local and provincial/regional source routes checked. Confirm the parcel’s service status, responsible authority and current requirements before work. How we research these guides →