(a) The Department shall promulgate and publish and may from time to time amend a private sewage disposal code which shall include minimum standards for the design, construction, materials, operation and maintenance of private sewage disposal systems, for the transportation and disposal of wastes removed therefrom and for private sewage disposal system servicing equipment. In the preparation of the private sewage disposal code, the Department may consult with and request technical assistance from other state agencies, and shall consult with other technically qualified persons and with owners and operators of such services. Such technically qualified persons shall include representatives of the real estate, development, and building industries.(b) The Department is expressly prohibited from amending the private sewage disposal code by rule if there are increases in the land density requirements. Amendments that increase the land density requirements must be approved by the Illinois General Assembly.(c) Beginning January 1, 2013 or 6 months after the date of issuance of a general NPDES permit for surface discharging private sewage disposal systems by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, whichever is later, a surface discharging private sewage disposal system with a discharge that enters the waters of the United States, as that term is used in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, shall not be constructed or installed by any person unless he or she has a coverage letter under a NPDES permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or he or she constructs or installs the surface discharging private sewage disposal system in a jurisdiction in which the local public health department has a general NPDES permit issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the surface discharging private sewage disposal system is covered under the general NPDES permit. The private sewage disposal code must be amended before January 1, 2013 to comply with this subsection.(d) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Section, before the adoption or amendment of the private sewage disposal code, the Department shall hold a public hearing with respect thereto. At least 20 days' notice for such public hearing shall be given by the Department in such manner as the Department considers adequate to bring such hearing to the attention of persons interested in such code. Notice of such public hearing shall be given by the Department to those who file a request for a notice of any such hearings. Amended by P.A. 097-1081,§ 15, eff. 8/24/2012.Amended by P.A. 096-0801,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2010.P.A. 88-690, eff. 1-24-95.