EPA Tells County To Clean Up Or Pay Up
PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio—Most people would think reliable sewage service is a way of life, but in the small village of Derby it’s a serious issue.
The Ohio EPA is stepping forward and telling Pickaway County to clean up or pay up.
County officials tell NBC 4 the EPA could find the county to be in noncompliance if a solution isn’t found soon.
Many of the village’s 120 residences use underground septic tanks currently, and the EPA said its original order to clean them up was issued in 1998.
County officials say the violations affect the nearby ditch waterway.
Now comes the task of a solution and the associated cost.
Residents are worried it could mean added costs that are passed on to them.
One option could be residents paying a bill to hook into the prison sewage system in nearby Orient.
The option wouldn’t be inexpensive and could include hookup fees and sizable monthly charges.
“Money is tight with us, too, but (I) would be willing to do it. It would benefit us,“ said Ty Thompson, an area resident.
April Whittaker said she doesn’t think she should pay for construction, but agrees that something needs to be done. She said she thinks there is no chance to sell in the area without sewer solutions.
“They are huge advantages to live in the country, but septic and water are two issues. For people living in the city, you don’t have sewage. I’m not living there,“ she said.
County officials say that’s one option but they are also looking at financing and grants to make it easier for low- or fixed-income residents.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail
.
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
To Sprockets: Yes, my well water is just fine…thanks for the genuine concern. As I stated before, I am not opposed to the sewer installation. Let me break down the reason residents are angry. The EPA is threatening to fine the county for continued non compliance. The county wants to pass the cost (including fines) onto residents. We do not get to vote on this. We do not have a say in who does the construction or the amount of money the county pays to complete the task. The fees are not distributed equally among the residents. The fees will be attached to our property tax bills, based on the value of our property. In addition, only the residents of the township that affect the Greenbrier Ditch are the ones that will be assessed the fee. Do you now see why we are upset? A few of us will be paying for public sewage installation for everyone.
How about missing my point, Notbitter? We all pay the costs of all upgrades to infrastructure, all the time. It’s how things work. If the government - local, state, or federal - says you have to pay, then you do. And in this case the payment would improve the value of your property and make resale a possibility, so what is your problem? (Have you had your well water checked lately? Because ewww.)
To Sprockets: We are civilized people out here in Derby and your comment is offensive. They are not putting a levy on us, they are going to put the fee on our property tax bill as an additional fee. The problem is, not everyone in the town will get the fee, only certain property owners. You should really research the issue before you insult the civility of people. As far as polluting, we have septic tanks, which are enclosed. The local grain mill pollutes far more than any of the residents. Most of us also have well water, so if there was so much pollution, I think we would be aware of it. Yes, we need public sewage for the convenience and the bump to our property values, but to insinuate that we are uncivilized because we feel we should not bear the total cost is beyond the pale.
Residents always end up paying for the construction of infrastructure, through taxes or special levies. That’s just how it works. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to stop polluting the local environment and have a safe and effective sanitary system. It’s just something civilized people do.
The issue is not paying a hook up fee. The biggest issue, is there are currently no sewer lines and they want to charge us to dig up our streets and lawns and install the lines, then charge us to tap into them.
My understanding of Ohio law is that when and if a hookup to the public sewer becomes available, residents are required to pay to hook up to it. That can be a hefty fee, but that’s how it works. I’m north of Columbus and that law would affect me, too. However, there’s no way around it and it greatly improves a home’s value to be hooked up to city sewer.
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement