Most Knoxville homeowners do not know this programme exists. Knox County's Stormwater Management Department may pay up to 75 percent of the cost of septic repairs, or of a sewer connection where one is available. For a drainfield replacement that typically runs $5,000–$15,000 for a conventional field or $15,000–$30,000 for a mound field, that is the difference between a repair you can afford and one you cannot. This guide explains what the programme is, who it is for, and how the process works. The terms below were checked against the county's grant page on November 6, 2026. Grants can change, so check the county page before you rely on them.
What the programme pays for
The county's grant page states it plainly: "If you have a septic system problem, we may be able to pay up to 75% of the cost of the repairs or sewer connection, where available." Two points in that sentence matter. First, "up to" 75 percent: the county reimburses 75 percent of the cost of the repair, after the work is complete and approved. Second, "where available": a sewer connection is only an option where a sewer line actually reaches the property, which, for most septic homes in Knox County, it does not. For most applicants, the programme is a repair grant.
The same page also covers agricultural land, where the county may pay up to 85 percent of the cost of an agricultural practice. That is a separate track for farmland, run through the Soil Conservation District, and it is not covered in detail here.
It is also worth understanding what the programme is not. It is not a loan, and it is not an upfront payment. The county directs the process, selects the contractor, and reimburses you after the work is done. You are responsible for working out a payment schedule with the contractor in the meantime.
How the process works
The county publishes a ten-step checklist for septic repairs. In practice it runs like this:
- Contact Knox County Stormwater Management at Stormwater@knoxcounty.org or (865) 215-5800. This is the first step, and the county decides from there whether your problem qualifies.
- Schedule an initial inspection with the Knox County Health Department, once Stormwater directs you to. The Health Department inspects the septic system or drainfield and issues a permit for "Construction of Subsurface Sewage Removal" if repairs are deemed necessary.
- Get three bids. After you receive the permit, contact three septic companies from the county's list of approved septic contractors, which the Health Department will give you, and obtain bids for the approved work.
- Fill out and return the Application and Agreement for Cost-Share Assistance that Knox County sends you.
- The county selects a contractor based on the three bids, and works with you and the septic company to schedule the repairs.
- Final inspection. Contact the Health Department to schedule a final inspection. They will issue a Certificate of Completion of Subsurface Sewage Disposal.
- Send the invoice. Once the work is complete, send a copy of the bill or invoice from the septic repair company to Knox County.
- Reimbursement. Once the county has the invoice and the Certificate of Completion, it processes a reimbursement. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for a reimbursement check for 75 percent of the cost of the repair.
The county's own page repeats the three-bids step, so the list above consolidates it into a single step. The order matters: do not start work before the Health Department has inspected and permitted it, and do not hire a contractor outside the county's approved list and expect the grant to cover it.
What it costs you, and what to watch for
If the grant covers 75 percent, you cover the remaining 25 percent, plus the timing gap: you pay the contractor on a schedule you agree with them, and the county reimburses you afterwards. For a $10,000 repair, that means roughly $2,500 out of pocket once the reimbursement arrives, but the full amount may pass through your hands first. Confirm the payment schedule with the contractor before work starts.
Two cautions. First, the Health Department permit is not optional: all repairs to a septic system need a permit before work starts, and a repair permit itself costs nothing. Second, the grant is for repairs the county approves. A system that needs a complete replacement rather than a repair may still qualify, but that is the county's decision, not yours, and it is made at the inspection stage. Our guide to Knox County septic permits covers the permit side in full.
The Verification letter, for sellers
The grant guide pairs naturally with one other county service: the Verification, sometimes called a septic letter. It costs $200 and is usually requested for a real-estate transaction. The Health Department reviews all its files on the property, and an environmentalist visits to confirm the system is working and that there is sufficient area available to repair it if it fails. If you are selling a home on septic, a Verification answers the first question a buyer asks, and if the system needs work, the grant programme is the answer to the second one. Our guide to septic inspection when buying a house in Knoxville covers what a buyer should check before closing.
Who to call
For septic repair funding, contact Knox County Stormwater Management at (865) 215-5800. For the Health Department inspection and permit, the Groundwater Protection Division is at (865) 215-5200, extension 1. If you are not sure whether your system qualifies, the Stormwater call is the right first step: the county decides eligibility, and a five-minute call saves a wasted application.
Facing a septic repair in Knoxville? Ask about septic repair — a local septic professional will get in touch, usually within an hour between 7am and 8pm Eastern.
Septic Repair and Drainfield Repair in Knoxville, TN