Well and septic questions
Wells and septic systems aren’t a town matter anywhere in the county — they’re permitted by Environmental Health (below), a division of the county’s Health & Human Services Agency, not by Public Works.
New septic system, or one that needs replacing: apply with a detailed site plan and a survey plat if you have one. Building a house? this approval has to happen before a building permit gets issued, not after.
Septic that’s already failing (standing water in the yard, slow drains, backup, odor): apply for a repair permit — the county doesn’t charge for those.
Reconnecting an existing system (swapping a mobile home, remodeling without adding bedrooms): that’s a simpler existing-system authorization, not a full new permit. Adding bedrooms or relocating the system needs the full process instead.
New or replacement well: a separate application — this same office also handles water-supply testing.
What to expect: bring a site plan to your application. If the property isn’t ready for a scheduled inspection, expect the visit to cost you something — ask when you apply.
Who to call
One office handles this.
Haywood County Environmental Health
- Main: 828-452-6651
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.
157 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, NC 28721
A division of the Haywood County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA), at the same Paragon Parkway campus as Haywood County Public Health, with its own direct line separate from Public Health's Main number. Handles well and septic system permits and inspections, water-supply testing, and food/lodging/pool permitting and inspections, among other environmental-health duties.
Related questions
Every office on one page
It happens: you call, and it turns out to be someone else's job. The cheat sheet puts every number on this site in one place, grouped by who runs it, so the next one to try is right there.