Out past the city limits, your sewage plan goes through Jon Paul Wedeking

Outside city sewer, a Van Zandt County home may need an on-site sewage facility, or septic system. A tank and drain field cannot just go anywhere. The county's TCEQ designated representative has to permit the system before it is installed.

The septic office also handles public-nuisance, environmental, and illegal-dumping complaints. It works from the courthouse complex on State Highway 64 in Canton.

For a raw lot, ask about septic before closing. Soil, slope, and groundwater decide what kind of system can pass. Heavy clay can make a simple plan more costly.