Committee suggests water shut-off bill

By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- City council's utilities committee has recommended legislation to make it easier to shut off water to commercial and industrial customers who don't have inspections done.
"We're not trying to be mean spirited," Randy Fabrizio, city superintendent of water and wastewater, told the committee Wednesday.
He explained to committee members Councilmen Frank Fuda, D-1st, and Ted Papas, D-2nd, that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency instituted in 1990 a program requiring commercial and industrial customers to install backflow valves and have them inspected annually.
This is to assure, Fabrizio explained, that contaminated water in the lines at the businesses doesn't back up into the potable water supply lines.
There are 576 customers that require the annual inspections by a backflow inspector who is certified by the Ohio Department of Commerce.
What's required
The city ordinance governing the inspections requires three notices be sent to a business by certified mail. Certified mailings cost $4 each.
The city sends out notices to about 200 businesses annually. Fines for noncompliance are up to $100 per day before service is terminated.
Legislation will be introduced at council's Wednesday meeting to eliminate the fines and notices by certified mail.
Fabrizio said commercial and industrial customers who don't have a check valve installed at the customer's expense or don't have them inspected or an inspection scheduled will receive one warning notice by postcard.
If the valve isn't installed or inspected, a second postcard will be sent informing the customers that service will be terminated in two weeks if the situation isn't remedied.
Fabrizio said he doesn't want to interrupt service to customers or cause the businesses any problems, but the city has the ultimate responsible for keeping the water supply safe.
The cost of the inspection is between $75 and $100. Businesses that are part of a chain sometimes don't get the notices because they are sent to the chain's headquarters. An effort will be made, Fabrizio explained, to contact the local chain businesses.
Also during the meeting, the committee agreed to amend the sanitary-sewer service area in Hilltop area of Weathersfield Township to provide sewers to 28 homes. Council must approve the amendment.
The homeowners, Fabrizio explained, want the sanitary service because, otherwise, they will have to install new and expensive individual septic systems. The homeowners have agreed to pay for the sewer line.