TRUMBULL COUNTY Officials target septic problems

Fixing septic problems could cost homeowners big bucks.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Sanitary sewers could provide answers to stinky streets in several county neighborhoods, Trumbull County health officials say.
Representatives from the health department, sanitary engineer's office and county planning commission will begin meeting monthly to discuss septic problems in the 15 areas of concern the Ohio EPA has targeted for improvement.
In most areas, the problem is caused by septic systems which pipe poorly treated or untreated wastewater to roadside ditches.
"There are perhaps 10,000 systems discharging raw sewage into ditches across Trumbull County," said health commissioner Dr. James Enyeart. "From a public health standpoint, it really makes you cringe."
Fixing it, however, would make an accountant blush.
Officials have estimated that installing sewers in all the areas targeted by the Environmental Protection Agency would cost $54 million, an amount which pretty much takes it off the table.
"You cannot sewer Trumbull County," said county Commissioner Joseph J. Angelo Jr. "It is just not going to happen."
At a meeting Wednesday, health department officials urged commissioners and sanitary engineer Thomas Holloway to consider bringing sewers to some problem areas where homes are close together.
Money involved
Because sewer projects are costly, Holloway said his department has been focusing on doing one at a time.
The department's last project cost $4.5 million to bring sewers to 200 homes.
"There is only so much grant money available," he said. "The majority of homeowners are low- to mid-income. They can't afford a big assessment."
But just fixing up a failing septic system isn't cheap, either. A model that discharges wastewater treated to today's standards will set you back $12,000, said Frank Migliozzi, the department's director of environmental health. That's more than the per-house assessment for some recent sewer projects, and less than the bill for others, Holloway added.
Homeowners with new discharging septic systems also will have to pay for annual inspections and maintenance under a proposed health code. And there is no guarantee state and federal standards won't change again, meaning another trip to the septic tank store.
"If they [homeowners] can't afford your sewers, they probably can't afford our septic systems also," Enyeart said.
siff@vindy.com