Septic to Sewer Conversion Program

Below are guidelines for property owners to connect to public sewer after receiving a City-issued Notice of Operational Completion (NOC).

1Step: City Completes Construction

The City will finish construction of the sewer project within the City-owned right of way.

2Step: Notice of Operational Completion (NOC)

The City will mail each property owner that received a sewer lateral or “stub-out” a Notice of Operational Completion (NOC). The NOC is notification that the property owner can connect to sewer. The NOC will be recorded on the property.

• Property owners on the Southeast Interceptor and Desert Woods and Neighborhood Extension Project should refer to the Septic to Sewer COVID-19 Relief Plan for specific connection timing requirements and fees.
• All other property owners have two years from the date of the NOC to receive a 50 percent discount on the Connection Fee. Any property owner who signed the application is required to connect within two years from the date of the NOC.

3Step: Get a Quote From a Licensed Professional

The property owner will decide how to connect their house to the sewer. The City of Bend suggests that property owners receive competitive bids from licensed plumbers and/or excavators to understand the best approach for their property to connect, as well as the cost associated with this work.

4Step: Obtain Tank Abandonment Permit

The property owner or hired contractor will obtain a Tank Abandonment Permit from Deschutes County Environmental Soils Division (contact information below).

5Step: Obtain Plumbing Permit

The property owner or hired contractor will obtain a Plumbing Permit from the City of Bend Community Development Department (contact info below). Prior to permit issuance, the Plumbing Permit fee, the System Development Charge (SDC), and the Connection Fee (when applicable) will need to be paid. Current fees are provided in the Fees to Connect tab below. (Contact information below.)

6Step: Connect

The property owner or hired contractor will complete the plumbing work on private property, including, but not limited to, decommissioning the septic tank and installing new plumbing to connect to the sewer service lateral or “stub-out.” The property owner or hired contractor is responsible for all applicable inspections and/or provide reports to the City of Bend and/or Deschutes County.

Contact Information

• Deschutes County Environmental Soils Division Tank Abandonment Permits
  Phone: (541) 388-6519, Email: cdd@deschutes.org
• City of Bend Community Development Department Plumbing Permits
  Phone: (541) 388-5580 x 2, Email building@bendoregon.gov

Download a Printable Flyer

Fees to connect to City sewer through the Septic to Sewer Conversation Program include a Connection Fee, Sewer System Development Charge (SDC), associated permit costs, and private property construction costs. The City pays for the extension of sewer mains and laterals (stub-outs).

When a sewer main is installed and becomes active, property owners who received a stub-out from the project will receive a Notice of Operational Completion (NOC) in the mail. The NOC will explain that the property owner can connect to the sewer main and any list other specific conditions regarding Connection Fees.

Property owners who connect to sewer as part of a NEP will receive a 50% discount on the Connection Fee if the connection is made within 2 years of receiving the NOC. Refer to the table below*.

*The Connection Fee and SDCs are subject to change and are adopted by City Council on an annual basis. The approved City of Bend Fee Schedule in place at the time of permit submittal will apply. SDC fees are listed for the average single-unit residential property and may vary by property.

Connection Fee Waiver

Property owner(s) with a household income at or below 80% of the area median income will not be required to pay a Connection Fee. Applicants should apply within 1 year of connecting to public sewer.

City of Bend 2025-2026 Rent & Income Limits

Connection Fee Waiver Application

Private Costs 

Options for qualifying homeowners to assist with private costs of connecting to sewer are available below:

• Craft3 Clean Water Loans
• NeighborImpact

Future phases of Neighborhood Extension Projects will be added to this map as they are selected for funding. 

The Community Building Subcommittee met on October 27, 2025, to review and select the next round of Neighborhood Extension Project applications for funding. The City received 20 competitive applications to consider, totaling approximately $34M in design and/or construction work. The committee discussed each project’s merit and ultimately agreed to fund projects on Airpark Drive, Denning Drive, Juniperhaven Avenue, and Waco Drive.

Upcoming Meetings

Currently there are no upcoming meetings.

Past Meetings

• October 2025 Septic to Sewer Application Selection – Presentation 
• October 2024 Septic to Sewer Application Selection – Presentation
• October 2023 Septic to Sewer Application Selection – Presentation 
• October 2022 Septic to Sewer Application Selection – Presentation 
• September 2021 – 2021 Septic to Sewer Application Selection Meeting – Presentation
• February 2021 – 2021 Septic to Sewer Application Selection Meeting – Presentation
• May 2020 – Council Meeting for Septic to Sewer COVID-19 Relief Program
• February 20, 2020 – Committee Meeting for 2020 Septic to Sewer Application Selection –  Meeting materials
• December 18, 2019 & January 8, 2020 – Council 1st and 2nd Hearings; Title 15 Code Updates
• November 6, 2019 – Desert Woods and Neighborhood Extension Project Contractor Award
• October 17, 2019 – Old Farm District Neighborhood Association – Presentation
• October 16, 2019 – Council Work Session Title 15 Code Updates – Presentation
• June 13, 2019 – Open House held at R.E. Jewell Elementary  
• May 29, 2019 – Coldwell Banker – Presentation.
• April 19, 2019 – FATCO Presentation – Presentation
• February 5, 2019 – SEI Adjacent Property Owners Open House – Presentation
• February 1, 2019 – Central Oregon Association of Realtors Meeting – Presentation

• Community Development Department (info on connection to sewer, existing stub outs, permits, fees)
  (541) 388-5580
• City of Bend Wastewater Website
• Bend Wastewater- A Brief History
• 1998 Annexation Ordinance 2339 with Attachments
• Legal Memo- 1998 Urban Service Provider Annexation
• Deschutes County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (Information on septic system maintenance and permit requirements including decommissioning your septic system)
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Onsite Wastewater Management Program

The program serves public health, proactively protects water quality, and allows for economic development and urban development opportunities for properties limited by septic system capacity. City sewer provides property owners with reliable waste management that reduces the risk of negative environmental impacts.

You will not be required to connect to City sewer unless any of the following occur: 

• A sewer main is installed adjacent to your property frontage and your septic system needs a repair permit or fails. The Deschutes County Environmental Soils Division can help with this determination.
• You apply for a development approval that increases the capacity requirements of the septic system.  For example, adding an accessory dwelling unit, partitioning your property, and/or adding plumbing fixtures would increase the tank’s capacity requirements.  Consult with Deschutes County Environmental Soils Division and City of Bend Community Development Department if you would like to expand your use of the property. 
• If you signed an application for a Neighborhood Extension Project (NEP) and were chosen for funding, you will be required to connect within two years from when the City sends you a Notice of Operational Completion (NOC).  Property owners along the Desert Woods and Neighborhood Extension Project and the Southeast Interceptor should refer to the Septic to Sewer COVID-19 Relief Program for specific connection timing requirements. The selected application is binding and runs with the land.

A committee including 1-3 City Councilors, the City Engineer, the Engineering, Infrastructure and Planning Director, and the City Manager, or their designees, will review submitted applications in light of the available funds and evaluation factors. The committee will select one or more neighborhood sewer extension projects for funding and construction to proceed pursuant to applicable City processes.  The criteria for evaluation includes the following:

1. Cost of the sewer extension project, including design;
2. Total number of homes or properties to be connected to the public sewer system from the project;
3. Whether other City construction projects are planned for the street identified in the application;
4. The percentage of property owners who would be served by the neighborhood sewer extension project who have joined or signed onto the application;
5. The age of existing septic systems that would be replaced by the proposed neighborhood sewer extension project and evidence of failing septic systems;
6. Other factors established by the City Manager.

Council has indicated its support of approximately $3.5 million for the program each year.  This amount can be increased or decreased in the future as it is subject to Council budget approval. The funds will come from an increase in wastewater rates to all citywide ratepayers. The $3.5 million per year covers a small portion of the total costs of converting properties on septic system throughout the city limits to the City’s sewer infrastructure. Each year, use of the $3.5 million will be allocated to Neighborhood Extension Projects based on criteria established during an application process. It is anticipated that Neighborhood Extension Projects will be in various neighborhoods throughout the City for properties still on septic systems or may be in neighborhoods in vicinity of the City’s capital improvement projects.

The graphic below helps to illustrate the program, and what is paid for, as part of the program. The City (ratepayers) pays for the cost of the sewer main in the road right of way (in blue).  The property owners are responsible for the portion of the sewer lateral (also known as a ‘stub out’- in orange) which includes work on private property to connect to the sewer main. The property owner is charged a Connection Fee to pay for a portion of the costs of the sewer laterals, Systems Development Charges (SDCs), all permit fees, and all costs associated with decommissioning their septic system. All planning and development applications are also subject to a 4% long range planning surcharge.

Deschutes County Community Development Department issues septic system abandonment permits via their online portal. Typically, a septic system must be pumped by a licensed pumper, and then the tank is required to be removed, filled in place, or crushed and buried. Drainfields can typically be left intact, but they should not be excavated for a year after the last use. Distribution boxes should be pumped out by a licensed pumper and removed or filled in. Sand mounds can be left in place, but if removed, they should not be excavated for a year after the last use. Refer to Deschutes County for specific rules, regulations, and permit & inspection costs. The Deschutes County Environmental Soils Division can be reached at (541) 388-6519; Relay Users dial 7-1-1.

When a sewer main is installed and becomes active, property owners who received a stub-out from the project will receive a Notice of Operational Completion (NOC) in the mail. The NOC is notification that sewer is legally available to the property. Property owners who connect to sewer within two years of the date of the Notice of Operational Completion will receive a 50% discount on the Connection Fee. Property owners along the Desert Woods and Neighborhood Extension Project and the Southeast Interceptor should refer to the Septic to Sewer COVID-19 Relief Program for specific connection timing requirements.

No, the City requires gravity sewer mains and stub-outs where possible; however, pressure sewer mains or services are sometimes required in areas due to topography constraints. In some cases, the public sewer may be a gravity system; however, a private property owner may be required to own and maintain a private onsite grinder pump to pump sewage uphill to the public sewer system.

A Temporary Construction Access Agreement (TCAA) is a legal contract between a property owner and another party, often a construction company, that specifies the terms and conditions for accessing the owner’s property for construction work. The primary purpose of such an agreement is to protect the interests of both parties by clearly defining their respective rights and responsibilities during the construction process.

Below are links to two TCAA templates for reference as examples only:

• EXAMPLE – Gravity Sewer TCAA
• EXAMPLE – Pressure Sewer TCAA

An Infrastructure Transfer Agreement (ITA) is a coexisting agreement that accompanies a Temporary Construction Access Agreement (TCAA), which transfers ownership of the City-installed infrastructure to the private property owner at the time of project completion. Once transferred, the private property owner is solely responsible for the maintenance and repair of the infrastructure.

Below are links to two ITA templates for reference as examples only:

• Example – 1SN06 ITA – Gravity
• Example – 1SN06 ITA – Pressure

Please follow the provided Permit Application Process for Deschutes County septic tank abandonment permits and City of Bend plumbing permits for a septic-to-sewer conversion.