§ 341.014. DISPOSAL OF HUMAN EXCRETA.

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TX Code › Code hs › Chapter 341 › Section 341.014

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

(a) Human excreta in a populous area shall be disposed of through properly managed sewers, treatment tanks, chemical toilets, or privies constructed and maintained in conformity with the department's specifications, or by other methods approved by the department. The disposal system shall be sufficient to prevent the pollution of surface soil, the contamination of a drinking water supply, the infection of flies or cockroaches, or the creation of any other public health nuisance.

(b) Effluent from septic tanks constructed after September 4, 1945, shall be disposed of through:

(1) a subsurface drainage field designed in accordance with good public health engineering practices; or

(2) any other method that does not create a public health nuisance.

(c) A privy may not be constructed within 75 feet of a drinking water well or of a human habitation, other than a habitation to which the privy is appurtenant, without approval by the local health authority or the department. A privy may not be constructed or maintained over an abandoned well or over a stream.

(d) The superstructure and floor surrounding the seat riser and hopper device of a privy constructed and maintained in conformity with the department's specifications shall be kept in a sanitary condition at all times and must have adequate lighting and ventilation.

(e) Material and human excreta removed from a privy vault or from any other place shall be handled in a manner that does not create a public health nuisance. The material and human excreta may not be deposited within 300 feet of a highway unless buried or treated in accordance with the instructions of the local health authority or the department.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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