Recommendation: Home Sewage Treatment

Improving Stark County water quality

B. Long term outcome statement

Pollution caused by discharges from failing home sewage treatment systems (HSTS) will be reduced.

Recommendation

HSTSs in urbanized areas will be inspected and failing systems will be corrected. Beginning in 2008, all properties served by an HSTS will be inspected prior to a property transfer to determine if the HSTS is functioning properly. All failing HSTSs will be corrected or connected to an existing sewer system.

C. Rationale

In accordance with the requirements of the Phase II Storm Water Program (Clean Water Act) and Ohio EPA’s findings in the 2008 TMDL for Nimishillen Creek, HSTS failures are recognized as a significant source of pollution causing illicit discharges into Stark County streams, rivers and ground water. The urbanized areas of Stark County, due to the density of aging housing utilizing HSTSs, pose the highest potential impacts. It is estimated that there are approximately 17,000 HSTSs in the urbanized area of the county. Though estimations of failure rate vary widely, using Ohio Department of Health’s estimated failure rate of 25% would equate to approximately 4,200 failing systems in the urbanized area. With an average flow of 180 gallons per day per household, these failing systems have the capacity to discharge 765,000 gallons of untreated sewage per day. Stream segments affected by such discharges will likely exhibit unacceptable levels of bacteria, nutrients, oxygen and on other water quality measurements. Signs of failure may include but are not limited to: sewage surfacing into the ground or being discharged into a stream or storm sewer, backing into a structure or otherwise causing a public health threat.

Real estate transfer inspections are an ideal time to upgrade failing systems, since funds can be easily allocated for the correction during the transfer. It also protects buyers from the financial burden they may encounter if the system is found to be failing later, if an inspection had not been conducted. Lastly, it gives the buyer an opportunity to become educated on how to properly maintain the system, improving system longevity.

The removal of illicit discharges and the correction of failing HSTSs will decrease the risk of disease transmission and improve water quality. The requirements of the Phase II Storm Water Program are satisfied and progress is made toward attainment of TMDL standards. The bottom-line: the waters of Stark County make headway toward becoming once again fishable and swimmable.