Tennessee's environmental agency

TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office

Tennessee's state environmental agency office for Maury County: how to reach it, what it handles, and which septic services to start online before you call.

How do you contact the TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office?

TDEC's Columbia Environmental Field Office is at 1421 Hampshire Pike, Suite 100, Columbia, TN 38401. Call 931-380-3371 or email Columbia.EFO_ADM@tn.gov. TDEC is Tennessee's state environmental agency, separate from the federal EPA. This office covers Maury and 12 other counties for septic permits, water, air, and waste programs. Call before visiting.

At a glance

Office
TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office

Address
1421 Hampshire Pike, Suite 100, Columbia, TN 38401

Main phone
931-380-3371

General office email
Columbia.EFO_ADM@tn.gov

Fax
931-380-3397

Statewide TDEC line
1-888-891-TDEC (8332)

Maury septic role
Septic permits, inspections, and record help

Walk-in hours
Not published in the current directory; call before visiting

Call 931-380-3371 Email the Columbia office

Is TDEC the same as the Environmental Protection Agency?

No, though they work on a lot of the same things. TDEC, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, is the state's environmental agency. It issues septic permits, runs the state water, air, and waste programs, and staffs field offices like this one in Columbia. The U.S. EPA is the federal agency. It covers Tennessee from its Region 4 office in Atlanta, 61 Forsyth Street SW, 404-562-9900.

For anything tied to a piece of land in Maury County, start with Columbia. The EPA doesn't permit or inspect home septic systems in Tennessee; TDEC does. Here's what the Columbia office has on staff, according to its TDEC office page:

Program at the Columbia office	Common reason to call
Division of Water Resources	Septic permits, septic inspections, old septic records, and water-quality questions
Air Pollution Control	Air-quality questions tied to a nearby business or open burning
Solid and Hazardous Waste	Dumping, landfill, or hazardous-waste concerns
Petroleum Underground Storage Tanks	Fuel tank issues at gas stations and similar sites
Mineral and Geologic Resources	Quarry and mining permits

Which counties does the Columbia field office serve?

The Columbia office covers 13 counties, and Maury is one of them. When you call, say the county and that it's a septic question, so you land with Division of Water Resources staff instead of air or waste. Staff names on the state page change over time, so the main line and general email are the safest first contact.

Bedford County
Coffee County
Franklin County
Giles County
Hickman County
Lawrence County
Lewis County
Lincoln County
Marshall County
Maury County · local site focus
Moore County
Perry County
Wayne County

Which septic requests go online, to Columbia, or to Nashville?

Request: Third-party permit or completion package
Start here: TDEC third-party program instructions; 3rdParty.Submittal@tn.gov
How Columbia helps: Confirm local site questions while the registered professional follows the statewide submission route

Request: New, repair, modification, or alternative SSDS service
Start here: TDEC online septic-services application
How Columbia helps: Property-specific questions, missing items, local routing, and follow-up after submission

Request: Construction or repair inspection
Start here: Follow the issued permit and the Division's notification instructions
How Columbia helps: Confirm the responsible staff contact and inspection sequence before covering work

Request: Existing permit or site sketch
Start here: TDEC SSDS Record Search
How Columbia helps: Help when the online file cannot be identified using address, permit, subdivision, or owner history

Request: Soil consultant or installer
Start here: TDEC's current statewide approved or active lists
How Columbia helps: Clarify which consultant authorization or installer category the proposed service needs

Request: Subdivision evaluation
Start here: Online service with the required survey and soil map
How Columbia helps: Regional questions about the submitted Maury County tract and applicable SSDS review

Request: Statewide policy or a payment address
Start here: Use the current rule, form, invoice, or program instruction
How Columbia helps: Ask Columbia to route you if the document specifically requires a Nashville central-office unit

Request	Start here	How Columbia helps
Third-party permit or completion package	TDEC third-party program instructions; 3rdParty.Submittal@tn.gov	Confirm local site questions while the registered professional follows the statewide submission route
New, repair, modification, or alternative SSDS service	TDEC online septic-services application	Property-specific questions, missing items, local routing, and follow-up after submission
Construction or repair inspection	Follow the issued permit and the Division's notification instructions	Confirm the responsible staff contact and inspection sequence before covering work
Existing permit or site sketch	TDEC SSDS Record Search	Help when the online file cannot be identified using address, permit, subdivision, or owner history
Soil consultant or installer	TDEC's current statewide approved or active lists	Clarify which consultant authorization or installer category the proposed service needs
Subdivision evaluation	Online service with the required survey and soil map	Regional questions about the submitted Maury County tract and applicable SSDS review
Statewide policy or a payment address	Use the current rule, form, invoice, or program instruction	Ask Columbia to route you if the document specifically requires a Nashville central-office unit

Skip the Nashville central office for a parcel question unless a form or staff member sends you there. TDEC's septic contact page points people to their local environmental field office, which for Maury County is Columbia.

Which official septic forms and tools should you use?

Third-party permits and inspections

Registered engineers, qualifying soil-scientist packages, and the state review process

Septic service application

Conventional, repair, modification, alternative, subdivision, inspection letter, water sample, or verification services

SSDS construction permit

Eligibility, required information, review timing, fees, responsibilities, and inspection

SSDS record search

Existing permits, site sketches, and related property records

Approved soil consultants

Current consultant list and authorization for the map type a project needs

Active installers and pumpers

Current state status and the correct installation or pumping category

Rule 0400-48-01 index

Official sections governing sites, permits, design, installers, maintenance, and fees

What should you prepare before contacting the office?

Property file to have ready

Property address and Maury County parcel details
Current owner and former owner names
Subdivision, phase, and lot when applicable
Application, service request, or permit number
Proposed use, bedrooms, or design flow
Survey, site plan, soil map, and permit sketch
Inspection email, correction notice, or old record
One clear question and the decision deadline

Lead with the decision you need. “Can I move this garage without touching the backup drainfield area?” gets a faster answer than “I have a septic question.” Put the permit or service-request number in the email subject if you have one.

Keep Social Security numbers and payment details out of ordinary email. Payments and formal requests go through the online portal, and staff can tell you how to send a large or sensitive file.

One office covers 13 counties and five programs, so people are often out in the field. A two-minute call saves you a wasted trip down Hampshire Pike.

Where is the TDEC Columbia field office?

The map is for trip planning. Call ahead to confirm someone can meet you.

About our sources. Maury Septic uses the sources listed below, including TDEC's current field-office directory, Division of Water Resources county directory, SSDS contact routing, and online service pages. Follow the links for the underlying rules, fees, and guidance.

Sources and further reading

TDEC third-party permits and final inspections
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Route available since October 1, 2024: registered third-party water resources engineers, eligible soil-scientist packages, submission instructions, and agency review. TDEC still issues the permit and certificate of completion.
TDEC SSDS construction permit
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Who needs a permit, application requirements, review timing, current state fees, and inspection duties.
TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office page
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Current state page for the Columbia office address, suite, main phone number, and statewide TDEC contact.
TDEC SSDS contacts by region
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Environmental field-office routing for septic-system questions and applications.
TDEC septic services and online application
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Conventional, repair, and alternative-system applications, plus soil-map requirements.
TDEC SSDS records search
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Official state viewer for locating septic-system permits, site sketches, and related records.

What else do owners ask about the TDEC Columbia office?

What is the TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office phone number?

The main line is 931-380-3371, and the fax is 931-380-3397. TDEC's statewide number, 1-888-891-TDEC (8332), also works. For a septic question, tell whoever answers that you need Division of Water Resources help with a Maury County septic permit, inspection, or record.

Where is the TDEC Columbia office?

It's at 1421 Hampshire Pike, Suite 100, Columbia, TN 38401, per TDEC's own office page. That page doesn't post walk-in hours, so call 931-380-3371 before you drive over. Staff split time between the office and field visits, and a quick call tells you whether the right person will be in.

Does the Columbia TDEC office handle Maury County septic permits?

Yes. Maury is one of the 13 counties the Columbia office covers, and its Division of Water Resources staff handle septic permits and inspections here. You file the actual request through TDEC's online septic application. Call Columbia for status, missing items, or help finding an old record.

Can I walk in to get a septic permit?

TDEC recommends applying online, but its construction-permit page explicitly says the appropriate field office still accepts paper applications. Call Columbia before visiting to confirm how to submit Form CN-0971. Submitting at the office does not mean a permit will be issued that day.

What should I bring when asking TDEC about a septic property?

Start with three things: the property address, the parcel or permit number, and your site plan or soil map. Add owner and former-owner names if you need a record search, plus one clear question and your deadline. Send copies and keep originals; the full checklist is on this page.

Is the TDEC Columbia office part of the EPA?

No. TDEC is Tennessee's own state agency. The federal EPA covers Tennessee from its Region 4 office at 61 Forsyth Street SW in Atlanta (404-562-9900). For a septic permit, well-and-septic setback, or local pollution question in Maury County, TDEC's Columbia office is the one to call.

After TDEC identifies the work

Do you need a local septic estimate?

This is Maury Septic's estimate form, not a TDEC form. It is for installation, replacement, repair, and aerobic service after you understand the property and permit.

Keep your permit, system sketch, and service records together. They help the next professional understand your property.