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Chile

Projects without a sewer connection in Chile: how to get started.

In Chile we have operated our own plant since 2015 and know the permit process first-hand. You do not need to have everything sorted out to get started: the basic data on the site and the project are enough to map out the way forward. This page is general guidance and does not replace legal advice.

Legal framework reviewed on 29 September 2026
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Legal framework

What applies in Chile.

  • DS 236/1926: private sewer systems

    Regulates the disposal of domestic wastewater where there is no public network: septic tanks, chambers and minimum distances. It is the basis of the sanitary permit from the Seremi de Salud (regional health authority).

    Source: Decreto 236 on Ley Chile

  • Art. 116 LGUC: Certificado de Informaciones Previas (certificate of prior information)

    The Dirección de Obras Municipales (municipal works department) issues the CIP with the planning conditions that apply to the site. It is the starting point for any construction project.

    Source: DFL 458 (LGUC) on Ley Chile

  • DS 46/2002: discharges to groundwater

    Sets limits when an effluent seeps into the soil. It generally applies from around 100 PE (population equivalent), not to a single detached home. It is enforced by the Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente.

    Source: Decreto 46 on Ley Chile

The route

From the site to the approved plant.

The usual order, from the site to the authorised plant.

  1. 01

    CIP and site situation

    The Certificado de Informaciones Previas from the Dirección de Obras Municipales shows what can be built on the property.

  2. 02

    Sewer system or your own solution

    If there is a public network, the feasibility statement from the water utility indicates whether a connection is possible. If not, a private solution is designed.

  3. 03

    Sanitary permit

    The Seremi de Salud approves the private sewer system project and, after construction, authorises the works. The application is made on Seremi en Línea with ClaveÚnica (the Chilean state's single digital login).

  4. 04

    Larger projects

    From around 100 PE discharging into the soil, Decreto 46 may apply. We review this with your professionals in the preliminary assessment.

To get started

This information is enough for an initial assessment.

Leave blank anything you do not have yet. Nothing more is needed to get started.

  • Location

    Region, municipality and coordinates

  • Site

    Area and property tax roll number (SII)

  • Project

    Type of project and number of homes or units

  • Users

    Expected residents and maximum occupancy

  • Sanitation

    Is there a public network? Is a connection feasible?

  • Site conditions

    Soil, slope, groundwater table, infiltration

  • Available documents

    Title deed or proof of ownership, CIP, plan, feasibility statement if available

  • Effluent

    Intended location for infiltration, discharge or reuse

Further reading

More about Chile.

First step

Tell us what you want to develop.

With the basic details of the site and the project, Ektennsa and AQUATO carry out an initial assessment.

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or directly: WhatsApp · contacto@ektennsa.com