From 30 Days to 3: How to Improve Septic System Permit Reviews

The US Chamber of Commerce has identified permitting as a as a key driver of economic growth, and public works departments across the country face pressure to process permits more quickly.  That's challenging when they manage tight budgets with limited staff.  But residents, business owners, and developers want speedy permit approvals, less frustration, and no lost opportunities. 

One of the largest counties in the U.S. rose to the challenge. With more than 2 million residents and 80 to 120 septic applications each month, the public works department was bogged down in paperwork and struggling to meet regulatory deadlines.

But by adopting GovPilot’s local government operating system, the county transformed its permitting process. The results provide a roadmap for other public works departments facing similar challenges.

The Reality of Manual Permit Proessing

The county’s public works department faced inefficiencies that are common nationwide. Regulations required septic construction permits to be reviewed within 30 days. In practice, that timeline was almost impossible with legacy processes.

Key challenges included:

• Paper processing
  • Applications arrived as PDFs of 30 pages or more, which had to be printed, organized, and tracked.
  • This consumed staff time, created clutter, and increased supply costs.
• Work Backlogs: Hundreds of pending applications made it difficult for staff to meet review deadlines.
• Employee Overtime: Inspectors often had to work weekends to avoid missing the 30-day requirement, creating overtime costs and fatigue.
• Delayed payments: Permit fees sent by mail required manual tracking, slowing approvals and straining cash flow.

These issues consumed staff time, increased costs, and delayed important projects.

A Purpose-Built Permitting Solution

When the county implemented GovPilot's Septic System Construction Permitting module, they were able to solve each operational challenge. Applications now flow entirely through digital channels, eliminating the need for printing and manual tracking. With automated workflows, applications are routed immediately tracked through each step of review. That improves complaince: deadlines are monitored as part of the workflow , ensuring the department meets regulatory requirements. In addition, the county chose to integrate online payments with a third party processor, eliminating delays, reducing administrative work, and improving operational cash flow. 

Measurable Impact

Demonstrating the ways that new solutions can solve new or longstanding problems is key to building momentum for investing in an automation platform. In this way, regulatory deadlines can be a catalyst. 

In addition, making the change from manual processes involves real cost savings.  Reducing paper use cuts direct costs and eliminates hidden costs such as storage and filing. Faster fee collection not only improves efficiency but also strengthens financial management.

Then there’s the way that the right technology enables local governments to compound savings.

Beyond Septic Permits

Local governments gain greater efficiencies the more processes they can streamline and automate, for example, building permits, excavation permits, zoning permits, and right-of-way applications. The basic steps are similar, as this example permitting workflow demonstrates.

Each digitized workflow enables department-wide improvements. Staff familiar with one digital process can quickly adapt to others or serve as process champions, helping to multiply productivity across all permit types. 

Faster, more transparent permit processing also strengthens relationships with residents and businesses that depend on timely approvals to keep projects on track. This supports local economic development and reduces the volume of inquiries and complaints for staff to manage. 

Taking the Next Step

Significant improvements are possible even in large and complex public works departments. The key is adopting purpose-built solutions that align with local workflows and regulatory requirements.

Leaders can begin by asking how much staff time is consumed by manual processing, and how many hours should inspectors spend on administrative tasks? Gettng to grips with departmental costs for paper, printing, and  record  storage as well as mandatory overtime often makes the case for investng in new solutions.

Then the leadership question becomes: what could the team accomplish with the any days saved? Answering these questions often reveals opportunities for transformation that extend far beyond a single permit type.