Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

Officials stress over proposed septic rules

Auglaize health department looking at inspecting nearly 7,500 properties

By Shelley Grieshop
WAPAKONETA - Local health officials are worried about the state's proposed home septic system rules including a requirement to inspect and monitor each of the nearly 7,500 properties in Auglaize County.
Environmental health director Curt Anderson told board members Tuesday the operation and maintenance portion in the pending regulations would require his staff to find, retrieve data, inspect, monitor and issue permits for each of the county's 7,494 septic systems not tapped into central systems.
Anderson said the county would be required to start with septic systems in the Grand Lake Watershed, which in 2011 was designated as "distressed" by the state.
The board will be asked for guidance in the process, he said.
"It will be up to the board on how in-depth you want us to be. This will be very time consuming," he said.
He told board members he hopes to tap county records to establish a searchable database for the project.
"There's about 2,800 houses we have no information on at all," he said.
The cost to residents could be less than $100 every few years for inspections and other services, Anderson said.
He won't know specifics of the law until the new regulations are finalized later this year or possibly in 2015, he said. Public meetings will be scheduled to draw input from and educate residents prior to final implementation, he added.
The state established new home septic system regulations in January 2007 but rescinded them several months later after the public deemed them too extreme and costly. Local health departments were then instructed to adopt their own rules - tailored to their personal demographics and needs - until new ones were created. The interim was supposed to last two years.
Anderson also discussed another aspect of the proposed regulations that creates about a dozen new fees and permits for septic system services. Each would require board approval, he said.
"At first we'll have to guess our actual cost," Anderson said. "In about two years, after tracking the data, we should have a better idea on how much to charge."
Also included in the proposed regulations is the option to adjust the seasonal water table for septic system efficiency. The county's current vertical length is 12 inches but Anderson said he'd recommend changing it to six inches.
"I've talked to other area counties that have it at six (inches) and they don't have any problems," he said.
Anderson said the proposed rules, as written, closely mirror those rescinded in 2007.
"I could see another outcry and at least some of it rescinded again," he said.
Additional online stories on this date
FORT RECOVERY - Sixty percent of middle school students made the honor roll during the first half of the school year, principal Matt Triplett proudly told board of education members Tuesday night. [More]
Division II Sectional at Spencerville
SPENCERVILLE - Celina's girls basketball team was able to withstand a second-half charge by St. Marys and the Bulldogs led wire-to-wire for a 56-46 win over the rival Roughriders on Tuesday night in Division II sectional semifinal action at Spencerville High School. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
The U.S. Senate passed a bill late last week giving $20.5 million per year to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to research and combat algae blooms and hypoxia.
MINSTER - Supporters of former Minster Police Sgt. Kirby Cummins asked village council Tuesday night to reinstate the eight-year employee who was fired for alleged inappropriate conduct.
WAPAKONETA - An Auglaize County health board member on Tuesday questioned the benefit of sending a disaster coordinator to conferences all over the country.
MARIA STEIN - The Marion Community Development Organization has renewed an option to purchase land for industrial park expansion.
Nieberding Ventur
WAPAKONETA - A federal agency hopes the threat of premature wrinkles and tooth loss will reduce the number of youths who light up.
"The Real Cost"
MINSTER - Village residents could pay 9 percent more for water after a cost services study revealed the need for more revenue.
"Revenues at current
ROCKFORD - Village officials will apply for a Community Development Block Grant to help pay for a $1 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant.
WAPAKONETA - Thirteen Auglaize County bridges are scheduled for rehabilitation or replacement in 2014 at a cost of $1.27 million.
County engineer D
Division IV Sectional at Coldwater
COLDWATER - The lessons learned in their first meeting less than a week ago paid off for Fort Recovery's girls basketball team against St. Henry in Division IV sectional semifinal action at The Palce in Coldwater on Tuesday night.
ST. HENRY - St. Henry hosted Wapakoneta on Tuesday night in what could be described as a battle of Redskins, Auglaize versus Mercer County, or the Mi